Minor Work — Washington license requirements
01 The project
The starting point is the work itself — Minor Work in Washington. The job determines which trades are involved, and the trades determine which license classifications may be required.
No project components are seeded for this project — we do not invent component lists without evidence.
02 Jurisdiction
This project is evaluated for Washington — the registration-plus-trade-credential state. Construction contractors hold the ch. 18.27 contractor registration (no exam, $30k/$15k bond by class), while electrical (ch. 19.28) and plumbing (ch. 18.106) run through their own contractor licences and certified individuals under L&I. The $500 and $2,000 bands decide small jobs, RCW 18.27.130 preempts local contractor licences, and RCW 18.27.110 makes the local permit issuer verify the registration. Washington jurisdiction page.
Permit fees, plan-review timelines and every locality beyond Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver and Bellevue remain LOCAL_AUTHORITY_REQUIRED; Spokane was researched from search-result snippets and its official PDF, a disclosed limitation. The statewide electrical work-permit fee schedule is NOT_VERIFIED. Without a job-site location the local permit answer is NOT_DETERMINED, never a guess. State requirements are not the complete story for any locality.
03 Trade → license
Relations below are recorded per state — only this jurisdiction's classifications are shown.
Trades involved: no seeded components — trade resolution follows from the classification relations below.
- May require SPECIALTY-HANDYMAN — Handyman (specialty) confirmed S-WA-WAC-296-200A-016 rule WA-HANDYMAN-2KBand 2 of the four-band answer (research §N.2): residential maintenance/repair under $2,000 time-and-materials, done personally, no employees, NO permit work → the handyman SPECIALTY REGISTRATION (a real registration: $15,000 bond + GL + $150.20, WAC 296-200A-016(26)). Below $500 aggregate → pure exemption with anti-evasion + no-advertising conditions (WA-MINOR-500, RCW 18.27.090(9)); permit-required or larger → full registration in the right class/specialty (WA-REG-REQUIRED).
- May require GENERAL-CONTRACTOR — General Contractor (ch. 18.27 registration class) confirmed S-WA-18-27-020 rule WA-REG-REQUIREDBands 3–4: once the job is ≥$500 (or ≥$2,000 as handyman), permit-required, or on someone else's property, 'Every contractor shall register with the department' — gross misdemeanor to advertise/offer/bid/work unregistered, infractions $1,200–$10,000 (research §N.2). Own property exempt (WA-OWN-PROPERTY) except selling/demolishing/leasing; disclosure ≥$1,000 residential (WA-DISCLOSURE-1K); Seattle's local overlay: no permit ≤$6,000/6 months except load-bearing/envelope/egress work (REQ-WA-LOCAL-SEATTLE-001).
- May require PLUMBING-CONTRACTOR — Plumbing Contractor License (business) confirmed S-WA-18-106-020 rule WA-PLUMB-CONTRACTORCONDITIONAL — applies only when the minor job touches the plumbing trade: since 2021-07-01 no contractor may employ a person in the plumbing trade unless the contractor is a licensed PLUMBING contractor (RCW 18.106.020), with certified plumbers/trainees. Homeowner at own residence is exempt (WA-HOMEOWNER-PLUMB, RCW 18.106.150(1)) (research §N.2/§G.2).
- May require ELECTRICAL-CONTRACTOR-GENERAL-01 — General Electrical Contractor License (01) (business) confirmed S-WA-LNI-ELEC-CONTRACTOR rule WA-ELEC-CONTRACTORCONDITIONAL — applies only when the minor job touches electrical work: 'To engage in the business of the electrical construction trade, you must get an electrical contractor license from L&I' + certified electricians (WA-ELEC-WORKER). Homeowner electrical: NO statutory exemption in RCW 19.28.091 — Seattle's owner-occupant permit rule is local, state basis NOT_VERIFIED (WA-HOMEOWNER-ELEC answers NOT_DETERMINED) (research §G.3).
04 Scope
What the official sources say about the work involved — typed assertions, never a boolean "covers". Interpretations are marked as such.
