Radioactive Material Reciprocity Information

Occasionally licensees from other states wish to come into Washington to use radioactive material under their own state or NRC-specific license. To apply for reciprocal recognition for your state's license to work in Washington state, we need:

  1. A copy of your current radioactive materials license.
  2. A description of the radioactive material that will be used in the state of Washington, on company letterhead.
  3. A description of the proposed use, including the specific location(s) and/or Washington state licensee on company letterhead. Please include contact information for the radiation safety officer and email.
  4. Copy or your emergency procedures and standard operating procedures for the work being performed in Washington state.
  5. For irradiator removal/source exchange/maintenance, source retrieval, and decommissioning/decontamination, a specific work plan must be submitted and approved by the Washington Office of Radiation Protection before work can begin.
  6. Names of the individuals who will possess and use the radioactive material while in Washington, and copies of their training certificates if they are not named on the license.
    • For industrial radiography, copies of each radiographer's third-party certification are required in all cases.
  7. Payment equal to the fee charged to similar in-state businesses. Check payable to Washington State Department of Health. The fee is based on the type of work you plan to perform in Washington.

If approved, we will send you an authorization letter allowing you to work in Washington. The reciprocity agreement is in effect for one year and allows you to work for up to 180 days during the one-year period. We ask that you give us 72 hours' notice each time you enter the state to perform work.

Send the above information and fee to:

Radioactive Materials Licensing and Inspection
Office of Radiation Protection, Washington State Department of Health
P.O. Box 47827
Olympia, Washington 98504-7827

For more information, email Radioactive Material Licensing