The full, sourced version of this guide is here.
No trade exam, no experience proof, but a bigger bond and real insurance. Here is the full general contractor registration path for 2026.
A general (GEN) registration lets you take on jobs that involve more than one trade (a remodel, an addition, a ground-up build) and hire or manage specialty subs under you. Washington does not make you pass an exam or document years in the field to register as a general. What it does require is that you show up bonded, insured, and registered as a business before you take a dime.
People hear "no exam" and assume general is the easy button. It is the easier paperwork, but it is the bigger liability. As a general you are on the hook for the subs you bring on. Before you register general, be honest about whether you are actually running the job or just doing one trade, because if it is one trade, a specialty registration is cheaper and cleaner.
LLC or sole proprietor, then register with the Department of Revenue for your Unified Business Identifier.
$30,000 for a general contractor, $15,000 for a specialty contractor. You pay a small yearly premium, not the full amount.
$200,000 public liability + $50,000 property damage, or $250,000 combined single limit.
File Form F625-001 with your bond, insurance, and UBI. The fee is $150.20.
Open an L&I workers' comp account before your first employee swings a hammer.
Put your registration number on the bid, use written first-job paperwork, and give the customer the disclosure statement on residential jobs of $1,000 or more.
The bond is the clearest difference: a general contractor bond is $30,000, a specialty bond is $15,000. If your whole business is one trade, such as drywall, painting, flooring, or concrete, you want a specialty registration and the smaller bond. If you will offer two or more trades, even on separate jobs, you need the general registration: L&I's application says a specialty contractor "may only perform the trade selected." The one exception is the handyman specialty in WAC 296-200A-016 (26): one individual, no employees and no other specialty contractors, only minor and casual repair on existing homes under $2,000 in time and materials, and no work that needs a building permit. We break the decision down in general vs. specialty registration.
The free builder points you to the right general-contractor path. The membership goes deeper on bond wording, insurance, forms, and first-job setup.
Build My Free RoadmapPrimary Washington state agencies first, then supporting references. Figures verified July 2026. Always re-check current amounts before you file.