- Officially included GENERAL-CONTRACTOR More Than One Building Trade Or Craft On A Single Job Or Permit Or Superintending Consulting (may_perform) RCW 18.27.010(5) / (1)(a) S-WA-18-27-010 The general-contractor class definition — Washington uses 'registration' and 'class', never a 'general contractor license' (research §B/§D.1).
- Officially excluded SPECIALTY-HANDYMAN Any Work Requiring A Building Permit Or Work With Employees (may_not_perform) WAC 296-200A-016(26) S-WA-WAC-296-200A-016 The handyman band: a specialty with hard limits, distinct from the pure sub-$500 registration EXEMPTION (RCW 18.27.090(9)) (research §G.4/§N.2).
- Officially included ELECTRICAL-CONTRACTOR-GENERAL-01 All Phases And All Types Of Electrical And Telecommunications Installations (may_perform) WAC 296-46B-920(1); RCW 19.28.041 S-WA-WAC-296-46B-920 The unambiguous electrical credential — general (01) is the one qualified for rooftop PV without interpretive strain (research §D.3/§O).
05 Requirements
| Requirement | Kind | Statement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| $500 statutory minor-work exemption — casual/minor/inconsequential projects, with anti-evasion and no-advertising conditions RCW 18.27.090(9) verbatim (read 2026-10-04) | exemption | RCW 18.27.090(9) verbatim: 'Any work or operation on one undertaking or project by one or more contracts, the aggregate contract price of which for labor and materials and all other items is less than five hundred dollars, such work or operations being considered as of a casual, minor, or inconsequential nature.' The exemption 'does not apply in any instance wherein the work or construction is only a part of a larger or major operation … or in which a division of the operation is made into contracts of amounts less than five hundred dollars for the purpose of evasion of this chapter or otherwise. The exemption … does not apply to a person who advertises or puts out any sign or card or other device which might indicate to the public that he or she is a contractor, or that he or she is qualified to engage in the business of contractor.' | S-WA-18-27-090Source S-WA-18-27-090 — Washington State Legislature — RCW & WAC (app.leg.wa.gov)RCW 18.27.090 — Exemptions (all seventeen) — RCW 18.27.090(9) verbatim (read 2026-10-04) https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.27.090 Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 Read in full 2026-10-04 — the registration exemptions: (1) government reps; (2) court officers; (3) UTC-regulated utilities (incidental); (4) petroleum/gas/mining by owner-lessee; (5) finished products not becoming part of a structure; (6) personal property by owner / ch. 46.70 dealers; (7) federal sites; (8) materials/supplies/equipment only; (9) <$500 aggregate per project — 'casual, minor, or inconsequential' with anti-evasion AND no-advertising-as-a-contractor conditions; (10) farming/irrigation/rural fire clearing; (11) owner hiring a registered contractor (not for leasing/selling improved property owned <12 months); (12) own property/personal residence (NOT for selling, demolishing, leasing); (13) owner maintenance/repair/alteration on own properties or own employees; (14) architect/engineer in professional capacity, WA-certified electrician, WA-certified plumber (or locally licensed within its boundaries) — scope-limited to their certification; (15) employee with wages as sole compensation; (16) RCW 47.28.070 prequalified highway contractors; (17) mobile/manufactured home dealers subcontracting to registered contractors. Backs REQ-WA-MINOR-500-001, REQ-WA-HOMEOWNER-001 and rules WA-MINOR-500 / WA-OWN-PROPERTY. |
