Moving between states / Washington

Flag of KentuckyKentuckytoFlag of WashingtonWashington, CNA

Moving from Kentucky to Washington as a certified nursing assistant

What a certified nursing assistant licensed in Kentucky 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 by reciprocity. Your Kentucky certificate stays on the Kentucky Board of Nursing, Nurse Aide Registry; 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.

What the move does to your paycheck

On a $60,000 salary Washington leaves you roughly $2,400 a year more than Kentucky does, because Washington has no state income tax on wages.

SalaryKentucky state taxWashington state taxDifference a year
$40,000$1,600$0+$1,600
$60,000$2,400$0+$2,400
$90,000$3,600$0+$3,600

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. In Kentucky: many cities and counties add an occupational tax. Property and sales tax are not in it.

RN and LPN: Kentucky to Washington

Works on day one. Both Kentucky and Washington are in the Nurse Licensure Compact. A multistate RN or LPN licence from Kentucky is valid in Washington the day you arrive. Once Washington is your primary residence, apply there for a Washington multistate licence; most boards allow 30 to 60 days.

Electrician: Kentucky 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 Kentucky licence comes from the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction, Electrical Licensing, a state body, which is what a reciprocity application needs: ask it for a verification letter before you move.

CDL: Kentucky to Washington

Transfers at the DMV. A commercial driver's licence transfers like any licence: within 30 days of becoming a Washington resident you surrender the Kentucky 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.

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.

Your own route from Kentucky 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 Washington

Same move, by trade

RN or LPN: Kentucky to Washington · Electrician: Kentucky to Washington · Truck driver: Kentucky to Washington · All licences: Kentucky to Washington

From Kentucky 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 Kentucky

Indiana · Ohio · West Virginia · Virginia · Tennessee · Missouri · Illinois

Everything about working in Washington · All moves between states · All 50 states

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