Washington Contractor License Requirements
A statewide requirement, but structured as contractor registration — no competency exam, current bond and insurance figures confirmed by statute.
License Requirement
Licensing body: Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) — lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors/
Washington requires statewide contractor registration, not a competency-based license. Classifications are General Contractor (can hire subcontractors, broad scope) or Specialty Contractor (one of 63 specialty categories per WAC 296-200A-016, cannot hire subs). Electrical and plumbing are licensed separately under different statutes.
Exam
No competency exam is required for general or specialty registration, confirmed via RCW 18.27.030.
Bonding
$30,000 for general contractors and $15,000 for specialty contractors, effective July 1, 2024, confirmed via RCW 18.27.040.
Continuing Education
Not found in RCW 18.27 or L&I's registration overview — treat as not required, pending direct confirmation with L&I.
Experience Requirements
None required — registration is documentation-based (UBI number, bond, insurance, workers' comp), not experience-verified.
Reciprocity
Not confirmed during this research pass.
Licensing requirements change and vary by locality within a state. Always verify current requirements with your state's contractor licensing board before applying. This page is an independent informational reference — it is not legal advice, and ContractorLicense.org is not a government agency and is not affiliated with any state licensing board.
Research note: Core structure, no-exam status, and current bond/insurance figures are statute-confirmed (RCW 18.27, via lni.wa.gov and apps.leg.wa.gov). CE and reciprocity are unconfirmed.
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