| Handyman SPECIALTY registration — individual, no employees, under $2,000 time-and-materials, NO permit work WAC 296-200A-016(26) verbatim (read 2026-10-04) | registration | WAC 296-200A-016(26) verbatim: 'A contractor in this specialty must be an individual who does all work personally without employees or other specialty contractors. A handyman may perform more than one unrelated specialty trade or craft provided they do all work themselves. All work shall be limited to minor and casual work of existing residential maintenance and repair with a total dollar value of time and materials under two thousand dollars. Work requiring a building permit may not be done by this specialty. If the registered contractor is a corporation or limited liability company (LLC), one person must be identified as a handyman. Work in this specialty may also require plumber certification per chapter 18.106 RCW and/or an electrical license per chapter 19.28 RCW.' | S-WA-WAC-296-200A-016Source S-WA-WAC-296-200A-016 — Washington State Legislature — RCW & WAC (app.leg.wa.gov)WAC 296-200A-016 — Definitions of the specialty contractor classifications (63 specialties) — WAC 296-200A-016(26) verbatim (read 2026-10-04) https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=296-200A-016 Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 · effective 2009-06-05 Read in full 2026-10-04 — 'What are the definitions of the specialty contractor classifications for the purpose of contractor registration only?' 63 numbered subsections, every one of them a classification row in this seed. Key verbatim limits: (26) Handyman = individual, all work personally, no employees, residential maintenance/repair under $2,000 time-and-materials, 'Work requiring a building permit may not be done by this specialty'; (44) Roofing = 'This specialty does not allow for structural repair of trusses, beams or joists'; (1) Appliances = dishwashers/hot water tanks/garbage disposals require plumber certification and/or electrical license; (16) Electrical = 'Please see chapter 19.28 RCW'; (42) Plumbing definition still printed while L&I phases the specialty out (CONFLICT-WA-003); (28) HVAC/R includes systems that utilize solar energy. History: WSR 09-10-079 / WSR 08-16-091. |
| Contractor REGISTRATION required to advertise, bid or perform construction work — gross misdemeanor without it RCW 18.27.020 + RCW 18.27.010(1)(a) verbatim (read 2026-10-04) | registration | RCW 18.27.020 verbatim: 'Every contractor shall register with the department.' It is a gross misdemeanor to advertise, offer to do work, submit a bid or perform work as an unregistered contractor, with separate counts per day per worksite after citation, and it is unlawful to subcontract to or use an unregistered contractor (corroborated as an infraction by RCW 18.27.200(1): 'Subcontract to, or use, an unregistered contractor'). 'Contractor' is defined expansively (RCW 18.27.010(1)(a)): any entity that in pursuit of an independent business undertakes/offers/bids to construct, alter, repair, improve, move, wreck or demolish any building or structure 'including the installation of carpeting or other floor covering, the erection of scaffolding …, the installation or repair of roofing or siding, performing tree removal services, or cabinet or similar installation; or, who, to do similar work upon his or her own property, employs members of more than one trade upon a single job or project or under a single building permit.' | S-WA-18-27-020Source S-WA-18-27-020 — Washington State Legislature — RCW & WAC (app.leg.wa.gov)RCW 18.27.020 — Registration required — Prohibited acts — Criminal penalty — RCW 18.27.020 + RCW 18.27.010(1)(a) verbatim (read 2026-10-04) https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.27.020 Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 Read 2026-10-04: 'Every contractor shall register with the department.' Gross misdemeanor to advertise, offer, bid or work unregistered; separate counts per day per worksite after citation; unlawful to subcontract to or use an unregistered contractor; hiring an already-registered contractor that later lapses is allowed until written notice. Backs REQ-WA-REGISTRATION-REQUIRED-001 and rule WA-REG-REQUIRED. |
