Moving between states / Oregon
Washingtonto
Oregon, Truck driverMoving from Washington to Oregon as a CDL holder
What a CDL holder licensed in Washington has to do to work in Oregon, what the move does to your pay, and who in Oregon 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 Oregon resident you surrender the Washington CDL at a Oregon 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 Oregon. Your driving record follows you through the federal CDLIS system.
What the move does to your paycheck
On a $60,000 salary Oregon takes roughly $4,158 a year more than Washington does, because you are leaving a state with no income tax on wages.
| Salary | Washington state tax | Oregon state tax | Difference a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $0 | $2,772 | -$2,772 |
| $60,000 | $0 | $4,158 | -$4,158 |
| $90,000 | $0 | $6,237 | -$6,237 |
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 Oregon: Portland metro adds local taxes on higher incomes. 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: Washington to Oregon
Transfers by reciprocity. Your Washington certificate stays on the Washington State Department of Health, Nursing Assistant Certified program; to work in Oregon you apply to the Oregon State Board of Nursing, Certified Nursing Assistant registry for reciprocity. It accepts an active certificate in good standing from another state; there is no retest if your record is clean. Most registries list you within two to six weeks.
RN and LPN: Washington to Oregon
Endorsement needed. Oregon is not in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so your Washington multistate licence does not work there. Apply to the Oregon Board of Nursing for licensure by endorsement before you move; it commonly takes six to twelve weeks. Your Washington licence stays valid for compact states.
Electrician: Washington to Oregon
Reciprocity likely. Oregon licenses electricians at state level through the Oregon Building Codes Division, Electrical and Elevator Board, and reciprocity with a short list of western states for general journeymen. Your Washington licence comes from the Washington Department of Labor and Industries, a state body, which is what a reciprocity application needs: ask it for a verification letter before you move.
Does Oregon pay you to come?
No statewide program in Oregon 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 Oregon
76 open positions filed with the Department of Labor by Oregon employers who could not fill them locally.
- Relationship Banker- Bilingual Spanish preferredBank of America · Bend
- Relationship Banker, bilingual Spanish preferredBank of America · Eugene
- Beekeeper HelperSweet Bee Honey Company, Inc. · Milton Freewater · $17.65/hr
- Farm WorkerKCK Farms, LLC · Dayton · $17.92/hr
- Farmworker / LaborerWebster Orchards Inc. · The Dalles · $15.55/hr
- Farm LaborerBlooming Nursery, Inc. · Cornelius · $17.65/hr
Your own route from Washington to Oregon
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 Oregon employers.
Plan my move to OregonSame move, by trade
CNA: Washington to Oregon · RN or LPN: Washington to Oregon · Electrician: Washington to Oregon · All licences: Washington to Oregon
From Washington to the states next to Oregon
Idaho (flat 5.3% state income tax) · Nevada (no state income tax) · California (progressive, top rate 13.3%)
To Oregon from the states next to Washington
Everything about working in Oregon · All moves between states · All 50 states