Substantially Equivalent States - Optometrist

Washington state may issue credentials to applicants with credentials in another state based upon the other state's qualifications. The other state's licensing standards must be substantially equivalent to Washington state's licensing qualifications.

New legislative changes due to SHB 1724 will apply new criteria to out of state applicants starting July 23, 2023. To qualify:

• applicant must come from a state that has been deemed substantially equivalent (see list below),
• has been credentialed for at least two years in that state, and 
• has not been subject to disciplinary action.

To apply, applicants should use the endorsement application until further notice. We are working on updating our applications to reflect the new changes.