Washington contractor license bond: $30,000 or $15,000 (2026)

Who this applies to

Washington hangs its bond on contractor registration with the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), and registration is mandatory for every construction contractor ^[2]. That takes in firms registering as general contractors and firms in any of the 63 ^[3] specialty classifications. Subsection (1) of RCW 18.27.040 ^[1] gives one amount for each side of that line:

• a general contractor files a $30,000 ^[1] bond;
• a specialty contractor files a $15,000 ^[1] bond.

The bond is not the only financial condition of registration. Liability insurance is required as well, and the bond sits on top of it rather than replacing it.

What the rule says

RCW 18.27.040(1) ^[1] has each applicant file a surety bond with the department, issued by a surety insurer that meets chapter 48.28 RCW ^[1]. The bond is continuous and names the State of Washington as obligee. Its conditions list what it answers for: labor and employee benefits, taxes and contributions due the state, material and equipment suppliers, and amounts adjudged for breach of contract, improper work included. Losing the surety has a direct consequence: cancellation or withdrawal of the surety automatically suspends the registration. The statute's cross-references add public works wages to the picture: RCW 39.12.050 ^[1] gives unpaid wages on a public works contract a lien against the bond.

How to comply

L&I takes both the registration and the bond filing; its contractor section is at lni.wa.gov/licensing-permits/contractors.

• Register in the general classification or in a specialty one. Under RCW 18.27.040(1) ^[1], that choice means a $30,000 ^[1] or $15,000 ^[1] bond.
• File the bond with L&I, or use an assignment of savings, which L&I accepts in place of a surety bond ^[3].
• Carry liability insurance as well; registration calls for both.
• Treat the bond as continuous. A surety's cancellation or withdrawal suspends the registration automatically.

Confirm the current requirements with L&I, and read RCW 18.27.040 ^[1] in the Sources list, before filing.

What changed recently

The bond section's present wording is the version amended by 2023 c 213 s 3 ^[1]. A note in that session law put sections 3 through 9 ^[1] of the act into effect on July 1, 2024 ^[1], which is when the current text began to apply.

Related

• All states' bond requirements: Washington's registration bond alongside the rest of the country.
• Contractor license bond cost calculator: choose the general or specialty amount, add a credit tier, and see an annual premium range.