2026 data Washington board official source

Washington Certified Nurse-Midwife License Requirements

Requirements, fees, and renewal timing for this license, sourced from state board records.

Provides prenatal, birth, and postpartum care. Scope varies by state.

What the Washington data shows for Certified Nurse-Midwifes

To practice as a certified nurse-midwife in Washington, the state licensing board requires 1,000 documented education or training hours, a passing score on a state-approved exam. A criminal history background check is also part of the application. The regulation sits under Washington's professional licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Certificate/Degree".

Upfront cost is $100 on a 2-year cycle. There's no continuing-education mandate tied to this profession in Washington, which keeps the long-run cost of staying licensed lighter than in CE-heavy states.

Washington handles out-of-state credentials on a case-by-case basis instead of a standing reciprocity list.

Licensing Ease Score

D
Licensing Ease Score
47/100
Certified Nurse-Midwife · Washington

A higher score means this specific license is LESS burdensome to obtain and maintain here than the national requirement corpus, based on education hours, fees, continuing education, and experience requirements, not an overall judgment of the profession or the state.

Education & Training D
1,000 hours
Documented education/training hours required
Initial Fee C-
$100
One-time application/license fee
Renewal Burden N/A
N/A
Renewal fee annualized over the renewal cycle
Continuing Education N/A
N/A
Continuing-education hours annualized over the renewal cycle
Experience Required N/A
N/A
Supervised work experience required before licensure

Licensing Requirements in Washington

Education / Training Hours
Certificate/Degree
1,000 hours
Exam Requirement
Required
Initial License Fee
$100
Renewal Fee
N/A
Renewal Cycle
Every 2 years
Continuing Education
Not required
Criminal History Check
Required
Data sources: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice, state licensing boards. Verify current requirements with Washington licensing authorities before making career decisions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What license do I need for Certified Nurse-Midwife in Washington?
Washington's requirements cover 1000 hours of education or training, a state exam, and an initial fee of $100. Applicants also go through a criminal background check.
How do I get certified as a Certified Nurse-Midwife in Washington?
Washington licenses certified nurse-midwifes who complete its requirements (1000 education hours) and a passing exam. Verify the latest details with the Washington licensing board.
Can I transfer my Certified Nurse-Midwife license to Washington from another state?
There's no published blanket reciprocity rule for certified nurse-midwifes in Washington - applications from other states are reviewed individually. Interstate licensing compacts cover many occupations and may still apply. Reach out to the Washington licensing board for the current process.
Does Washington require a background check for Certified Nurse-Midwife licensing?
Background screening is part of the certified nurse-midwife licensing process in Washington. The state licensing board determines which offenses disqualify an applicant and how appeals are handled.

What to do with this certified nurse-midwife license

Certified Nurse-Midwife in Washington is one requirement row in a certified nurse-midwife-wide, 50-state comparison.

Requirements shown are compiled from NCSL and Institute for Justice research; verify current rules with the Washington licensing board before making career decisions.

Source: NCSL Occupational Licensing Database, Institute for Justice License to Work (3rd Ed.), state licensing board websites

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Institute for Justice, the PlainCredential comparison corpus (current as of May 15, 2026) maps 4,947 state licensing requirement records; see the methodology.