@ccess Washington
access.wa.gov or www.state.wa.us

This is Washington's official state home page. It contains links to state, tribal and local government agencies and an index of the agencies, boards, commissions and departments that comprise Washington's state government. Offers employment and business-owner resources and links to online government services, including the Electronic Tax Filing Service of the Department of Revenue; a fraud reporting service that allows the public to report contractor or worker compensation fraud online; business license form; and electrical inspection request form.


Attorney General Opinions
www.atg.wa.gov/opinions/opinion_index.shtml

Provides Attorney General opinions since 1949, organized by year. Index provides date, topic, summary and link to full text.


Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals
www.biia.wa.gov/

Contains significant decisions; information about how to file an appeal; appeal forms; overview of the appeal process under the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act; list of consumer booklets that can be obtained at the board office.


Board of Licensing for Architects
www.dol.wa.gov/business/architects/

Lists board members, meeting schedules, agendas and minutes. Includes links to applicable chapters of the Revised Code of Washington and Washington Administrative Code. Visitors can look up architect's license status by name or license number and read licensing disciplinary action reports. Can view requirements for licensure; can download application and complaint forms; can view fee schedules, exam information, FAQs and board policies.


Board of Licensing for Landscape Architects
www.dol.wa.gov/business/landscapearchitects/

Provides licensure requirements; fee and testing schedule; application and complaint forms; statutes, rules and regulations; board member list; agendas; meeting schedules; licensing FAQs; and licensee query.


Board of Licensing for Engineers and Land Surveyors
www.dol.wa.gov/business/engineerslandsurveyors/

Can search database of registered engineers and land surveyors by last name or license number; lists all land surveyor licensees numerically. Includes list of upcoming board meetings, exam schedule, fee schedule, news journals and information about certificate programs. Provides information about on-site wastewater designer licensing and inspector certificate program; professional practice guidelines. Consumers can access complaint information and download complaint form. Includes links to applicable chapters of the Washington Administrative Code and Revised Code of Washington. Contains downloadable registration applications for engineers, land surveyors and engineers-in-training and an application for a retired registration certificate.


Building Code Council
www.sbcc.wa.gov

Can view full-text state building codes, order print copies and print amendment proposal forms. Contains statutory language, links to applicable chapters of the Revised Code of Washington, council policies and procedures, and code interpretations. Information about technical advisory groups includes workplans, member lists, meeting schedules and past meeting agendas and minutes.


Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development
www.cted.wa.gov

Economic Development Division lists financial and technical assistance programs; community financial assistance programs; downtown revitalization programs. Provides information about project development services and "Infrastructure Financing for Small Communities in Washington State." Local Government Division provides information about community development programs, including for capital facilities; overview of Public Works Board loan programs. Housing Division provides information about housing programs. Includes information on Lead-Based Paint Training and Certification; program requirements; application and notification forms; regulations. International Trade lists banking and financing institutions; accounting, freight forwarding, insurance, marketing and other service providers for international trade. Lists economic development councils; provides export statistics by country. Energy Policy Division provides data and publications.


Department of Ecology
www.ecy.wa.gov

Contains downloadable permit applications, permit information and Environmental Permit Handbook. Interactive Online Permit Assistance System determines which state and federal environmental permits are needed for a project and provides list of permits, contacts and other information. Includes water well construction and driller licensing information; well construction application forms; dam safety permit forms, engineering guidelines and technical notes; underground storage tank forms. Small Business Assistance Links include information on clean air regulations; links to rules, regulations and publications. Provides information about waste management and water quality grants; Coastal Zone Management Project Assistance Grant Program, used for shoreline master program planning. Provides enforcement summaries for 1991-1993, 1999-present; public records request forms and guidelines.


Department of Fish and Wildlife
wdfw.wa.gov

Licensing includes land use permit forms for hydraulic projects, vehicle use and other activities. Habitat contains information about habitat restoration funding and technical assistance; Joint Aquatic Resource Permits Application; wind power guidelines for wind power developers and other decision makers.


Department of General Administration
www.ga.wa.gov

Engineering and Architectural Services provides consultant selection guidelines, A/E questionnaire and list of current projects. Contractor resources include list of current bidding opportunities; bid opening results; recent contract awards; bidding calendar, with drawings and specifications; instructions to bidders; bid proposal form; Small Works Roster application and notification letter. Small Work Roster is a statewide listing of licensed contractors used for projects for less than $200,000. Contractors fill out an application to be placed on the roster. Whenever a state or government agency has a project to bid, a randomly selected list of contractors from the roster is given to the agency and those on the list are invited to bid. Vendor information includes current IFBs for goods and services, including heavy equipment and construction materials; state contracts database; vendor registration packet and information. Energy Services includes Energy and Resource Conservation and Energy Life Cycle Cost Analysis guidelines for building owners and designers; Energy Saving Performance Contracting guide; construction waste management forms, contractor guidelines and checklist. Reference Documents include A/E guidelines; pre-design manual; Competitive Contracting Manual; Capitol Campus Design and Construction Standards, pre-construction checklist; general and supplemental conditions; and prevailing wage database searchable by date, county or trade.


Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health
www.doh.wa.gov/ehp/

Provides information about chemical spills; environmental health assessment and health consultations; Water System Acquisition and Rehabilitation Program for local governments; Water Recreation Facilities laws that cover design and construction. Indoor Air Quality Program contains School Indoor Air Quality Best Management Practices Manual; Residential Indoor Air Quality Primer; asbestos and mold resources. Wastewater Management Program contains regulations; list of approved systems and products; Large On-Site Sewage Systems designer/installer qualification information, pre-design documents, review checklists, pressure distribution standards, guidance.


