Private companies or individuals who provide non-degree vocational training in Washington state may be subject to licensing by the Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board, in accordance with the Private Vocational School Act (RCW 28C.10). The law (RCW 28C.10. 020(7)) defines a private vocational school as "...any entity offering postsecondary education in any form or manner for the purpose of instructing, training, or preparing persons for any vocation or profession." If the training you offer requires licensing, you must obtain a private vocational school license before you can do business in the state of Washington. Once you obtain a private vocational school license, you can apply to have your training program listed on the Eligible Training Provider List.

There are a number of exemptions to licensure requirements. Training activities that are exempt include:

1. Bona fide trade, business, professional, or fraternal organizations sponsoring educational programs primarily for that organization's membership or offered by that organization on a no-fee basis;
2. Entities offering education that is exclusively avocational or recreational;
3. Education not requiring payment of money or other consideration if this education is not advertised or promoted as leading toward educational credentials;
4. Degree-granting programs in compliance with the rules of the Higher Education Coordinating Board;
5. Entities not otherwise exempt that are of a religious character, but only as to those educational programs exclusively devoted to religious or theological objectives and represented accurately in institutional catalogs or other official publications;
6. Entities offering only courses certified by the federal aviation administration;
7. Barber and cosmetology schools licensed by the Washington Department of Licensing;
8. Entities offering only courses approved for test preparation or to meet the continuing education requirements for licensure or certification;
9. Entities not otherwise exempt offering only workshops or seminars lasting no longer than three calendar days (24 hours total).
10. Entities offering only real estate training;
11. Entities offering training exclusively under contract with a public agency, pirvate company, or other sponsor as long as no contractual responsibility is created between students and the training provider, and the training is not open to the general public.

If you believe your activities do not fall into one of the above exemptions and might require licensing, please contact our Private Vocational School Licensing Division at (360) 753-5673 before submitting your ETP List application. If it is determined that your training activities require licensing, you must obtain a license before your ETP List application will be processed.

If your training activities are exempt, continue with your ETP List application. You will be contaced by the Private Vocational School Licensing Division for confirmation of your exemption status.

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