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. All applications and renewals of City business licenses are 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. You can also email the applicable documents once you have made application to expedite the process. 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 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.
Forms to be emailed to [email protected] after you apply on DOR :
General Business License (Includes commercial businesses, day cares, adult family homes, home rentals & food trucks)
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Floor Plan (Sample Floor Plan)
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Supplemental (Pick the one applicable to your type of business below)
Home Occupation: Home Occupation Supplemental Questionnaire
Change of Address
If you need to change your business address please do so by logging into your DOR account to make updates. The City of Edmonds cannot change the address information in the DOR system.
Types of Business Licenses
General Business License (included commercial business, day cares, adult family homes, home rentals & food trucks)
Application Fee -- $186.87
Annual Renewal Fee -- $74.75
Any business operating in a commercial space requires a General Business License. Along with a Business License Application filed with the Department of Revenue, a commercial business must submit a floor plan and a completed supplemental business license questionnaire to the City of Edmonds. The City of Edmonds will contact the business by email as soon as their application has been received from the DOR. Until those documents are submitted and deemed complete, the City of Edmonds endorsement cannot be routed for approvals.
Home business
Application Fee -- $149.50
Annual Renewal Fee -- $74.75
A business operating out of a home in the City of Edmonds requires a Home Occupation License. This includes 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 and deemed complete, 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.
Note that home daycares, adult family homes, or home rental are NOT considered home occupations. They require a General Commercial Business License.
Non-Resident business
Application Fee -- $74.75
Annual Renewal Fee -- $74.75
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 $4,000, 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.
Non-Profit Business
Application Fee -- $0
Annual Renewal Fee -- $0
While non-profit businesses are exempt from 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 supplemental business license questionnaire or a home occupation questionnaire depending on the type of business the non-profit is. Until those documents are submitted and deemed complete, the City of Edmonds endorsement cannot routed for approval. 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 Business Licensing at 425-775-2525 if you have questions.