Moving between states / Washington
Hawaiito
Washington, Truck driverMoving from Hawaii to Washington as a CDL holder
What a CDL holder licensed in Hawaii has to do to work in Washington, what the move does to your pay, and who in Washington is hiring from out of state.
Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Washington resident you surrender the Hawaii CDL at a Washington driver licence office, pass the vision test, pay the fee, and your endorsements carry over. A hazmat endorsement needs a fresh TSA threat assessment in Washington. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
What the move does to your paycheck
On a $60,000 salary Washington leaves you roughly $4,620 a year more than Hawaii does, because Washington has no state income tax on wages.
| Salary | Hawaii state tax | Washington state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $3,080 | $0 | +$3,080 |
| $60,000 | $4,620 | $0 | +$4,620 |
| $90,000 | $6,930 | $0 | +$6,930 |
Rough figures for a single filer: exact in the flat-rate and no-tax states, approximated at 70% of the top bracket in the progressive ones. In Washington: no tax on wages; a 7% tax on large capital gains and a payroll premium for long-term care. Property and sales tax are not in it.
CNA: Hawaii to Washington
Transfers by reciprocity. Your Hawaii certificate stays on the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, Nurse Aide Registry (administered by Prometric); to work in Washington you apply to the Washington State Department of Health, Nursing Assistant Certified program for reciprocity. Washington certifies nursing assistants (NA-C) and credentials out-of-state CNAs by endorsement. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.
RN and LPN: Hawaii to Washington
Endorsement, six to twelve weeks. Hawaii is not in the compact, so your Hawaii licence is single-state. Apply to the Washington board for licensure by endorsement (Nursys verification, fingerprints, the board's fee); six to twelve weeks is normal, so start before you give notice. Because Washington is a compact state, ask for the new licence to be issued as a multistate licence: from then on it works in every compact state.
Electrician: Hawaii to Washington
Reciprocity likely. Washington licenses electricians at state level through the Washington Department of Labor and Industries, and reciprocity with a short list of states for general journeymen with recent hours. Your Hawaii licence comes from the Hawaii Board of Electricians and Plumbers, a state body, which is what a reciprocity application needs: ask it for a verification letter before you move.
Does Washington pay you to come?
No statewide program in Washington pays people to move in. Towns sometimes list an offer through MakeMyMove, and employers in short-staffed trades pay relocation themselves; ask for it in writing before you accept.
Openings filed in Washington
171 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Washington employers who could not fill them locally.
- Director, Engineering - ObservabilityUber · Seattle
- Credit Analyst II/Credit Underwriter I-Commercial Real Estate CreditBank of America · Seattle
- Senior Account Manager, FulfillmentFlexport · Bellevue
- Manager, Ocean FreightFlexport · Bellevue
- Customs SpecialistFlexport · Bellevue
- Sr. Sales Manager (Global Starlink Enterprise Sales)SpaceX · Redmond
Your own route from Hawaii to Washington
Tell us your trade and your licence. We write the steps for your case, check the job offer for scams, and keep your resume ready for Washington employers.
Plan my move to WashingtonSame move, by trade
CNA: Hawaii to Washington · RN or LPN: Hawaii to Washington · Electrician: Hawaii to Washington · All licences: Hawaii to Washington
From Hawaii to the states next to Washington
Oregon (progressive, top rate 9.9%) · Idaho (flat 5.3% state income tax)
To Washington from the states next to Hawaii
Everything about working in Washington · All moves between states · All 50 states