Wheat Field between Winthrop and Twisp by Susan Donahue.

State Business Licenses

  • All private artists living in Washington State who gross over $12,000 a year from art-making activities or generate income from the retail sale of their art must obtain a business license from the state. However, any Washington state artist regardless of their income as an artist can still obtain a business concern license.
  • To obtain a business organization license from the country you lot must fill out a four-page Master Business Awarding. Contact the Washington State Section of Licensing Master License Service to receive an application and information on starting a new business organization. The application fee is $19. Or apply online: world wide web.bls.dor.wa.gov.
  • A Unified Business concern Identifier number, or UBI number, is assigned after yous complete your application. This number is used past state agencies involved in business organisation regulation, taxation and registration.
  • The ix-digit UBI number also allows you to purchase items (materials, supplies, etc.), that volition exist incorporated into an artwork for resale, without paying retail sales tax. The UBI number is your resale number. The UBI number also makes it possible for you to purchase products/materials from companies that only serve wholesale clients.
  • Any creative person who charges retail sales tax when selling their artwork must obtain a business license. If yous are selling your artwork to a retail consumer or client you must charge sales tax. When you sell to a wholesale client (someone who resells your work) you do not accuse sales tax.
  • Sales tax registration and all other necessary land registrations and licenses including trade proper name registration are included in the Primary Business concern Awarding. There is no fee for tax registration.
  • An artist's trade name or "doing business as" proper name must exist registered with the Washington Section of Licensing when you employ for a concern license. A merchandise proper name is any name used in the grade of business that does non include the full legal name of the owner of the business. In that location is a $5 fee for each name you annals. This registration does non provide protection of the proper noun. Federal and/or land trademark registration is required in providing proper noun protection.
  • To see if a trade proper name you wish to employ is already registered, check the Washington Section of Licensing'south trade proper name search online at http://www.bls.dor.wa.gov/tradename.aspx. You tin can as well search this database by mail. The cost is $4 to search up to three names. To request a search by mail, send a letter with your return address, a list of the names you want to inquiry, and a check or money social club to pay the fee to:
    Business organization Licensing Service
    Country of Washington
    PO Box 9034
    Olympia, WA 98507-9034
  • Questions? The State of Washington Business Licensing Service has a neat website full of information at www.bls.dor.wa.gov/. You can also call 1-800-451-7985 or email bls@dor.wa.gov.
  • The Washington Land Section of Licensing website provides contact data for proper licensing with state and local governments based on your concern activity. Later on inbound data about the business you are starting, you will exist able to print a sheet of referrals. Yous will also be able to download some of the application forms you volition need or request that they be mailed to y'all. INFO: www.dol.wa.gov/business concern/.

Metropolis and Canton Business organization Licenses

  • City business licenses may exist required for business activity within the city limits of any city. You should contact any incorporated urban center in which you lot volition be conducting your concern to determine if a license is required. Contact information can also be found on the WALI website.
  • Seattle – The license is issued by the city for a calendar twelvemonth and must be renewed every twelvemonth past Dec. 31. INFO: 206/684-8484 or world wide web.seattle.gov/business-license-tax
  • Spokane– INFO: 509/625-6070 or www.spokanecity.org
  • Ellensburg– INFO: 509/962-7204 or www.ci.ellensburg.wa.u.s./
  • Yakima– INFO: 509/575-6121 or www.ci.yakima.wa.the states/services/codes/licensing
  • Bellingham– INFO: 360/676-6900 or www.cob.org/services/business/pages/business-registration.aspx
  • Everett– INFO: 425/257-8610 or https://www.everettwa.gov/761/Starting-a-Business
  • Olympia– INFO: 360/753-8327 or olympiawa.gov/businesses.aspx
  • Tacoma– INFO: 253/591-5252 or http://www.cityoftacoma.org/business organisation
  • Vancouver– INFO: 360/487-8410 or http://www.cityofvancouver.us/fms/page/business-and-special-licenses

Most cities volition prorate a business license fee based on the fourth dimension of year purchased.

Counties may also event business licenses to businesses that are not located within incorporated city limits. Once again, you should contact any county in which you will be conducting your business to determine if a license is required.

For information on how to obtain a city or county business concern license, wait under the City and/or County Authorities Pages in your telephone book. Locate "business" under the heading of "licenses" for information. The Washington State Department of Licensing website as well provides this data.