State rules
Match the name to the state record
A credential is a license or other state permission to practice. Start with the full name, not the website badge.
Open state records for the person treating you
What the state search shows, as of September 30, 2026:
Washington’s free Provider Credential Search accepts a name or credential number and shows license status.
The search includes disciplinary actions, meaning official action against a license, taken after July 1998.
It leaves out older actions and any records the law does not allow it to show.
An empty public record does not prove that someone is good at their work.
For older actions, ask the Department of Health using the contact details on its search page. Check the current record for the person treating you.
Medical doctors and physician assistants
The Washington Medical Commission licenses medical doctors, often called MDs, and physician assistants, often called PAs.
Doctors with DO after their names
The medical degree called Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine is shortened to DO.
These doctors are licensed through Washington’s Board of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery.
Nurses and nurse practitioners
The Washington State Board of Nursing oversees nursing licenses, including those for nurse practitioners.
Pharmacies have their own check
Washington’s Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission oversees pharmacies, whose state credentials appear in the Department of Health search.
If a record is hard to match
Ask the service to give you the exact licensed name and credential number. Leave room to resolve a mismatch before making a decision.