Washington licensing

Who and what this applies to

Washington Labor & Industries general and specialty contractor registration.

Thresholds and scope

Registration is a separate requirement from any trade-specific license.

The rules

• L&I’s contractor-registration program requires a contractor bond of $30,000 for a general contractor or $15,000 for a specialty contractor. Source
• The registration insurance requirement is $200,000 public liability plus $50,000 property damage, or a combined single limit of $250,000. Source
• 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. Source

Deadlines

Maintain the required registration, bond, and insurance for covered contracting.

Primary sources

• https://lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/register-as-a-contractor/

Sources reviewed 2026-09-30. This guide covers the projects and rules stated above.

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