Washington General Contractor Bond
What is a Washington contractor license bond?
The state of Washington requires all construction contractors to be registered with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). As part of the registration process, a general contractor must post a $12,000 surety bond.
How much does a Washington contractor license bond cost?
NNA Surety offers the Washington contractor’s surety bond at a starting premium of $120 per year. A “soft pull” credit check is required to determine your premium, which will not affect your credit score.
Why do I need a Washington contractor license bond?
The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (the obligee) requires all general contractors (the principal) to obtain a bond from an authorized provider (surety) in order to do business in the state.
A surety bond establishes protection for a contractor’s customer should the contractor be found negligent. If a contractor is required to pay restitution, the surety would pay the required amount and the contractor would be required to repay the surety. Being bonded does not eliminate or reduce the contractor’s financial responsibility.
What else do I need to know about the Washington state contractor license bond?
In Washington, general contractors who are licensed and bonded can perform most types of work and can hire subcontractors for specialty jobs. General contractors are required to hold a $12,000 bond while specialty contractors must hold a $6,000 bond. The Washington general contractor license bond does not meet the requirements for contractors specifically licensed in such focused areas as plumbing and electrical. For more information on registering as a general or specialty contractor, visit the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries website.
The Washington L&I provides information on registering as a general contractor, including a detailed list of instructions and requirements to help you get started. They also include guides and instructional videos to make the licensing process easy.
Other names for the Washington contractor license bond include Washington general contractor license bond and Washington continuous contractor’s surety bond.
How can I get a Washington general contractor license bond?
Just click the Buy Now button to get started. All we need is basic information about you and some additional information about your business. Once issued, we will email you your Washington contractor license bond. You can download it to file for a new license or file it electronically for existing licensees.