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The Washington Contractor Startup Checklist

Every box you need to check to go from "I want to start" to an active registration and a legal first job. Free to use. When you want the guided version, the paid roadmap turns each box into a step-by-step path.

Build My Free Roadmap

Phase 1 — Set up the business

Decide LLC vs. sole proprietor (see the trade-offs)
Register the business and get your UBI from the Department of Revenue
Open a business bank account under the exact registered name

Phase 2 — Bond & insurance

Choose general ($30,000 bond) or specialty ($15,000 bond)
Buy your surety bond and get the original document
Get general liability insurance: $200k/$50k or $250k combined
Confirm the insurance certificate names your business exactly as registered

Phase 3 — Register with L&I

Complete Form F625-001
Attach bond, insurance, and UBI
Pay the $150.20 registration fee
Wait for your registration number to go active before advertising or bidding

Phase 4 — Before your first hire

Open an L&I workers' comp account
Understand employee vs. subcontractor rules

Phase 5 — First job, done legally

Put your registration number on the bid and contract
Use a written contract with the required consumer disclosures
Follow the deposit and lien-notice rules
Pull permits where required and verify subs are registered

Operator note

This checklist is genuinely all free — use it even if you never buy anything. The free builder gives you a first-pass path. The paid roadmap is for people who do not want to spend three weekends figuring out the forms, wording, and first-job setup.

Turn this checklist into a finished setup

The Washington Contractor Startup Roadmap fills in every box above with the exact forms, wording, and a first-job contract starter.