Obtaining Your City of Edmonds Business License
The City of Edmonds welcomes you to its business community. Starting a business can be exciting and challenging. We wish you great success in your new venture!
The City of Edmonds requires all businesses operating within the City limits, including property owners, home-based businesses, and all contractors, to obtain a business license prior to commencing business operations. Please see Chapter 4.72.020 for specific requirements.
In May 2019, the City of Edmonds partnered with the State of Washington Business Licensing Service (BLS) to connect our business license application and renewal process to the State BLS system. What this means is all applications and renewals of City business licenses will be processed through the BLS system on the Department of Revenue website. The City of Edmonds no longer accepts business license applications or fees at City Hall.
To get started please go to dor.wa.gov/MyDOR . You will need to sign up for a Secure Access Washington User ID if you do not already have one. All fees for City Business Licenses are collected by the DOR. Once an application is completed and the City is notified of a pending application, we will reach out to the business to request more specific information about the business. Providing an up-to-date email address that is checked regularly will ensure the business license is processed as quickly as possible. At any time during the application process you may check the status of your business license application by logging into your MyDOR account. Once it is approved, the status will change from pending to active. DOR will mail a copy of the new license to the business once it has been approved by the City.
Change of Address
If you need to update your business address please do so by logging into your DOR account and changing the information there. The City of Edmonds cannot change the address information in the DOR system.
Types of Business Licenses
General (commercial) business
Application Fee -- $125
Annual Renewal Fee -- $50
Any business operating in a commercial space should apply for a General Business License. Along with a Business License Application filed with the Department of Revenue, a commercial business must return a floor plan and a completed business license questionnaire to the City of Edmonds. The City of Edmonds will contact the business by email or letter as soon as their application has been received from the DOR to provide the business with the form that requires completion. Until those documents are submitted, the City of Edmonds endorsement cannot be approved. Please contact Edmonds City Hall at 425-775-2525 if you applied for a business license but never received the additional business license form.
Home business
Application Fee -- $100
Annual Renewal Fee -- $50
Any business operating out of a home in the City of Edmonds should apply for a Home Occupation License. This includes those businesses that may conduct work outside of the home, such as a construction or house cleaning business, but use their home strictly as a mailing address or home office. Along with a Business License Application filed with the Department of Revenue, a home occupation questionnaire must be submitted to the City of Edmonds. Until the additional questionnaire is submitted, the City of Edmonds endorsement cannot be approved. The City of Edmonds will contact the business by email or letter as soon as their application has been submitted to DOR, providing the business with the required form that needs to be completed. Please contact Edmonds City Hall at 425-775-2525 if you applied for a business license but never received the additional home occupation form.
Non-Resident business
Application Fee -- $50
Annual Renewal Fee -- $50
If a business is physically located outside the Edmonds City Limits, but conducts business within the City, a Non-Resident business license is required. However, per Chapter 4.72.021 there is a threshold exemption. If a Non-Resident business whose annual value of products, gross proceeds of sales, or gross income of the business in the city is equal to or less than $12,000, a Non-Resident business license is not required. The exemption does not apply to regulatory license requirements or activities that require a specialized permit.
A Business License Application must be filed with the Department of Revenue. Once the fee is paid, the Non-Resident license is automatically approved. If the business applying needs to apply for a City of Edmonds permit with the Planning and Development Department the same day, please keep a copy of the business license receipt and make note of your UBI Number (this is your business license number). You will provide these two things to the Planning and Development Department to show proof of city business license. After 24-48 hours of a completed application on DOR, City of Edmonds staff will be able to look the business up on DOR to verify the license.
Non-Profit Business
Application Fee -- $0
Annual Renewal Fee -- $0
While non-profit businesses are exempt from the application and renewal fees, they are still required to obtain a City of Edmonds Business License and go through the application process. An application must be filed with the Department of Revenue. If DOR does not have the business listed as a non-profit already, the business will want to call DOR at 360-705-6741 to discuss with them how to provide them with proof of non-profit status. The business must be listed as non-profit with DOR before completing the application in order for the fees to be exempted.
Along with a Business License Application filed with the Department of Revenue, a non-profit business must submit a floor plan and a completed business license questionnaire or a home occupation questionnaire depending on the type of business the non-profit is. Until those documents are submitted, the City of Edmonds endorsement cannot be approved. The City of Edmonds will contact the business by email or letter as soon as their application has been submitted to DOR, providing the business with the required form that needs to be completed. Please contact Edmonds City Hall at 425-775-2525 if you applied for a business license but never received the additional business license form.