Starting a Business in Washington Checklist

Check business name availability with the Washington Secretary of State Do a search to see if your business name is available: http://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/corps_search.aspx Washington Secretary of State Secretary of State Corporations Division Dolliver Building 801 Capitol Way South Olympia, WA PO Box 40234 Olympia, WA 98504-0234 P: (360) 725-0377 corps@sos.wa.gov
File paperwork to form your business Starting a business in Washington can be overwhelming if you don’t know what you are doing… But start by filing with the Secretary of State! This is how you get the UBI number that all the other state agencies will ask for. You can form your corporation or LLC online or you can mail or deliver the paper form. Normal processing takes 2 months and costs $180. You can pay an additional fee for 2 day processing. The fee for expedited processing of paper forms is $50 and for online filings it is $20. If you don’t want to deal with the corporate filing paperwork on your own, you can incorporate in Washington with Northwest Registered Agent. Corporations Division Secretary of State Corporations Division Dolliver Building 801 Capitol Way South Olympia, WA PO Box 40234 Olympia, WA 98504-0234 P: (360) 725-0377 corps@sos.wa.gov http://www.sos.wa.gov/corps/
Register with the Department of Revenue Register with the Department of Revenue by filing a Business License Application. If you plan to hire employees you can also use the application to register with the Unemployment Security Department and the Department of Labor and Industries.You can file online or you can mail in the paper form. If you file online your application is processed in about 2 days. If you mail in the paper form, processing takes 2-3 weeks. Sales Tax: Washington has a 6.5% state sales tax. Income Tax: Washington does not have state income tax. Washington Dept of Revenue State of Washington Business Licensing Service PO Box 9034 Olympia, WA 98507-9034 P: (360) 705-6718 F: (360) 705-6698 http://business.wa.gov/BLS
Get a business license The Washington Business License Application is used to apply for many state licenses, registrations, and permits, as well as many city business licenses. But you may still need additional licenses depending on your business.You can use the online business licensing guide to see if your business requires any additional licenses http://bls.dor.wa.gov/blg/Many professions and occupations are regulated by individual licensing boards. Any other registration requirements? Many businesses can get a city license at same time as the state business license. You can attach the City License Addendum to your Business License Application. For a list of cities that participate http://bls.dor.wa.gov/citycounty.aspx Other cities have separate applications that you will need to complete in addition to the state Business License. City of Seattle You need a license to do business in Seattle. You can mail the Business License Application or complete it online. City of Tacoma You need to register for the Tacoma Business License. The Application for Certificate of Registration and Licensing can be downloaded on the city’s website and mailed or delivered to the Tax and License Division. Local License Info City of Seattle Department of Finance and Administrative Services Licensing and Tax Administration Seattle Municipal Tower, Suite 4250 700 – 5th Avenue Seattle, WA 98104 PO Box 34214 Seattle, WA 98124-4214 P: (206) 684-8484 F: (206) 684-5170 http://www.seattle.gov/rca/licenses/licmain.htm City of Tacoma Tax & License Division 733 Market Street Room 21 Tacoma WA 98402-3770 P: (253) 591-5252 http://www.cityoftacoma.org/government/city_departments/finance/tax_and_license/
Collect and Charge Sales Tax Do I need to collect Washington sales tax? Businesses making retail sales in Washington need to collect sales tax from their customers. What is the Washington sales tax rate? Washington has a 6.5% state sales tax. How do I register for Washington sales tax? Register with the Washington Department of Revenue by filing a Business License Application. You can also use the application to register with the Unemployment Security Department and the Department of Labor and Industries. You can the application online or you can mail in the paper form. If you file online your application will be processed in about 2 days. If you mail in the paper form, processing takes 2-3 weeks. How much does a Washington Business License cost? There is a $19 fee to file the Business License Application. State of Washington Business Licensing Service State of Washington Business Licensing Service PO Box 9034 Olympia, WA 98507-9034 P: (360) 705-6718 F: (360) 705-6699 BLS@dor.wa.gov http://business.wa.gov/BLS