Construction Contractors Must Be Registered. Washington State requires all construction contractors to register with L&I. State law also requires construction contractors to be bonded and insured to protect the public. Once registered, contractors can bid, advertise, and perform construction work.
Independent contractors (persons that are not employees) that engage in business in Washington must register with the Department of Revenue.
All work shall be limited to minor and casual work of existing residential maintenance and repair with a total dollar value of time and materials under two thousand dollars.
Washington state general contractors can bid, perform, and advertise most types of construction work, including the construction, demolition, repair, and remodeling of any real property. In addition, state law permits general contractors to hire licensed subcontractors to perform specialty work on jobs.
The two exams to obtain your general contractor's license in Washington are the Business Management/Law exam and the Trade exam. They cover different materials, so you need to prepare sufficiently for both.
Construction Contractors Must Be Registered. Washington State requires all construction contractors to register with L&I. State law also requires construction contractors to be bonded and insured to protect the public. Once registered, contractors can bid, advertise, and perform construction work.
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.
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.