Moving between states / Washington

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Moving from Ohio to Washington for work

What moves with you from Ohio to Washington: your licence, your take-home pay, and the programs that pay people to come. Every line below is computed from the two states' rules.

What the move does to your paycheck

On a $60,000 salary Washington leaves you roughly $1,470 a year more than Ohio does, because Washington has no state income tax on wages.

SalaryOhio state taxWashington state taxDifference a year
$40,000$980$0+$980
$60,000$1,470$0+$1,470
$90,000$2,205$0+$2,205

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 Ohio: most cities add a 1 to 2.5% municipal income tax. Property and sales tax are not in it.

CNA: Ohio to Washington

Transfers by reciprocity. Your Ohio certificate stays on the Ohio Department of Health, 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.

RN and LPN: Ohio to Washington

Works on day one. Both Ohio and Washington are in the Nurse Licensure Compact. A multistate RN or LPN licence from Ohio 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: Ohio to Washington

Exam likely. Washington licenses at state level through the Washington Department of Labor and Industries and reciprocates with other state boards, but Ohio licenses locally through the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board (contractors) and city building departments, which is not a party to those agreements. Expect to document your hours and sit the Washington journeyman exam.

CDL: Ohio 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 Ohio 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.

Going the other way? Ohio has Hamilton Talent Attraction Program. See moving from Washington to Ohio.

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 Ohio 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

CNA: Ohio to Washington · RN or LPN: Ohio to Washington · Electrician: Ohio to Washington · Truck driver: Ohio to Washington

From Ohio 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 Ohio

Michigan · Indiana · Kentucky · West Virginia · Pennsylvania

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

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