Eligibility for license, certificate, permit, and registration regardless of immigration and citizenship status — Disclosure of identifier numbers — Exemptions.
RCW 18.415.010
in effectFor the businesses and professions included under this title, except for interstate compacts: (1) An individual who is not lawfully present in the United States is eligible for a professional license, commercial license, certificate, permit, or registration as allowed under Title 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1621. A state agency, regulatory authority, or disciplining authority shall not deny an application for a professional license, commercial license, certificate, permit, or registration solely on the basis of a person's immigration or citizenship status if the person has met all other qualifications. (2) An applicant for a professional license, commercial license, certificate, permit, or registration may provide an individual taxpayer identification number in lieu of a social security number when completing an application. (3) A state agency, regulatory authority, or disciplining authority shall not disclose to any person who is not employed by the state agency, regulatory authority, or disciplining authority the social security number or individual taxpayer identification number of an applicant or licensee for any purpose except: (a) Tax purposes; (b) Licensing purposes; and (c) Enforcement of an order for the payment of child support. (4) A social security number or individual taxpayer identification number provided to a state agency, regulatory authority, or disciplining authority is confidential and is exempt from disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW. (5) Nothing in this section shall affect the requirements to obtain a professional license, commercial license, certificate, permit, or registration that are not directly related to citizenship status or immigration status. (6) This chapter does not apply to licensees under chapters 18.165 and 18.170 RCW and RCW 18.185.250 .
For the businesses and professions included under this title, except for interstate compacts:
(1) An individual who is not lawfully present in the United States is eligible for a professional license, commercial license, certificate, permit, or registration as allowed under Title 8 U.S.C. Sec. 1621. A state agency, regulatory authority, or disciplining authority shall not deny an application for a professional license, commercial license, certificate, permit, or registration solely on the basis of a person's immigration or citizenship status if the person has met all other qualifications.
(2) An applicant for a professional license, commercial license, certificate, permit, or registration may provide an individual taxpayer identification number in lieu of a social security number when completing an application.
(3) A state agency, regulatory authority, or disciplining authority shall not disclose to any person who is not employed by the state agency, regulatory authority, or disciplining authority the social security number or individual taxpayer identification number of an applicant or licensee for any purpose except:
(a) Tax purposes;
(b) Licensing purposes; and
(c) Enforcement of an order for the payment of child support.
(4) A social security number or individual taxpayer identification number provided to a state agency, regulatory authority, or disciplining authority is confidential and is exempt from disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW.
(5) Nothing in this section shall affect the requirements to obtain a professional license, commercial license, certificate, permit, or registration that are not directly related to citizenship status or immigration status.
(6) This chapter does not apply to licensees under chapters 18.165 and 18.170 RCW and RCW 18.185.250 .
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.415&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026