Washington DOH Provider Search: Status, Enforcement, Complaints

To check whether a healthcare provider is licensed in Washington, use the Washington DOH provider search at doh.wa.gov. The free tool, officially called the Provider Credential or Facility Search, shows current license status, issue and expiration dates, endorsements, enforcement case counts, and copies of disciplinary documents issued after July 1998. No account is required.¹

Where to Find the Search

From the DOH homepage, open “Licenses, Permits & Certificates” and click “Provider Credential or Facility Search.” The tool runs in any browser and pulls from the state’s live licensing database, with records updated daily.²

If you prefer to verify by phone, call the DOH at 360-236-4700.³

The Three Ways to Search

You can look a provider up by credential number, by individual name, or by business name for a facility.¹

By Credential Number

This is the cleanest search. Enter the number and you get a single, exact match. Providers often list credential numbers on business cards, office signs, or intake forms.

By Name

Without the number, use first and last name. Set the credential type in the dropdown to narrow the profession, and add a city or county if you’re getting too many hits. The “Exact” match option helps with common names. If a name doesn’t turn up, try fewer characters. Someone who changed their name or uses an alternate spelling will slip past a strict search.

By Facility Name

The same tool handles licensed healthcare facilities, including hospitals, home care agencies, and certain other programs. Search by the business name to confirm the facility is licensed to operate.

Reading a Provider Record

The search returns a summary list. Click a name to open the full profile, which typically shows:

Current credential status
Original issue date and expiration date
Endorsements attached to the base credential
Number of open and closed enforcement cases
Public address of record

The exact fields shown vary by profession.¹

What the Status Means

The status field is the fastest read on whether the person can legally treat you. DOH’s own definitions:⁴

Active. The provider holds a current license.
Active on Probation. The provider may still practice, but under conditions set by an enforcement action.
Suspended. Practice authority is temporarily ended for a set period or until conditions are met. Suspension follows a finding of unprofessional conduct.
Revoked. The credential has been rescinded. The provider can petition for reinstatement after a waiting period.
Permanent Revocation. The credential has been rescinded with no path to reinstatement.
Reprimand. A formal rebuke. It’s a disciplinary sanction, but the provider may keep practicing.

A revoked or permanently revoked provider is not legally authorized to treat patients. The gap between the two matters if you’re weighing a provider’s history: a revocation can be reversed later, a permanent revocation cannot.

Getting a Verification Letter

Each individual license record has an option to generate a Primary Source Verification Letter as a PDF. DOH treats these as certified records, and they’re accepted for credentialing applications, employment verification, and interstate license transfers.⁵

Reading Enforcement History

The enforcement case count on a profile is a starting point, not an answer. Click through and read the actual documents, which DOH posts for actions issued after July 1998.¹ The documents state the findings and the legal basis for the sanction, which can include fines, required education, scope-of-practice limits, probation, or suspension and revocation.

One closed case from years ago may reflect a resolved paperwork problem. Multiple open cases are a different picture. The count alone doesn’t distinguish them; the underlying orders do.

Facility Searches and What DOH Doesn’t Cover

For a closer look at how a facility has performed under regulatory review, DOH runs a separate Facilities Inspections and Investigations Search covering compliance surveys and enforcement actions.⁶

A state license means the facility meets Washington’s minimum legal requirements. Accreditation from a body like the Joint Commission is a separate, higher standard covering additional quality and safety measures, and you can check accreditation at jointcommission.org.⁷ A facility can be licensed without being accredited.

Nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult family homes are regulated by the Department of Social and Health Services, not DOH, so they won’t appear in the DOH search. Contact DSHS to verify those.⁸

Telehealth and Out-of-State Providers

Any provider delivering care to a patient located in Washington needs a Washington license. That includes out-of-state clinicians who see Washington patients through telehealth platforms. A provider licensed only in another state who treats a Washington patient by video call is practicing without a license, and DOH can take enforcement action under RCW 18.130.190.⁹

Before a telehealth appointment, confirm the provider shows up in the Washington DOH search with an active credential. Nurses may hold a multistate license through the Nurse Licensure Compact, verifiable at nursys.com.¹⁰ Physicians participating in the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact still need an actual license issued by each state; the compact only expedites getting one.¹¹

Federal Exclusion Check

A clean Washington license doesn’t tell you whether a provider has been barred from federal healthcare programs. For that, search the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities maintained by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General at exclusions.oig.hhs.gov. An excluded provider cannot receive payment from any federal health program for items or services they furnish, order, or prescribe.¹²

The federal National Practitioner Data Bank collects malpractice payments and adverse actions, but the public cannot query individual practitioners. Only registered entities such as hospitals and licensing boards have that access.¹³

Filing a Complaint

If your search shows someone practicing without a valid credential, or if a licensed provider has treated you improperly, you can file a complaint with DOH. There’s no fee and no restriction on who may file.⁸

Online through the DOH complaint intake form
Email: hsqacomplaintintake@doh.wa.gov
Mail: Washington State Department of Health, Health Systems Quality Assurance, P.O. Box 47857, Olympia, WA 98504-7857

Include the provider’s full name, business address, and as much detail as you can. If a provider physically or sexually assaulted you, contact local law enforcement immediately in addition to filing with DOH. For suspected Medicare or Medicaid billing fraud, report to the HHS Office of Inspector General at 1-800-HHS-TIPS or through the OIG online portal.¹⁴

1
Washington State Department of Health. Provider Credential or Facility Search
2
Washington State Department of Health. Primary Source Verification Letter
3
Washington State Department of Health. State Disciplines Health Care Providers
4
Washington State Department of Health. Glossary of Terms
5
State of Washington Open Data. Find a Health Provider Credential
6
Washington State Department of Health. Facilities Inspections and Investigations Search
7
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) Contacts
8
Washington State Department of Health. Complaint Forms
9
Washington State Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission. Telehealth Advanced Practice Nursing Care Services
10
NCSBN. License Verification (Nursys.com)
11
NC Medical Board. Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC)
12
Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Exclusions
13
Health Resources and Services Administration. Public Information
14
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Submit a Hotline Complaint