Sales of cosmetics tested on animals — Exception to prohibition.
RCW 69.05.030
in effectRCW 69.05.020 does not apply with respect to cosmetic animal testing: (1) Conducted outside of the United States in order to comply with a requirement of a foreign regulatory authority if no evidence derived from the testing was relied upon to substantiate the safety of the cosmetic ingredient or cosmetic product being sold by the manufacturer in Washington; (2) Conducted for any cosmetic or cosmetic ingredient subject to regulation under 21 U.S.C. Sec. 351 et seq., of the federal food, drug, and cosmetic act; (3) Conducted for a cosmetic ingredient intended to be used in a product that is not a cosmetic product and is conducted under a requirement of a federal, state, or foreign regulatory authority if no evidence derived from the testing was relied upon to substantiate the safety of a cosmetic sold in Washington by a cosmetics manufacturer, unless all of the following apply: (a) There is documented evidence of the noncosmetic intent of the test; and (b) There is a history of use of the ingredient outside of cosmetics at least 12 months before the reliance; or (4) Requested, required, or conducted by a federal or state regulatory authority and each of the following apply: (a) There is no nonanimal alternative method or strategy recognized by any federal or state agency or the organization for economic cooperation and development for the relevant safety endpoints for the cosmetic ingredient or nonfunctional constituent; (b) The cosmetic ingredient or nonfunctional constituent poses a risk of causing a specific human health problem that is substantiated and the need to conduct cosmetic animal testing is justified and supported by a detailed research protocol proposed as the basis for the evaluation of the cosmetics ingredient or nonfunctional constituent; and (c) That the cosmetic ingredient or nonfunctional constituent is in wide use and, in the case of a cosmetic ingredient, cannot be replaced by another cosmetic ingredient capable of performing a similar function.
RCW 69.05.020 does not apply with respect to cosmetic animal testing:
(1) Conducted outside of the United States in order to comply with a requirement of a foreign regulatory authority if no evidence derived from the testing was relied upon to substantiate the safety of the cosmetic ingredient or cosmetic product being sold by the manufacturer in Washington;
(2) Conducted for any cosmetic or cosmetic ingredient subject to regulation under 21 U.S.C. Sec. 351 et seq., of the federal food, drug, and cosmetic act;
(3) Conducted for a cosmetic ingredient intended to be used in a product that is not a cosmetic product and is conducted under a requirement of a federal, state, or foreign regulatory authority if no evidence derived from the testing was relied upon to substantiate the safety of a cosmetic sold in Washington by a cosmetics manufacturer, unless all of the following apply:
(a) There is documented evidence of the noncosmetic intent of the test; and
(b) There is a history of use of the ingredient outside of cosmetics at least 12 months before the reliance; or
(4) Requested, required, or conducted by a federal or state regulatory authority and each of the following apply:
(a) There is no nonanimal alternative method or strategy recognized by any federal or state agency or the organization for economic cooperation and development for the relevant safety endpoints for the cosmetic ingredient or nonfunctional constituent;
(b) The cosmetic ingredient or nonfunctional constituent poses a risk of causing a specific human health problem that is substantiated and the need to conduct cosmetic animal testing is justified and supported by a detailed research protocol proposed as the basis for the evaluation of the cosmetics ingredient or nonfunctional constituent; and
(c) That the cosmetic ingredient or nonfunctional constituent is in wide use and, in the case of a cosmetic ingredient, cannot be replaced by another cosmetic ingredient capable of performing a similar function.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=69.05&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026