Program Overview
The Certificate of Need Program is a regulatory process that requires certain healthcare providers to obtain state approval before building certain types of facilities or offering new or expanded services. The certificate of need process ensures that proposed facilities or services are necessary to maintain quality patient care within a particular region or community.
Program staff members offer technical assistance (TA) to assist with the application process. While TA isn't required, it's highly recommended.
Use our online form to request a TA meeting.
When Certificate of Need Review is Required
- Construction, development or establishment of the following healthcare facilities:
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- Hospitals
- Nursing homes
- Kidney dialysis centers
- Medicare or Medicaid home health agencies
- Medicare or Medicaid hospice agencies
- Ambulatory surgical centers
- Hospice care centers
- Offering a new tertiary health service:
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- Level I rehabilitation programs
- Open heart surgery
- Therapeutic cardiac catheterization
- Organ transplantation specialty burn services
- Intermediate care nursery and/or obstetric services
- Level II neonatal intensive care nursery and/or obstetric services
- Level III specialized inpatient pediatric services
- Other instances where a CN is required:
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- Increases in the number of stations at a kidney dialysis center
- Sale, purchase or lease of all or part of an existing hospital, regardless of profit/non-profit status.
- Increases in the number of licensed beds at a hospital, nursing home or hospice care center.
Review details are found in chapter 246-310 WAC: Certificate of Need.
Contact and connect
- CN program contact and mailing information
- To receive Certificate of Need information, subscribe for updates at the bottom of the page.