School Librarian / Media Specialist / Washington
2026 data Washington board official source

Washington School Librarian / Media Specialist License Requirements

Compiled from official public sources by the publisher.

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

PlainCredential home → About this data

Manages school library resources. Requires teaching cert in most states.

What the Washington data shows for School Librarian / Media Specialists

Becoming a licensed school librarian / media specialist in Washington means clearing a defined set of hurdles: 2,000 training hours, a passing score on a state-approved exam, plus a background history check. Washington regulators place this credential inside their licensing framework, which classifies the training track as "Degree".

Upfront cost is $100 on a 5-year cycle. Continuing education is not a listed requirement for this profession in Washington, so the annualized maintenance burden is lower than in states that mandate ongoing hours.

Washington evaluates out-of-state credentials case-by-case rather than through a published reciprocity list.

Licensing Ease Score

F
Licensing Ease Score
36/100
School Librarian / Media Specialist · 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 F
2,000 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
Degree
2,000 hours
Exam Requirement
Required
Initial License Fee
$100
Renewal Fee
N/A
Renewal Cycle
Every 5 years
Continuing Education
Not required
Criminal History Check
Required

Compare & Explore

Compare all states for School Librarian / Media Specialist All Washington licenses
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 School Librarian / Media Specialist in Washington? ▼
Washington requires 2000 education/training hours, passing an exam, and an initial fee of $100. A criminal background check is also required.
How do I get certified as a School Librarian / Media Specialist in Washington? ▼
Certification as a school librarian / media specialist in Washington means clearing the state's checklist: 2000 hours of education, and a passing exam score. The Washington licensing board can confirm the current details.
Can I transfer my School Librarian / Media Specialist license to Washington from another state? ▼
Washington evaluates out-of-state school librarian / media specialist licenses on a case-by-case basis. Many professions are covered by interstate licensing compacts that facilitate portability. Contact the Washington licensing board for specific reciprocity details.
Does Washington require a background check for School Librarian / Media Specialist licensing? ▼
Background screening is part of the school librarian / media specialist licensing process in Washington. The state licensing board determines which offenses disqualify an applicant and how appeals are handled.

Related Guides

What to do with this school librarian / media specialist license

School Librarian / Media Specialist in Washington is one requirement row in a school librarian / media specialist-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.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.