| Customer verification | May sell only to licensed buyers |
|---|---|
| Records to keep | 2 years |
| Separate device or DME distributor license | Check with the state |
What Washington requires before you ship
Washington lets distributors sell prescription drugs only to buyers who are licensed or authorized to receive them, which means checking the license first. A wholesaler or manufacturer may not sell or transfer a drug to anyone who is not legally allowed to receive it. The rule does not set out a specific verification step for every sale. For controlled substances and drugs of concern, the wholesaler must do due diligence on customers before the first sale. That includes taking steps to confirm the information the customer gives.
Who counts as an authorized buyer: A person legally authorized to receive the drug. For prescriber customers ordering controlled substances or drugs of concern, due diligence includes confirming prescriber type and specialty.
"The sale or transfer of a drug to a person who is not legally authorized to receive a drug" WAC 246-945-595(6); WAC 246-945-585(3)
Records to keep
Wholesalers must keep inventories and records of all transactions, showing the source, the drug and quantity, and the dates. Records must be easy to retrieve and kept for at least two years from when they were made or received.
Source: WAC 246-945-575; WAC 246-945-020(1)
Licenses a distributor needs in Washington
Prescription drug wholesale distributor
Every wholesaler that distributes drugs into, out of or within Washington must hold a commission license first. This covers in-state and out-of-state wholesalers, out-of-state manufacturers, virtual wholesalers, outsourcing facilities and reverse distributors. Each location needs its own license.
Source: WAC 246-945-246
Medical device and DME distributors
The wholesaler license rule covers drugs only. We did not find a separate Washington license for medical device or DME distributors.
Controlled substances
Anyone who makes or distributes controlled substances in Washington must get a commission registration every year.
Source: RCW 69.50.302(1)
Where to look up a Washington license
- Pharmacies and pharmacy permits: Washington Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission
- Physicians and other practitioners: Washington Medical Commission
- NPI: NPPES NPI Registry
- DEA registrations: DEA Diversion Control Division
Federal rules that apply in every state
- A prescription device "is to be sold only to or on the prescription or other order of such practitioner," or to a business lawfully distributing it (21 CFR 801.109).
- A prescription drug wholesale distributor's trading partners "may be only authorized trading partners," which for a pharmacy means one licensed under state law (21 U.S.C. 360eee-1(c)(3)).
How WorkdID handles Washington accounts
WorkdID by Workd checks every Washington customer you sell to against the state's pharmacy and medical boards, the NPI registry, and the DEA, every day. It flags an expiration or a board action within a day of posting, and in Workd order entry it can hold the order until your compliance team clears the account. Every check is saved with the date and the board record, so your Washington file is ready when someone asks for it.
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