Education & Employment

Washington Veterans Preference in Public Employment

Ten percent added to a passing examination score for a wartime veteran not receiving military retirement, and five percent for a veteran who is, or who did not serve in a war period, until first appointment (RCW 41.04.010). Five percent more on promotional exams for one called to active service from public employment. Where no exam is used, state agencies must refer eligible veterans, surviving spouses and spouses of totally disabled veterans.

Also called: veterans preference, 41.04.010, 73.16.010, WAC 357-16-110, examination, 10 percent, 5 percent, state employment, military retired pay, promotion, predischarge certification.

For: Veteran or service member.

Where it applies

Written for the jurisdictions listed here.

WashingtonState

RCW 41.04.010 requires the state, its political subdivisions, municipal corporations and contracted examiners to give "a scoring criteria status" to veterans as defined in RCW 41.04.007 (a qualifying discharge under RCW 73.04.005) in all competitive examinations, "by adding to the passing mark, grade or rating only, based upon a possible rating of one hundred points as perfect a percentage". The percentage is measured against a perfect 100, so ten percent is ten points added to a passing score, and it is never added to a failing one. The tiers. (a) Ten percent to a veteran "who served during a period of war or in an armed conflict as defined in RCW 41.04.005 and does not receive military retirement". (b) Five percent to a veteran who "did not serve during a period of war or in an armed conflict ... or is receiving military retirement". Both apply to competitive examinations "until the veteran's ... first appointment" and "shall not be utilized in promotional examinations". (c) Five percent to a veteran "called to active military service from employment with the state or any of its political subdivisions or municipal corporations", on promotional examinations "until the first promotion only". The retired pay condition is the part that catches career retirees by surprise: a twenty-year wartime retiree drawing retired pay receives five percent rather than ten. No tier turns on a disability rating. Where there is no examination. State civil service rule WAC 357-16-110 (as amended effective October 1, 2026) says that if no examination is given before certification, the employer "must refer" to the hiring official, under RCW 73.16.010, eligible veterans with a qualifying discharge, surviving spouses or registered domestic partners of eligible veterans, and spouses or registered domestic partners of active duty members and of veterans with a service-connected permanent and total disability, if they meet the position's requirements. The 2026 amendments. Chapter 207, Laws of 2026 extends every tier to a "member of the uniformed services", someone serving or who has served in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps or the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps with a qualifying discharge or while actively serving honorably. Chapter 146, Laws of 2026 lets the preference be claimed on a predischarge certification issued not more than 120 days before applying, provided the DD-214 or equivalent showing a qualifying discharge follows within 30 days of discharge; the agency must then allow at least 15 more days before it may rescind an appointment made on the certification, and the certification does not carry the preference into layoff or retention decisions until the discharge papers arrive. The Code Reviser printed both amendments together under RCW 1.12.025. Related rights for public employees. RCW 38.40.060 gives every state and local government officer or employee who is a member of the Guard or a reserve component up to 21 days of military leave with normal pay in each year beginning October 1, charged only on scheduled workdays and in addition to vacation and sick leave. For pensions, PERS Plan 1 credits up to five years of military service in the cases RCW 41.40.170 sets out, and PERS Plans 2 and 3 credit up to five years of interruptive military service under RCW 41.40.805, with the member's contributions waived for wartime service; ask the Department of Retirement Systems which applies. Claim the preference on the application, with the discharge documentation or a predischarge certification.

Thresholds

Thresholds for Washington Veterans Preference in Public Employment
Gate	Rule
Qualifying discharge, wartime service, and whether military retirement is received	The tiers turn on a qualifying discharge, service during a period of war or armed conflict, and whether the veteran receives military retirement. No disability rating is tested anywhere in the statute, so the rating filter never hides this benefit.

Documents the source lists

What the official source lists for an application, and where to get each document. It is a reference read from the source, not a full list of what the office may ask for; check with the office or an accredited representative before you apply. Needed means the source asks for it; Helps means the source calls it optional or says it speeds things up.

Needed DD214, NGB-22 or equivalent showing a qualifying discharge
Where to get it Download it from milConnect if your branch has it there, or request it from the National Archives. A VA application can ask VA to request it for you.
Listed by RCW 41.04.010, as amended by chapters 146 and 207, Laws of 2026 read 2026-10-10

Sources

Legislation

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Chapters 146 and 207, Laws of 2026 Two acts amending the veterans scoring preference without reference to each other

Catalog reconciledEnactedScope changed

Signed 2026-03-23

Introduced Done, 2025-12-04, step 1 of 6
In committee Done, 2026-01-12, step 2 of 6
Passed one chamber Done, 2026-02-13, step 3 of 6
Passed both chambers Done, 2026-03-06, step 4 of 6
Signed by the governor Done, 2026-03-23, step 5 of 6
In effect Done, 2026-03-23, step 6 of 6

Expands benefits Extends the scoring preference to the PHS and NOAA corps and accepts a predischarge certification.

Chapter 207 extends RCW 41.04.010 to members of the Public Health Service and NOAA commissioned corps; chapter 146 adds a claim on a predischarge certification issued within 120 days, with the DD-214 due within 30 days of discharge. The Code Reviser prints both under RCW 1.12.025.

Sponsor

Touches RCW 41.04.010

Official record

Updated

Last updated 2026-10-24.

What changed then:

Eligibility rule “Wartime service, and whether military retired pay is received” renamed “Qualifying discharge, wartime service, and whether military retirement is received”.
Eligibility rule “Qualifying discharge, wartime service, and whether military retirement is received” now reads: “The tiers turn on a qualifying discharge, service during a period of war or armed conflict, and whether the veteran receives military retirement. No disability rating is tested anywhere in the statute, so the rating filter never hides this benefit.”
Summary reworded.
And 9 more changes.

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Disclaimer

VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.