Home / General contractor / Washington
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries · checked 2026-10-21
Washington Contractor Registration Requirements
Washington registers contractors with L&I under chapter 18.27 RCW; registration checks bond and insurance, not trade skill. Washington uses a general contractor registration for general contractors, not a skills license.
- 1REG · General contractor registration registration
Registration in Washington
Washington has one registration on this path: the General contractor registration.
| Level | Experience | Classroom | Time from start | Exam | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REG General contractor registration | none stated | — | registration | No | Registration application $150.20 |
General contractor registration (REG)
Register with L&I and file a $30,000 continuous contractor surety bond (specialty contractors $15,000), or assign a bank account instead, plus liability insurance of $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage or a $250,000 combined single limit. The registration steps list no exam and no experience requirement. Source: L&I, Register as a contractor.
Exam
The Washington source lists no exam for this registration.
Fees, insurance and bond
- General contractor registration: registration application $150.20.
Renewal is also $150.20; reinstatement after suspension is $70.90.
Insurance: $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage, or a $250,000 combined single limit (L&I registration page).
Bond: $30,000 for a general contractor, $15,000 for a specialty contractor. (RCW 18.27.040)
Reciprocity
The Washington sources read for this trade name no reciprocity agreement and no route for out-of-state licensees.
How Washington compares
Washington's source states no minimum time for the general contractor registration, so it is not ranked against the other states on this site.
Same trade elsewhere: California · Florida · Pennsylvania · North Carolina · Michigan. All states side by side: General contractor license requirements by state.
Other trades in Washington
- Electrician: Journey level electrician: 4 years of experience at minimum, plus an exam.
- Plumber: Journey level plumber: 4 years of experience at minimum, plus an exam.
All covered trades on one page: Washington trade licenses.
Background reading: From apprentice to master: how long each state takes · License or registration: what the state is checking.
Questions
Who issues the general contractor registration in Washington?
Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I). Washington registers contractors with L&I under chapter 18.27 RCW; registration checks bond and insurance, not trade skill.
How long does it take to qualify for the General contractor registration in Washington?
The source read (L&I, Register as a contractor) states no minimum time for the General contractor registration. Register with L&I and file a $30,000 continuous contractor surety bond (specialty contractors $15,000), or assign a bank account instead, plus liability insurance of $200,000 public liability and $50,000 property damage or a $250,000 combined single limit. The registration steps list no exam and no experience requirement.
Does Washington have general contractor license reciprocity?
The Washington sources read name no reciprocity agreement for this trade.
What are the Washington general contractor license fees?
General contractor registration: registration application $150.20.
Sources and last checked
| What | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing authority | Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) | 2026-10-21 |
| REG requirements | L&I, Register as a contractor | 2026-10-21 |
| Law cited | RCW 18.27.040 (bond); chapter 18.27 RCW | 2026-10-21 |
This page summarises what the Washington source said on 2026-10-21. It is general information, not legal advice; the board's own page and the statute are the authority and can change. Confirm with Washington State Department of Labor and Industries before applying. The free official route is the board itself: its page, application forms and staff answer eligibility questions.