| Owner exemptions — own property/personal residence, owner maintenance, hiring a registered contractor (with the resale/lease carve-outs) RCW 18.27.090(8)-(16) + RCW 18.27.010(1)(a) verbatim (read 2026-10-04) | exemption | RCW 18.27.090 (all seventeen read 2026-10-04), the core owner bands: (11) 'An owner who contracts for a project with a registered contractor' — 'this exemption shall not apply to a person who performs the activities of a contractor for the purpose of leasing or selling improved property he or she has owned for less than twelve months'; (12) 'Any person working on his or her own property, whether occupied by him or her or not, and any person working on his or her personal residence … this exemption shall not apply to any person who performs the activities of a contractor on his or her own property for the purpose of selling, demolishing, or leasing the property'; (13) 'An owner who performs maintenance, repair, and alteration work in or upon his or her own properties, or who uses his or her own employees to do such work.' BUT RCW 18.27.010(1)(a): an owner who, to do similar work on their own property, 'employs members of more than one trade upon a single job or project or under a single building permit' IS a contractor. | S-WA-18-27-090Source S-WA-18-27-090 — Washington State Legislature — RCW & WAC (app.leg.wa.gov)RCW 18.27.090 — Exemptions (all seventeen) — RCW 18.27.090(8)-(16) + RCW 18.27.010(1)(a) verbatim (read 2026-10-04) https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.27.090 Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 Read in full 2026-10-04 — the registration exemptions: (1) government reps; (2) court officers; (3) UTC-regulated utilities (incidental); (4) petroleum/gas/mining by owner-lessee; (5) finished products not becoming part of a structure; (6) personal property by owner / ch. 46.70 dealers; (7) federal sites; (8) materials/supplies/equipment only; (9) <$500 aggregate per project — 'casual, minor, or inconsequential' with anti-evasion AND no-advertising-as-a-contractor conditions; (10) farming/irrigation/rural fire clearing; (11) owner hiring a registered contractor (not for leasing/selling improved property owned <12 months); (12) own property/personal residence (NOT for selling, demolishing, leasing); (13) owner maintenance/repair/alteration on own properties or own employees; (14) architect/engineer in professional capacity, WA-certified electrician, WA-certified plumber (or locally licensed within its boundaries) — scope-limited to their certification; (15) employee with wages as sole compensation; (16) RCW 47.28.070 prequalified highway contractors; (17) mobile/manufactured home dealers subcontracting to registered contractors. Backs REQ-WA-MINOR-500-001, REQ-WA-HOMEOWNER-001 and rules WA-MINOR-500 / WA-OWN-PROPERTY. |
| NOTICE TO CUSTOMER disclosure — residential ≥$1,000, commercial $1,000–$60,000 — prerequisite to ANY lien claim RCW 18.27.114 + L&I Register page verbatim (read 2026-10-04) | contract rule | RCW 18.27.114 (read 2026-10-04): the NOTICE TO CUSTOMER is required for residential (four units or fewer) repair/alteration/construction at bid/contract of $1,000 or more, and for commercial projects of $1,000 or more and less than $60,000; 12-point bold type; signed copy retained 3 years; '(4) compliance with this section is a prerequisite to any lien claim'; failure to give it is an infraction; does NOT apply to ch. 39.04 public works contracts or contractors contracting with other contractors (subsection (5)). L&I: 'You must provide this Model Disclosure Statement Notice to Customer (F625-030-000) for all residential jobs of $1,000 or more and for commercial projects of $1,000 to $60,000.' | S-WA-18-27-114Source S-WA-18-27-114 — Washington State Legislature — RCW & WAC (app.leg.wa.gov)RCW 18.27.114 — Disclosure statement required — Prerequisite to lien claim — RCW 18.27.114 + L&I Register page verbatim (read 2026-10-04) https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=18.27.114 Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 Read 2026-10-04: NOTICE TO CUSTOMER required for residential (≤4 units) repair/alteration/construction at bid/contract ≥$1,000, and commercial ≥$1,000 and <$60,000; 12-point bold type; signed copy retained 3 years; '(4) compliance with this section is a prerequisite to any lien claim'; failure = infraction; (5) does not apply to ch. 39.04 public works contracts or contractors contracting with other contractors. L&I: model disclosure F625-030-000, 'for all residential jobs of $1,000 or more and for commercial projects of $1,000 to $60,000' (Register page). Backs REQ-WA-DISCLOSURE-001 (rule WA-DISCLOSURE-1K). |
