GC Laws — Washington contractor-law checklist preview (free)
Sources reviewed 2026-09-30. Public summaries remain free on gclaws.com.

[ ] Licensing
      - L&I’s contractor-registration program requires a contractor bond of $30,000 for a general contractor or $15,000 for a specialty contractor.
      - The registration insurance requirement is $200,000 public liability plus $50,000 property damage, or a combined single limit of $250,000.
      - The agency requires the business registration, contractor bond, insurance, completed application, and applicable fee to register; use the agency’s current application for the exact filing requirements.

[ ] Mechanic's liens
      - RCW 60.04.031 ordinarily requires suppliers of professional services, materials, or equipment to give notice of lien rights; it protects the preceding 60 days, but only ten preceding days on new single-family construction. Direct owner contracts, labor-only claims, and certain direct prime-contractor subcontracts are exempt. Indirect claims on existing owner-occupied single-family remodels require notice and are limited by the balance unpaid to the prime when notice is received.
      - RCW 60.04.091 requires recording the claim within 90 days after the claimant last furnished qualifying labor, services, materials, or equipment, or the last date employee-benefit contributions were due. Send it to the owner by registered/certified mail or personal service within 14 days after recording; failure of that service forfeits recovery of fees and costs against the owner.
      - RCW 60.04.141 ordinarily requires suit within eight calendar months after recording and service on the owner within 90 days after filing suit. A stated period of credit can change the eight-month trigger as provided in that section.

[ ] Retainage
      - RCW 60.28.011(1)(a) reserves up to 5% as a trust fund for contract claimants and the specified state taxes and assessments. Federally funded transportation contracts instead use the contract bond protection under subsection (1)(b).
      - Under subsection (3), a contractor may request reduction of retainage to 100% of the value of work remaining. The ordinary release deadline is 60 days after completion of all contract work, subject to Chapter 39.12 and the statutory claim and tax protections.
      - Under subsection (3)(a), after completing all work other than landscaping, the contractor may request release; payment follows 60 days after that request, with continuing retention of 5% of the landscaping earnings and the same statutory conditions.
      - Subsection (10) separately excludes contracts funded partly or wholly by the Farmers Home Administration and subject to its regulations from subsections (1)-(9).

[ ] Prompt payment
      - RCW 39.76.011 ordinarily requires payment by the contractual date, no later than 30 days after the later of a proper invoice or receipt of goods/services. For grant- or federally funded contracts, satisfactory work is payable within 30 days after the compliant request or receipt of the funding, whichever is later.
      - For public-work payment requests, RCW 39.76.011(2)(b) requires written notice within eight working days stating the performance or invoice problem and remedial steps if payment will be withheld.
      - RCW 39.04.250 requires a contractor or subcontractor receiving public-work payment to pass each subcontractor’s attributable share within ten days. A good-faith dispute permits withholding no more than 150% of the disputed amount; parties outside the dispute remain entitled to prompt full payment.

[ ] Prevailing wage
      - Covered laborers, workers and mechanics must receive at least the prevailing hourly rate for the same trade or occupation in the locality where the work is performed.
      - For a covered contract exceeding $10,000, the contractor must post an approved statement of intent to pay prevailing wages and the industrial statistician’s contact information where workers can see it. For the listed linear or road projects without a field office, the statute permits specified alternate posting locations and requires a copy for an employee on request.

[ ] Davis-Bacon (federal)
      - Under 40 U.S.C. section 3142, covered contracts require payment to laborers and mechanics employed directly on the site of the work at least weekly, at rates no lower than the applicable prevailing wage determination. The required compensation includes the basic hourly rate and required fringe benefits, which may be provided through qualifying benefits or cash as the statute permits.
      - Qualifying apprentices may receive a lower registered-program rate only when the applicable registration and program conditions are met. The Department of Labor’s apprenticeship rules govern those exceptions.
      - The Department of Labor determines the prevailing rates for the work classifications and locality. Contractors and subcontractors must use the wage determination applicable to their covered contract.
      - Federal assistance alone does not establish coverage: many, but not all, construction-assistance statutes include Davis-Bacon requirements. Identify the funding program and its governing Related Act.
      - SAM.gov publishes Davis-Bacon wage determinations. Search by the wage-determination number or the Davis-Bacon public-buildings-or-works category, and match the decision to the contract, locality, and work classification.

This preview lists the topics and rules covered in the full state pack. The paid pack adds the complete source URLs, citations, review dates, and the three editable tools.
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