Does Seattle issue its own general contractor license?
Answered by AskBaily Editorial · Updated
Short answer
No. Washington L&I registers general contractors statewide under RCW 18.27 — there is no separate city-level GC license in Seattle. What Seattle adds is an SDCI permit process, a Master Use Permit track, the Seattle Energy Code (stricter than state), Shoreline Management overlays, Landmarks Preservation review, Critical Areas, and Tree Protection. Always verify the L&I record directly at secure.lni.wa.gov.
In detail
No. Washington L&I registers general contractors statewide under RCW 18.27 — there is no separate city-level GC license in Seattle. What Seattle adds is an SDCI permit process, a Master Use Permit track, the Seattle Energy Code (stricter than state), Shoreline Management overlays, Landmarks Preservation review, Critical Areas, and Tree Protection. Always verify the L&I record directly at secure.lni.wa.gov.
This answer is part of AskBaily's seattle regulatory knowledge base. For deeper context — including current code-section references, agency contact details, and recent policy changes — see the [seattle city hub](/seattle) or [the /ask hub](/ask) for related questions.
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