- Change your address, pay renewal or reinstatement fee online
- Change your address form
- Get a duplicate license
About Becoming an Electrical Contractor
Individuals working in the electrical contractor trade must have a valid electrical contractor's license.
What is required to become an Electrical Contractor?
- Apply online and pay the fee for an electrical contractor license.
- Submit the following items together in a packet to L&I by mail or in person in one of L&I's local offices.
- The Application for Electrical Contractor's License.
- The Change Assignment of Administrator's/Master Certificate form designating an Administrator or Master Electrician.
- An original, current surety bond to the state of Washington.
OR assignment of savings account.
- If you are going to hire employees you will also need an Industrial Insurance account.
- NOTE: If you are doing other non-electrical type work you may also need to be registered with the Contractor Registration Section as well. For more information see RCW 18.27 or contact them at 360-902-5226.
What is required to renew your Electrical Contractor license?
- Renew your license online or at any L&I office and pay the renewal fee for an electrical contractor license.
Note: You may not renew online if your license has been expired more than 90 days. - The following items must be on file at the department for you to renew online:
- The Change Assignment of Administrator's/Master Certificate form designating an Electrical Administrator/Master Electrician.
- An current and unimpaired surety bond to the state of Washington
OR assignment of savings account.
- You must not have any outstanding, unpaid citations with L&I.
- If your license is suspended for any reason, you may not renew online. You must contact L&I about reinstating it.
How do I notify L&I to get my electrical contractor license record updated?
- If the members/owners of the company need to be updated, complete the principal/member/owner form and mail to the electrical licensing section at the address or fax number indicated on the form.
- Note: Some principal/owner changes may require the company relicense.
- The following changes/updates will require relicensing. A new electrical contractor application form with the required fees and other documents be submitted.
- Business name change (Fred's Electric to Fred Smith Electric Company)
- Business structure change (UBI number changes and/or changing from partnership to corporation, individual proprietorship to partnership etc)
- Ownership change (other than corporate members changing)
- Specialty changes
More information
- Find out more about the Electrical Program.
- Read the Electrical law Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 19.28.
- Join the Electrical Listserv to receive emails with the Electrical Currents Newsletter and other important information.
Apply for an Electrical Contractors' license
Individuals or businesses working as a contractor in the electrical construction trade must have a valid electrical contractor's license.
What you need to do
- Apply online and pay your fee of $293.50
($255.20 + $38.30) by credit card (VISA or MasterCard only). However, L&I will not issue the license until the original required documents listed below have been received. You will need the following:
- Have your UBI number.
- Have your credit card handy. (Visa or Master Card only)
- E-mail address and phone number.
- Be prepared to mail or drop off at your local L&I office the required documents described above.
Note: Fees are nonrefundable after license has been issued. Refund requests must be made in writing to the department. Mail to the address listed below.
- Submit the following items together in a packet to L&I.
- A completed Application
for Electrical Contractor’s License (296 KB PDF), including:
- Uniform Business Identifier (UBI) number (issued by the Department of Licensing).
- Complete address and phone number for company.
- The company owners/principal information including mailing address:
- SSN for each owner (required);
- The role of each owner (for example corporations have president, registered agent, etc.)
- An original, current surety bond (100 KB PDF) or assignment
of savings account (191 KB PDF)
Note: The forms must be completed by your bonding company or financial institution. - The administrator/master certificate number and the Assignment
of Administrator's/Master Certificate (134 KB PDF) form must be completed and notarized and mailed to the address below within 7 days.
(The fee is paid through the online application)
Department of Labor & Industries - A completed Application
for Electrical Contractor’s License (296 KB PDF), including:
- You will also need an Industrial Insurance Account, if you are going to hire employees.
- You must not have any outstanding, unpaid citations with L&I.
Electrical Program
PO Box 44460
Olympia, WA 98504-4460
What L&I will do
Verify that the following information is on file with L&I:
- All necessary application information.
- Surety bond or assignment of savings account.
- Notarized Change Assignment of Administrator/Master Certificate form.
