The registration is the license to start. The first job is where new contractors actually get burned — usually on contracts and getting paid.
You are registered. Now the goal shifts from paperwork to doing one job cleanly so you get paid and stay compliant. A few things separate a professional first job from an amateur one.
Your L&I registration number belongs on your bid, your contract, your ads, and your vehicle if you letter it. It is not decoration — it is required, and customers (and L&I) can look you up on the verify tool. A visible number builds trust and keeps you compliant at the same time.
A written contract with the required consumer disclosures protects both sides. It should spell out scope, price, payment schedule, and change-order handling. Handshake deals are how new contractors end up unpaid with no way to enforce.
Here is the one that costs people real money: in Washington, an unregistered contractor generally cannot use the courts to collect — and sloppy paperwork weakens your lien rights even when you are registered. Send the required preliminary notices, keep signed change orders, and document everything. The boring paperwork is what lets you collect when a customer decides not to pay. I have seen good work go unpaid purely because the paperwork was not there.
Know the deposit limits and refund rules before you take money. Pull permits where the work requires them. And verify any subcontractor is registered on the L&I verify tool before they set foot on your job — an unregistered sub is your problem, not theirs. If you are hiring help instead, get your workers' comp squared away first.
The free builder gives you the startup path. The paid roadmap goes deeper on first-job contracts, notices, and getting paid.
Build My Free RoadmapPrimary Washington state agencies first, then supporting references. Figures verified July 2026 — always re-check current amounts before you file.