You need a license if you meet one or more of the following criteria: Your business requires city and state endorsements. You are doing business using a name other than your full name legal name. You plan to hire employees within the next 90 days.
Most US states don't mandate business licenses for independent contractors, but some, such as Alaska and Washington, do. Certain localities also enforce licensing requirements. This is particularly common in cities or towns with a business license tax.
Unlike an employee, an independent contractor cannot apply for unemployment benefits or workers' compensation benefits and is not entitled to federal and state protections regarding minimum wage, family leave, and overtime.
To perform any type of contractor work in Washington state, you will need to get a license from the State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).