Note: L&I will verify the company is properly registered with Washington state, Secretary of State's office (corporations, llc or llp structures), Department of Reveue and or Department of Licensing before a license will be issued.
L&I will notify you of the action taken on your application within 5 days after we receive the information listed above.
Renew your Electrical Contractors' license
An Electrical Contractor's license must be renewed every two (2) years.
What you need to renew
- Save Money! Renew online and pay a reduced renewal fee of $230.20 by credit
card.
You will need
the following:
- Your 12-digit license number.
- An active license (not suspended or canceled).
- Required documents on file with the department.
- E-mail address and phone number.
- Your credit card (VISA or MasterCard only).
Or at any L&I office pay a renewal fee of $255.20 - Pay by Cash, Check or Credit Card (Visa or MasterCard Only)
Note: You may not renew online if your license has been expired more than 90 days. Fees are nonrefundable after license has been issued. Refund requests
must be made in writing to the department. Mail to L&I, PO Box 44460, Olympia,
WA 98504-4460.
- The following items must be on file at the department when you renew:
- A current and unimpaired electrical contractors bond or assignment of savings.
- An active electrical administrator/master assigned.
- You must not have any outstanding, unpaid citations with L&I. To check this go online to Look Up Electrical Violations or call L&I's Electrical Program at 360-902-5269.
- If your license is suspended for any reason, you may not renew online
and you must contact us about reinstating it.
What L&I will do
- Verify that the following information is on file with the department:
- All necessary application information.
- Surety bond or assignment of savings account.
- Notarized Assignment of Administrator's/Master Certificate form.
- No outstanding, unpaid citations with L&I.
- That your Electrical Contractors license is in good standing.
- We will notify you of the action taken on your application within 5
days after we receive the information listed above.
You will need the following:
- Your 12-digit license number.
- An active license (not suspended or canceled).
- Required documents on file with the department.
- E-mail address and phone number.
- Your credit card (VISA or MasterCard only).
Note: You may not renew online if your license has been expired more than 90 days. Fees are nonrefundable after license has been issued. Refund requests must be made in writing to the department. Mail to L&I, PO Box 44460, Olympia, WA 98504-4460.
- A current and unimpaired electrical contractors bond or assignment of savings.
- An active electrical administrator/master assigned.
- All necessary application information.
- Surety bond or assignment of savings account.
- Notarized Assignment of Administrator's/Master Certificate form.
- No outstanding, unpaid citations with L&I.
- That your Electrical Contractors license is in good standing.
- We will notify you of the action taken on your application within 5 days after we receive the information listed above.
Reinstate your Electrical Contractors license
An electrical contractor license will be suspended whenever the minimum licensing requirements have not been met.
Pay your Reinstatement fee online and save a trip to an L&I office.
You will need
the following:
- Your 12-digit license number.
- Required documents on file with the department.
- E-mail address and phone number.
- Your credit card (VISA or MasterCard only).
Note: You may not reinstate online if the department does not have all the required documents on file.
Reinstate online is real time processed! If you are able to pay your reinstatement fee online your license will be reinstated as soon as your payment is posted.
Or at any L&I office pay a reinstatment fee of $51.70 - Pay by Cash, Check or Credit Card (Visa or MasterCard Only)- The following items must be on file at the department to reinstate:
- A current and unimpaired electrical contractors bond or assignment of savings.
- An active electrical administrator/master assigned.
- You must not have any outstanding, unpaid citations with L&I. To check this, go online to Look Up Electrical Violations or call L&I's Electrical Program at 360-902-5269.
Or by mail - Pay by Check or money order in the amount of $51.70 to: Department of Labor & Industries, Electrical Program, PO Box 44460, Olympia, WA 98504-4460.
What L&I will do
-
Verify that the following items are on file with the department:
- Surety bond or assignment of savings account.
- Notarized Assignment of Administrator's/Master Certificate form.
- No outstanding, unpaid citations with L&I.
- Notify you within 5 days of the action taken on your request for reinstatement.
