Plain-language guides to licensing, public bidding and getting paid in Washington, written from the statutes, rules and agency pages and linked to them.
Licensing
Washington requires contractors to register with Labor & Industries and post a continuous surety bond: $30,000 for general contractors and $15,000 for specialty contractors.
Reviewed Oct 30, 2026
Bidding
WSDOT only issues bidding proposals to prequalified contractors. Prequalification is free, and projects under $350,000 can go through the Small Works Roster.
Reviewed Oct 30, 2026
Payment
Record a lien within 90 days of your last work, sue within eight months. On public jobs, retainage is capped at 5% and contractors post a bond for the full contract price.
Reviewed Oct 30, 2026
Procurement
Washington agencies post bids to vendors registered in WEBS, the state's Electronic Business Solution. WSDOT highway contracts are bid separately.
Reviewed Oct 30, 2026
Guides are general information, not legal advice.