| Seattle (SDCI) — $6,000/6-month no-permit band, re-roof exemption, city electrical permits, city business license (LOCAL EXAMPLE) Seattle Do-You-Need-a-Permit / Re-Roof / Electrical / Mechanical pages verbatim (read 2026-10-04) | permit | Seattle SDCI pages (all read 2026-10-04): 'You don't need a permit for minor repairs or alterations that cost $6,000 or less in any 6-month period … even if you do the work yourself' — but load-bearing/envelope/egress work always needs a permit. Re-roof: 'A permit is not required for re-roof work at one- and two-family homes and townhouses if no changes are made to the building envelope other than adding or replacing insulation…'; required when repairing >500 sq ft or replacing roofing materials on commercial/multifamily (or envelope changes); no on-site inspection, close by affidavit. Electrical permits: 'Any professional applying for electrical permits must have a Washington State electrical contractor's license and a Seattle business license. Property owners may do their own work when they own and occupy the property they're working on'; Seattle performs cover/service/final inspections (local enforcement under RCW 19.28.141); small solar PV <7.7 kW without plan review. Mechanical permits by value + hourly review; gas lines/plumbing are separate permits. Seattle business license required to do business in the city. NO local contractor license exists (RCW 18.27.130). | S-WA-SEATTLE-PERMITSource S-WA-SEATTLE-PERMIT — City of Seattle — Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI)Seattle SDCI — Do You Need a Permit? ($6,000/6-month minor-work threshold, exemptions) — Seattle Do-You-Need-a-Permit / Re-Roof / Electrical / Mechanical pages verbatim (read 2026-10-04) https://www.seattle.gov/construction-and-inspections/permits/do-you-need-a-permit Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04 LOCAL EXAMPLE — read 2026-10-04 (HTTP 200). Verbatim: 'Minor repairs or alterations. You don't need a permit for minor repairs or alterations that cost $6,000 or less in any 6-month period. The $6,000 limit is based on fair market value of labor and parts, even if you do the work yourself.' 'You need a permit for any work on load-bearing supports, changes to the building envelope, and work that reduces egress, light, ventilation, or fire resistance no matter how small the project.' Usually no permit: painting/cleaning, re-pointing a chimney, installing kitchen cabinets, paneling/surface finishes over existing systems, insulating existing buildings, hazardous-material abatement, limited in-kind repair; on-grade patios/slabs; sheds <120 sq ft; retaining walls ≤4 ft; fences <8 ft; platforms/walks/driveways <18 in. above grade; dish/panel antennas ≤6.56 ft. 'Even if you don't need a permit, your project must meet all code requirements.' Seattle Residential Code R105.2 / Building Code 106.2 referenced (research §M.1/§N.2). |
06 Rule: WA-HANDYMAN-2K
WAC 296-200A-016(26) verbatim: the Handyman SPECIALTY is 'limited to an individual, working alone or employing others in their own company, performing all work under this specialty personally … Work is limited to residential maintenance and repair work performed on a time-and-materials basis and the total must be less than two thousand dollars. Work requiring a building permit may not be done by this specialty.' It is a REGISTRATION ($15,000 bond + GL + $150.20), not an exemption. Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| handyman-band-holds | handyman_specialty_registration_available |
|
| permit-work | permit_work_requires_full_registration |
|
| employees-allowed | handyman_band_failed_employees |
|
| over-2000 | handyman_band_failed_amount |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-WA-WAC-296-200A-016S-WA-LNI-REGISTER
07 Rule: WA-REG-REQUIRED
