WAITSBURG—House Bill 2005 was introduced in 2017 to improve the business climate in Washington State by simplifying the administration of municipal business licenses. The bill went into effect in July 2017. The Waitsburg City Council officially voted to align with the state’s business license system in November of last year.

The bill stated that cities that require a general business license must partner with the Department of Revenue for issuance and renewal of any business license through the business licensing service. City Administrator Randy Hinchliffe said that the City of Waitsburg would go live on the DOR website in June of this year.

In years past, business owners could access a Commercial Business License Packet on the city’s website or at City Hall. Now, Waitsburg business owners will submit applications and make payments on the Department of Revenue Washington State (www.dor.wa.gov) website. The application that was on the city’s website is no longer usable.

The DOR website has a Business Licensing Wizard, which lets owners select a category that best fits the business type and provides a list of agencies to contact for further information or help, information about any additional endorsements, and helpful tips about the business.

According to the DOR website, online applications typically take 10 days to process, but it may take up to three weeks for a business to receive a license due to approval time. Applications submitted by mail can take up to six weeks to process. The fee for a business license in Waitsburg is $50, with a $20 annual renewal fee. Solicitation permits are still obtained through City Hall in Waitsburg.

For business license applications, visit http://www.dor.wa.gov.