Business License FAQ

All entities required to register with the State of Washington and engaged in business activities within Sammamish city limits must have a Sammamish business license. This includes those physically located in commercial or in-home locations inside the city limits. It also includes those coming inside the city limits to perform work.

The city is partnering with Washington State’s Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service (BLS).

Sammamish was the third city to join BLS. The service is a coordination of efforts with other municipalities and the State of Washington. It makes the business license process as easy, efficient and streamlined as possible.

The idea behind BLS is a one-stop license application and renewal process. For example, a Washington State business doing business in both Bellevue and Sammamish would need to apply once. They would fill out only one application, write one check, and receive one license from BLS the included endorsements for both Sammamish and Bellevue.

The following entities and/or situations are exempt:

• Governmental organizations;
• Farmers selling their own farm products;
• Casual or isolated sales providing they take place no more than four times a year;
• Delivery of goods by vehicle to a location in Sammamish when the actual sale took place outside the city;
• Taxi, limousine, airporter shuttle or similar service where the business operates from premises outside the city;
• Sales of goods or services by mail, telephone, or internet where the seller operates from premises located outside the city and the only event occurring within the city is the receipt of the goods or services; and
• Provision of internet or wireless phone services where the provider operates from premises located outside the city and the only event occurring within the city is the receipt of the services.

It will be mailed approximately two to three weeks after completing the application process. That happens when the state's Business Licensing Services receives your complete license application and all related fees.

Some licenses require a lengthier approval process. If your application included any of these, you may receive an interim Business License with only some licenses listed on it. Following approval of the remaining licenses, you would then receive another license showing those.