Steps for Starting a Business

• Get your customized Business Licensing Guide. The guide will tell you what licenses your business needs and where to get them.
• File the Master Business Application to register your business with the State of Washington. You will receive a state business license and UBI number .
  
  Note: If you filed formation papers with the Office of the Secretary of State, write the Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number that was given to you on all of your business licensing applications.
  
  
• Apply for additional state specialty and professional licenses using the list of licenses.
• Contact each city and county where you plan to conduct business to get licenses and permits as required.
• Identify required federal, state and local environmental permits, licenses, certificates, and other approvals.
  • Visit the Office of Regulatory Assistance's (ORA) Environmental Permitting Resources page to get started identifying which permits you need and to understand the process.
  • Apply for your water-related environmental permits on the Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application (JARPA) at epermitting.wa.gov.
  • If you need assistance, contact the ORA Information Center.

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