RCW 18.27.020 verbatim: 'Every contractor shall register with the department.' Advertising, offering, bidding or working as an unregistered contractor is a gross misdemeanor with separate counts per day per worksite after citation, and it is unlawful to subcontract to or use an unregistered contractor (infractions $1,200-$10,000, RCW 18.27.340). The definition of 'contractor' is deliberately broad (RCW 18.27.010(1)) including an owner who employs members of more than one trade on a single job/permit. Exemptions are SEPARATE rules (WA-MINOR-500, WA-OWN-PROPERTY). Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| registration-required | contractor_registration_required |
|
| registration-held | registration_already_held |
|
| not-a-contractor | outside_chapter_18_27 |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-WA-18-27-020S-WA-18-27-010S-WA-18-27-340
08 Rule: WA-PLUMB-CONTRACTOR
RCW 18.106.020 verbatim: 'After January 1, 2021, no contractor may employ a person to engage in or offer to engage in the trade of plumbing unless the contractor is a licensed plumbing contractor under this chapter and the person performing the plumbing work has' the right certificate. RCW 18.106.400: license expires 24 calendar months; requires WC evidence, ESD number, excise registration and a FULL-TIME individual holding a journey level or appropriate specialty plumber certificate (the 'dedicated plumber', $53.20 assignment); $6,000 bond (RCW 18.106.410); $50k/$100k/$200k insurance (RCW 18.106.420); and the license-holder is NOT required to hold ch. 18.27 registration for plumbing work (.400(3)). Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| plumbing-license-required | plumbing_contractor_license_required |
|
| plumbing-license-held | plumbing_license_already_held |
|
| not-plumbing-work | outside_chapter_18_106 |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-WA-18-106-020S-WA-18-106-400S-WA-18-106-410S-WA-LNI-PLUMB-CONTRACTOR
09 Rule: WA-ELEC-CONTRACTOR
RCW 19.28.041: unlawful to do electrical contracting without an electrical contractor license — a SEPARATE credential from ch. 18.27 registration (general 01 or a WAC 296-46B-920(2) specialty), 24 calendar months, $4,000 surety bond (one maximum across specialties), UBI + WC evidence + excise registration on application, and a designated individual holding a valid master journey level / master specialty / administrator certificate. L&I: 'All work performed must be done by properly certified electricians.' Whether an electrical-only business must ALSO hold ch. 18.27 registration is CONFLICT-WA-002 (rule WA-ELEC-ONLY-REG). Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| electrical-license-required | electrical_contractor_license_required |
|
| electrical-license-held | electrical_license_already_held |
|
| not-electrical-work | outside_electrical_regulation |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-WA-19-28-041S-WA-LNI-ELEC-CONTRACTORS-WA-WAC-296-46B-920
10 Rule: WA-MINOR-500
RCW 18.27.090(9): work 'of a casual, minor, or inconsequential nature' aggregating LESS THAN $500 per project needs no registration — unless (a) it is part of a larger or major operation, (b) contracts are divided below $500 to evade the chapter, or (c) the person advertises or puts out any sign/card indicating they are a contractor. This is the pure statutory band; the $2,000 handyman SPECIALTY is a separate registration (rule WA-HANDYMAN-2K). Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| exempt-below-500 | registration_not_required_under_500 |
|
| at-or-above-500 | registration_required_above_500 |
|
| evasion-or-advertising | minor_work_exemption_unavailable |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-WA-18-27-090
11 Rule: WA-OWN-PROPERTY
RCW 18.27.090(11)-(13): no registration for a person working on his or her own property (occupied or not) and personal residence; for owner maintenance/repair/alteration on own properties or by own employees; and for an owner who contracts for a project with a registered contractor. The exemptions do NOT apply when the property is being sold, demolished, or leased, nor for leasing/selling improved property owned less than 12 months (also .090(11), anti-flip .010(1)(c)). The trap: an owner employing MORE THAN ONE TRADE on a single job/permit IS a contractor (.010(1)(a)). Missing facts yield NOT_DETERMINED.
