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Medical assistant certification in Washington state

Washington is one of the few states with its own MA credential. To work as a Medical Assistant-Certified you need qualifying training and a pass on one of 5 recognized national exams: CMA (AAMA), RMA (AMT), CCMA (NHA), NCMA (NCCT) or AMCA's clinical MA exam, passed within the 5 years before you apply.

Updated October 2026
5
Exams Washington recognizesWashington State Department of Health
720 hrsschool route minimum
160 hrsexternship
1 yearmax interim

Training: three routes

  1. An ABHES or CAAHEP accredited medical assistant program.
  2. An accredited school program of at least 720 clock hours plus an externship of at least 160 hours.
  3. A Washington registered apprenticeship.

The five recognized exams

ExamCertifying body
CMA (AAMA)American Association of Medical Assistants
RMAAmerican Medical Technologists
CCMANational Healthcareer Association
NCMANational Center for Competency Testing
Clinical Medical AssistantAMCA

The exam must be passed within the 5 years before you apply. If you haven't passed yet, Washington offers an interim certification for up to one year.

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Other Washington MA credentials

The Department of Health also issues Medical Assistant-Registered, Medical Assistant-Phlebotomist, Hemodialysis Technician and Certified EMT credentials, each with its own requirements.

Choosing between the five exams? Compare pace and pass rates in is the medical assistant exam hard.

MA exam FAQ

Do you need to be certified to be a medical assistant in Washington?

To hold the Medical Assistant-Certified credential, yes: qualifying training plus one of five recognized exams.

Does Washington accept the CCMA?

Yes. The NHA CCMA is one of the five recognized exams.

Can I work while waiting to pass the exam in Washington?

Washington offers an interim certification for up to one year for applicants who haven't passed the exam yet.

More MA exam guides

Sources
  1. Washington DOH: Medical Assistant recognized exams
  2. Washington DOH: Medical Assistant credentialing requirements

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PassPulse is an independent exam preparation tool. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA), the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA), American Medical Technologists (AMT) or the National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT). Exam, credential and product names mentioned on this page are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify the exams and materials described.

This page is for general information only. It is not official guidance from any certifying body, state agency or employer, and it is not legal, medical, career or financial advice. The information on this page may contain errors or omissions, or may be out of date: fees, policies, exam content and state rules change. Practice questions, answers and explanations on PassPulse may also contain errors. Always confirm current requirements and facts directly with the certifying body, your state, your employer or the manufacturer's instructions before you register, apply or act on them. Pass rates and statistics describe past candidates and do not predict your result.
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