Online Renewals Frequently Asked Questions

Your credential expires at midnight of your expiration date, Pacific time (PST). For most professions, it's your birthday. If you're using Online Renewals you must complete the renewal process before midnight of your due date or you won't be able to renew online. You may also view our provider/facility search to see your expiration date. See WAC 246.12.040 (2) for additional information.

Credentials expired for more than one renewal cycle cannot be renewed online. They may require an expired reissuance application, which can be found on your professions webpage. However, most professions have been setup for late online renewals. The following list of credential types are currently not eligible to renew late online. If your credential type is listed below, you may return your renewal notice with payment by mail or contact us for further assistance.

See our online renewal page to complete your online renewal process.

Credentials not eligible for late renewal online:

• Advanced registered nurse practioner (ARNP)

• Denturist alternate location (cannot be renewed online for active or late renewal)

• Dispensing optician apprentice (cannot be renewed online for active or late renewal)

• Genetic counselor provisional license (cannot be renewed online for active or late renewal)

• Medical cannabis consultant

• Medication assistant – endorsement for nursing assistant certified (cannot be renewed online for active or late renewal)

• Pharmacy intern (cannot be renewed online for active or late renewal)

• Retired volunteer medical workers (cannot be renewed online for active or late renewal)

• Nursing technician (cannot be renewed online for active or late renewal)

The online renewal system will accept Visa, MasterCard and ACH (electronic check) payments. Payment must be made with U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. financial institution.

Yes, you can use gift cards with the Visa or MasterCard logo. However, check the card issuer's policies for online purchases before attempting to renew online. The card must include a U.S. verification address for successful renewal. Some cards must be activated before you can purchase online.

Yes, you'll be able to print a receipt once your payment has been approved.

Yes, if your profession currently issues paper licenses through the mail after renewal. You should receive your renewed license within 10 business days of your online renewal. If you don't, contact our Customer Service Center at 360-236-4700.

As of April 1, 2010, registered nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, licensed practical nurses and nurse technicians in Washington no longer receive a paper license after renewal. You may verify license status on our Provider Credential Search website.

You may contact the SAW Support Center at 888-241-7597 or 360-753-2454 or servicedesk@cts.wa.gov.

The Online Services application can be accessed only through the Secure Access Washington (SAW) Web portal to address security needs. We've placed Online Services in this portal to shield the application and the information it collects against harmful Internet activity. Before you can access the portal, you must create a separate SAW user ID and password.

Start by logging into your SAW account at https://secureaccess.wa.gov/. If you haven't added the "DOH HSQA Online Services" site to your SAW account, type 7472 in the service code box on the left side and select "Apply." This will direct you to our online services site.

Start at https://secureaccess.wa.gov. Instead of logging in, select the "Forgot User ID" or "Forgot Password" icon at the right of the login window. The system will confirm your information and email you the user ID or allow you to change your password. Be sure you're checking the email address you used to sign up.

As soon as your account becomes locked, it'll remain locked for 15 minutes. Please wait 15 minutes and attempt to log on again.

You may also contact the SAW Support Center at 888-241-7597 or 360-753-2454, or servicedesk@cts.wa.gov.

Internet Explorer 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 and Google Chrome work best.

If using Firefox or Safari you may need to disable TLS (Transport Layer Security), but remember to enable it once you complete your online transaction.

Online services are configured to work with PCs and PC-based laptops. Mobile device and tablet users may experience technical difficulty while attempting to renew online.

Contact our Customer Service Center at 360-236-4700 if you experience any problems, or would like to provide us with feedback about the process. Our office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time), Monday - Friday.

By using Secure Access Washington, we're promoting a secure technology environment. You may review the SAW privacy notice information.

Not specifically. Fees may be changed for a variety of reasons. Washington law requires each health profession to be self-supporting. Fees may be increased to cover inflationary effects, costs to discipline practitioners, credentialing and the ability to provide online licensing and renewals for practitioners. When a profession's revenue and fund balance don't support current or projected expenses, we must consider increasing the profession's fees. The request to raise fees is submitted to, and approved or denied by, the legislature.

At this time, health professional renewals are the focus of this legislative-approved project. Upon successful completion of the health profession renewals, facility renewals will be considered for future automation projects.

When you make online purchases using a credit card, the payment system verifies the address you enter online with the address the bank has for that card. If the billing verification address for the card doesn't match what you entered online, you'll get a verification-failed message and the payment will not go through successfully.

We recommend contacting the card service at the number on the back of your card. Ask what verification address it has on file for the card and request the spelling. "Verification failed" messages may result from street names not spelled correctly, a former address attached to the card, or the ZIP Code may be wrong.

You may get a declined message if there aren't enough funds available to make a payment. Each time you get a verification-failed message, your bank debits or holds the funds from your account. This may result in a declined payment message and insufficient fund fees for additional attempts.

If you have a minimum balance requirement, you may get a declined message.

If you attempt to renew online and get a verification-failed message, your bank debits or holds the funds from your account. Your account may reflect the payment request as an actual charge even though it did not go through successfully. If you make several attempts, it may result in declined payments and insufficient fund fees for other transactions. Most banks return the funds to the account after two business days if not claimed by the Department of Health. The funds will not be available while on debit hold.

If the verification fails, your bank places funds on debit hold. Most banks return the fees after two business days if the fees go unclaimed. However, you may request the bank to release the funds. We recommend contacting your bank before contacting our Customer Service Center.

Most banks return the fees after two business days if the fees go unclaimed by the Department of Health. However, you may request release of the funds sooner. To do so, contact your bank and gather the information below. Then, contact our Customer Service Center and provide us with the information for additional assistance.

We need:

• Your bank name
• Fax or email for the bank
• The name of the bank representative who assisted you
• The bank representative's direct phone number
• How many payment attempts were made?
• The payment amounts
• Bank authorization/transaction numbers

While the online renewal process is more convenient for our customers, it doesn't reduce agency costs. We'll continue to mail renewal notices and licenses to our credential holders. Our current renewal process is already mostly automated once the payment is received; therefore, this optional system will not decrease staff time. The purpose of the convenience fee is to help cover costs of making the online system available.

• Warning! Once you start the payment process, your transaction is not complete until you receive confirmation of your payment. If you leave the payment page before receiving the message "Approved!" your renewal won't process. Do not log off or shut down your computer until you get your receipt clearly indicating your transaction has been completed.
• As soon as your credential is renewed, the updated information will show on our provider/facility search.
• All health profession fees are non-refundable (WAC 246-12-340).