| Outcome | Conclusion | Caveats |
|---|---|---|
| owner-exemption-holds | owner_exemption_applies |
|
| selling-demoing-leasing | owner_exemption_unavailable |
|
| multi-trade-owner-is-contractor | owner_is_contractor_under_101_1a |
|
Rule confidence: confirmed. Missing inputs produce NOT_DETERMINED — never a forced answer. Sources: S-WA-18-27-090S-WA-18-27-010
12 The three-band answer — $500, $2,000 and a full registration
Washington prices small work with real statutory bands — unlike Colorado, which has none. What decides a minor job is which band the facts fall into, each with its own authority — never combined into a generic "small job" rule:
| Band | Applies to minor work? | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Aggregate under $500, casual or minor | exempt — UNLESS part of a larger operation, split to evade the threshold, or the person holds out as a contractor (rule WA-MINOR-500) | RCW 18.27.090(9) |
| Under $2,000 residential maintenance/repair, no permit work | the limited handyman specialty REGISTRATION: individual, no employees, personally performed, time-and-materials, NO permit-required work (rule WA-HANDYMAN-2K) | WAC 296-200A-016(26) |
| Everything above those bands | the full ch. 18.27 registration — general or the applicable specialty (rule WA-REG-REQUIRED) | RCW 18.27.020 |
| Your own property | owner/own-property exemption, except selling, demolishing or leasing; owner maintenance/repairs and own employees exempt; an owner employing more than one trade on one job or permit IS a contractor (rule WA-OWN-PROPERTY) | RCW 18.27.090(11)–(13) |
| Plumbing or electrical components | the separate trade licences apply (ch. 18.106 / ch. 19.28) — the bands do not license a trade (rules WA-PLUMB-CONTRACTOR / WA-ELEC-CONTRACTOR) | RCW 18.106.020 / 19.28.041 |
RCW 18.27.114 requires the NOTICE TO CUSTOMER on residential ≤4-unit jobs of $1,000 or more (commercial $1,000–$60,000); the notice is a prerequisite to a lien. (Rule WA-DISCLOSURE-1K.) S-WA-18-27-114
The bands are kept apart: a $500 exemption is not a licence, the handyman specialty is a limited credential with a no-permit condition, and no band ever licenses plumbing or electrical work. Seattle's overlay is LOCAL, not statewide. S-WA-SEATTLE-PERMIT
13 Permit and verification layer
Washington separates the credential from the permit: the STATE decides who may work (the ch. 18.27 registration and the two trade licences), while the city or county issues the permit. RCW 18.27.110 makes the permit issuer verify the registration before issuing, print the number and give the homeowner-risk notice, and forfeits the permit if the exemption was falsified; ch. 18.106.440 is the plumbing twin. S-WA-18-27-110
A permit is per JOB, a credential is per WHO, and RCW 18.27.130 bars a local contractor licence (with carve-outs for a general business licence and non-registrable contractors) — but the city still sets its permit rules and general business licence. S-WA-19-28-101
Verify the credential that actually applies on the official lookup before relying on any outcome here: L&I Contractor Lookup (covers the ch. 18.27 registration; electrical and plumbing credentials have their own L&I verification paths). S-WA-LNI-VERIFY
Source S-WA-SEATTLE-PERMIT — City of Seattle — Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI)
Seattle SDCI — Do You Need a Permit? ($6,000/6-month minor-work threshold, exemptions) — Seattle Do-You-Need-a-Permit / Re-Roof / Electrical / Mechanical pages verbatim (read 2026-10-04)
https://www.seattle.gov/construction-and-inspections/permits/do-you-need-a-permit
Retrieved 2026-10-04 · last verified 2026-10-04
LOCAL EXAMPLE — read 2026-10-04 (HTTP 200). Verbatim: 'Minor repairs or alterations. You don't need a permit for minor repairs or alterations that cost $6,000 or less in any 6-month period. The $6,000 limit is based on fair market value of labor and parts, even if you do the work yourself.' 'You need a permit for any work on load-bearing supports, changes to the building envelope, and work that reduces egress, light, ventilation, or fire resistance no matter how small the project.' Usually no permit: painting/cleaning, re-pointing a chimney, installing kitchen cabinets, paneling/surface finishes over existing systems, insulating existing buildings, hazardous-material abatement, limited in-kind repair; on-grade patios/slabs; sheds <120 sq ft; retaining walls ≤4 ft; fences <8 ft; platforms/walks/driveways <18 in. above grade; dish/panel antennas ≤6.56 ft. 'Even if you don't need a permit, your project must meet all code requirements.' Seattle Residential Code R105.2 / Building Code 106.2 referenced (research §M.1/§N.2).