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Overview
Under Rule 18 of the Admission to Practice Rules (APR), lawyers licensed to practice law in other states or territories of the United States or the District of Columbia may be admitted to practice law in Washington under procedures and conditions that are substantially similar to the procedures and conditions under which the other licensing state or territory allows the admission of licensed Washington lawyers to their state or territory.
Qualifications for Reciprocal Admission
All applicants should read APR 18 for all the admission requirements under that rule. In summary, to apply for admission under APR 18, an applicant must meet the following requirements:
- Present satisfactory proof of both admission to the practice of law with current good standing in another state or territory of the United States or the District of Columbia, and active legal experience as a lawyer or counselor at law at the time of the application;
- Establish the terms and conditions under which the other jurisdiction allows the admission of licensed Washington lawyers;
- If the other jurisdiction requires Washington lawyers to complete or meet other conditions or requirements, the applicant must meet a substantially similar requirement for admission in Washington; and
- Possess the good moral character and fitness requisite for a member of the Bar of the State of Washington.
Applicants may determine the requirements of their "home" state by referring to the "home" state's admission rules. Additional information can be found on the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) website.
Rules and Regulations
The admissions process is governed by the Admission to Practice Rules, the WSBA Admission Policies, and the Application Instructions.
Bar Exam Applications and Admissions are governed by APR 1–5.
Reciprocity Applications and Admissions are governed by APR 18 and 1–5.
Character and Fitness requirements and proceedings are governed by APR 20–24.
Washington ethical or professional responsibility duties are set forth in the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Membership in the WSBA is governed by the WSBA Bylaws.
Filing an Application for Reciprocal Admission
The application for reciprocal admission must be completed online through the WSBA Online Admissions System.
In addition to filing the application and paying the application fee online, you must deliver, to the WSBA Admissions Office:
- 3 original signed and notarized Authorization and Releases;
- 2 original Good Moral Character references;
- all supporting documentation not uploaded with the application;
- 1 original Certificate of Good Standing from each jurisdiction in which you are admitted to practice; and
- the application fee and payment form (if paying by check).
All documents filed with the WSBA must include your Applicant ID number. It is preferable that documents and files attached to the application be in PDF format. Please format files so that they are as small as possible.
Additional information is provided in our Application Instructions for Admission.
There are no application deadlines. Applications are accepted year-round.
Application Fees
- U.S. Attorneys: $620 + NCBE Investigation Fee
- All attorney applicants must submit a separate investigation fee directly to the National Conference of Bar Examiners, using the form provided on the online application site.
Character and Fitness
All applicants are subject to a character and fitness review prior to being admitted to practice law in Washington State. The practice of law is a privilege, not a right. Admission may be withheld pending a hearing before the Character and Fitness Board and final determination regarding whether the applicants have met their burden of proving that they are of good moral character and fit to practice law. Factors considered by Admissions staff and Bar Counsel when determining whether an applicant should be referred to the Character and Fitness Board are set forth in APR 24.2(a).
Admission Requirements
After submitting the application and being approved for admission, there are additional requirements that must be met prior to admission. These requirements will be displayed on your online application page. Applicants who apply on or after March 1, 2013 are required to take and pass the Washington Law Component test.