Washington · 3 jurisdictions covered
Business licences and permits in Washington
Washington runs a genuine statewide business licence that can carry a city licence on the same form — for 223 partner cities, but not Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Everett, Kent or Renton, which license separately.
What applies everywhere in Washington
14 requirements are set by Washington itself and apply whichever city you open in. Local permits sit on top of them.
| Requirement | Issued by | Fee | Applies | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Report | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $70 a year | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporation | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $180 one-time filing on paper; $200 online | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Automotive Repair Shop Licence (not required by Washington) | Washington State Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division | No fee | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Formation (LLC) | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division | $180 one-time filing on paper; $200 online | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Child Care Centre Licence | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families | $125 a year for the first twelve children plus $12 for each additional child; a family home pays a flat $30 | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Contractor Registration | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries | $150.20 every two years | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Electrical Contractor Licence | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries | $353.90 every two years; $306.20 if the renewal is completed online | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Food Establishment Permit | Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program | $240–$1,386 a year, set by the local health jurisdiction — there is no state fee | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Food Worker Card | Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety Program | $10 per card | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Plumbing Contractor Licence | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries | $148.10 every two years | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Reseller Permit | Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service | No fee | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Salon or Shop Location Licence | Washington State Department of Licensing, Cosmetology Program | $121 a year, application and renewal alike | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
| Veterinary Facility Registration (not required by Washington) | Washington State Department of Health, Veterinary Board of Governors | No fee | Only in some cases | 2026-09-03 |
| Washington State Business Licence | Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service | $50 to open, plus each endorsement's own fee; $5 a year to renew | To every business | 2026-09-03 |
Which Washington city are you opening in?
- Tacoma, WAThe Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, a joint city-county health department, is the sole food-permitting authority here, like Public Health – Seattle & King County is for Seattle. Tacoma's own annual business licence and B&O tax are separate charges from the Washington state Business License Service, already covered at the state layer.10 published records
- Spokane, WASpokane's business registration fee is flat-plus-per-employee, not a gross-receipts B&O tax like Seattle or Tacoma. The Spokane Regional Health District, not the city, runs food-service permitting county-wide. Every my.spokanecity.org/static.spokanecity.org/srhd.org figure here was retrieved through a read-proxy after Incapsula-style protection blocked direct fetch.9 published records
- Seattle, WAPublic Health – Seattle & King County, a joint city-county health department, is the sole food-permitting authority here. Seattle's own Business License Tax Certificate is a separate charge from the state Business License, and its B&O tax-owing threshold rises from $100,000 to $2,000,000 effective January 1, 2026.8 published records
Is there a single Washington business licence?
No. Washington has no single licence that covers every business. What you need depends on your industry, your city and your county, and most of the obligations that matter are issued locally rather than at state level.
The state-level registrations that do apply to nearly everyone are tax accounts rather than licences — which is why they are easy to miss.
Who issues permits in Washington?
- Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities DivisionEntity formation · Annual reports3 permits
- Washington State Department of Labor and IndustriesContractor registration · Electrical contractor licensing · Plumbing contractor licensing3 permits
- Washington State Department of Health, Food Safety ProgramRetail food code · Food worker card programme · Oversight of local health jurisdictions2 permits
- Washington State Department of Revenue, Business Licensing ServiceStatewide business licence · City and state endorsements · Trade name registration · Reseller permits2 permits
- Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and FamiliesChild care centre licensing · Family home child care licensing1 permit
- Washington State Department of Health, Veterinary Board of GovernorsVeterinarian licensing · Veterinary technician licensing1 permit
- Washington State Department of Licensing, Cosmetology ProgramSalon and shop location licensing · Cosmetology and barbering licensing1 permit
- Washington State Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection DivisionAuto Repair Act enforcement1 permit
By industry
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.