Upcoming Emergency Rules for Home Care Aide Certification Deadline – SB 5672
The Washington State Department of Health will adopt emergency rules to extend the certification deadline for long-term care workers applying for Home Care Aide certification, as authorized by Senate Bill 5672 (2025 legislative session).
Following stakeholder engagement, the department will implement a new certification deadline of 365 days from the date of hire – an extension from the current 200-day requirement. This change is intended to provide caregivers and employers with additional flexibility and support during the certification process and aligns with ongoing efforts to reduce barriers in the long-term care workforce. The extension expires on December 31, 2027.
The emergency rules are anticipated to go into effect in late August 2025 and a follow-up announcement with the exact date will be sent out once the emergency rules are filed with the Code Reviser’s office.
*Please note: This change will not be applied retroactively for individuals who applied before the emergency rules are officially filed.
*For example, if the emergency rules are officially filed on August 25, 2025:
| You applied before to August 25, 2025 | Your certification timeline will be 200-days from the date of hire. |
| You applied after August 25, 2025 | Your certification timeline will be 365-days from your date of hire |
If you have any questions, please contact the Home Care Aide Program at [email protected].
