Washington Contractor Fees 2026: Every L&I, SOS and Payroll Number

Quick facts: Washington

Registration (2 years): $150.20
Bond: $30,000 general, $15,000 specialty
2026 minimum wage: $17.13 per hour
Checked: October 12, 2026

Fees, rules and rates change, often on July 1 and January 1. Verify every item with the responsible agency before you rely on it.

Every fee, bond, insurance minimum and payroll rate a Washington contractor runs into, in one table, each linked to the agency page or statute it comes from. Washington changes most of these on July 1 or January 1, so the table says when it was checked. If you cite it, link this page and keep the date.

Washington contractor fees and thresholds, checked October 12, 2026
What	Amount	Note	Official source
Contractor registration (L&I)
Registration: issue, renew or reregister	$150.20	Every 2 years. Rule effective July 1, 2026.	source
Reinstate a suspended registration	$70.90	Fix the bond or insurance gap first.	source
Surety bond, general contractor	$30,000	Bond amount, not what you pay. The premium is a fraction of it.	source
Surety bond, specialty contractor	$15,000	Same rule, specialty class.	source
Liability insurance minimum	$250,000 combined, or $200,000 + $50,000	Public liability plus property damage.	source
Penalty for contracting unregistered (infraction)	$1,200 to $10,000	First offense reducible to $600 if you register within 10 days.	source
Trade licenses
Plumbing contractor: bond / insurance	$6,000 / $250,000	Licensed under Ch. 18.106 RCW, with a designated certified plumber.	source
Plumbing contractor: issue or renew	$148.10	Rule effective July 1, 2026.	source
Plumber certificate renewal (journey, residential, residential service)	$242.70		source
Electrical contractor: bond	$4,000	Licensed under Ch. 19.28 RCW.	source
Electrical contractor license renewal	$306.20 online, $353.90 in person, mail or fax	Rule effective July 1, 2026.	source
Electrician certificate renewal (online)	$92.60	Rule effective July 1, 2026.	source
Business entity (Secretary of State)
Annual report, for-profit entities including LLCs	$70		source
Delinquency fee	$25	Added when the entity is listed as Delinquent.	source
Employees and payroll
State minimum wage, 2026	$17.13 per hour	Some cities set a higher rate.	source
State minimum wage, 2027	$17.73 per hour	Most workers.	source
Paid Family and Medical Leave premium, 2026	1.13% of wages	Employer 28.57%, employee 71.43% of the premium.	source
WA Cares premium	0.58% of gross wages	Withheld from the employee.	source
Unemployment: operating unregistered with ESD	$1,000 or 2x unpaid taxes per quarter	Whichever is more.	source
Workers' comp (L&I)
Working under a stop-work order	$1,000 for each day	Stop-work penalty under RCW 51.48.022, not the registration penalty.	source
Late quarterly report, minimum penalty	$10	Plus a percentage of premium due and interest.	source

How to use this table

The registration rows are what it takes to bid and work legally. The trade rows apply only if you are a plumbing or electrical contractor, which are licensed separately from contractor registration. The payroll rows start the day you hire your first employee. For the order to do all of this in, build the free Washington roadmap.

What is not in here

Your bond premium, insurance premium and workers' comp rate depend on your trade, history and payroll, so there is no single number. City business licenses and local permits vary by city. Sales tax and B&O tax rates depend on what you do and where; see B&O tax basics.

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Cite or link to this page

Free to quote with a link. Associations, schools, insurers, bonding agents and bookkeepers are welcome to link it as a Washington reference.

Link: <a href="https://contractorlane.com/resources/washington-contractor-fees-2026/">Washington Contractor Fees 2026: Every L&I, SOS and Payroll Number</a>

Cite: Contractor Lane, “Washington Contractor Fees 2026: Every L&I, SOS and Payroll Number.” Updated October 12, 2026. https://contractorlane.com/resources/washington-contractor-fees-2026/

Get told when a Washington rule on this page changes

Washington fees and contractor rules change, often on July 1 and January 1. Leave your email and Andy will email you when a fee or rule in these guides changes. Nothing is sent automatically, and you can ask us to stop at any time.

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Common questions

How much does a Washington contractor registration cost?

The L&I fee rule lists $150.20 for each issuance, renewal or reregistration, effective July 1, 2026. Registration lasts two years. You also need a surety bond ($30,000 general or $15,000 specialty) and liability insurance.

Do I pay the full bond amount?

No. The bond amount is the coverage. You pay a premium to a surety company, which depends on your credit and history.

When do these numbers change?

Most L&I fees change on July 1 and the minimum wage and payroll premiums on January 1. Check the linked source before you rely on a figure.

Sources

Official pages checked on 2026-10-12.

About Contractor Lane

Contractor Lane is built and maintained by working home-service operators. Every legal or numeric claim on this page was checked against the official source listed below on 2026-10-12.

General educational information for contractors. Requirements and fees change. Contractor Lane is not a law firm, CPA, insurance agency, or licensing agency. Verify each item with the responsible agency.