Department of Labor and Industries
www.lni.wa.gov

Prevailing Wage database can be searched by date, county and trade; contains forms, publications, intents, affidavits electronic filing system, debarred contractor list and rules. Employer resources include Employer's Guide to Industrial Insurance, Facts about Workers' Compensation Coverage for Construction Contractors, employment standards, required posters, information about minimum wage and self-insurance program. Claims and Insurance includes forms, online services, employer and worker guides. Apprenticeship provides program overview, forms, current program openings, list of current and past occupations with apprentices, program standards. Safety provides information about online safety courses, workshops, forms, publications, education posters. Safety and Health Assessment program lists publications, reports on occupational injuries and illnesses. Hazard Prevention program provides idea banks, hazard alerts, overview of health and workplace diseases, chemical safety information. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides Workers' Compensation, safety and labor data. Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program contains construction industry fatality reports. Includes publications and forms by subject; ergonomics rules, interactive lifting calculator, evaluation checklists and workshop listings by industry; statutes, rules and regulations.


Department of Labor and Industries, Asbestos
www.lni.wa.gov/Safety/CertLice/Asbestos/default.asp

Provides information about asbestos training and certification; listings of abatement contractors and training course sponsors; statutes and regulations. Safety Forms contains asbestos notification form.


Department of Labor and Industries, Contractors
www.lni.wa.gov/TradesLicensing/Contractors/default.asp

Registered contractors database can be searched by business name, contractor name, principal owner's name, contractor registration number, Uniform Business Identifier number or by city. Includes information about complaints filed against a contractor in Superior Court. Visitors can report unregistered contractors online. Includes prevailing wage rates for public works contracts organized by county. Provides full-text Scope of Work Emergency Rules. Includes links to applicable chapters of the Revised Code of Washington and Washington Administrative Code; fee schedule; contractor forms and publications, including contractor registration packet; training information; and contractor compliance activity report.


Department of Labor and Industries, Electrical
www.lni.wa.gov/TradesLicensing/Electrical/default.asp

Registered contractors database can be searched by business name, contractor name, principal owner's name, contractor registration number, Uniform Business Identifier number or city; includes information about complaints filed against a contractor in Superior Court. Visitors can report unregistered contractors online. Registered contractors can request electrical inspections and purchase electrical permits online. Includes electrical inspection policies. Links to applicable chapters of the Washington Administrative Code and Revised Code of Washington. Lists accredited testing laboratories; city electrical inspectors and amusement ride mechanical inspectors; and inspection fee worksheet. Offers information about new electrical rules that require licensing and certification to install low-voltage HVAC/R control wiring. Contains downloadable publications, forms and instructions; current and archival newsletters; testing outlines. Lists continuing education classes; current year's exam dates.


Department of Labor and Industries, Plumber Certification Section
www.lni.wa.gov/scs/plumbing/

Registered contractors database can be searched by business name, contractor name, principal owner's name, contractor registration number, Uniform Business Identifier number or city; includes information about complaints filed against a contractor in Superior Court. Visitors can report unregistered contractors online. Includes links to applicable chapters of the Washington Administrative Code and Revised Code of Washington. Contains downloadable publications and forms; certification fees; exam dates and locations; training information.


Department of Labor and Industries, Trades and Licensing
www.lni.wa.gov/TradesLicensing/

Elevators provides contractor and mechanic licensing requirements and application forms; inspector directory; permit fee schedule; permit, inspection and safety forms; building owner forms. Boiler provides boiler and pressure vessel permit and inspection information, fee schedule, inspector directory, inspector training, education materials; Board of Boiler rules; inspection and other boiler forms; special notices. Factory-Built Structures provides plan review information, fees, forms, publications.


Department of Licensing
www.dol.wa.gov

Drivers provides license office locations, hours of operation and contact numbers; information on driver's license issuance, renewal, fees; information on commercial driver's license requirements and permits. Visitors can take practice driver test or commercial driver test online; download Driver's Guide and Commercial Driver's Guide. Vehicle License Section includes information on title and registration; office locations, hours, contact numbers; applicable taxes; license plates; emissions testing; report of sale form. Can renew registration online. Businesses includes online business license checklist and application; company renewal and annual report filing; business start-up requirements. Contains Operating a Business in Washington Business Resource Guide. Provides Personalized Business Licensing Packet; fee sheet; Unified Business Identifier (UBI) Program information; office locations and contact numbers; business workshops. Washington Licensing Information offers online licensing library of customized guides to federal, state, county and city licensing. Uniform Commercial Code provides statutes, rules, electronic filing and searching, users' guide, fees, forms, free name browsing function.


Department of Natural Resources
www.dnr.wa.gov

Provides information about permits for activities on state lands; resource protection permits. Public Land Survey Office provides survey standards checklist; survey forms; historical records. Engineering and General Services Division contains contract documents for public works projects. Forest Practices Division contains landslide hazard zone review; small landowner checklist; other documents; list of qualified experts for potentially unstable landforms. Small Forest Landowner Office provides documents for conservation easements, forest practices rules, forest access roads, consulting foresters list.


Department of Revenue
dor.wa.gov

Includes general tax information; tax information for business startups and established businesses; Business Tax Guide; construction industry and other industry-specific tax guides; electronic tax filing links; forms, instructions and publications; interactive map of local tax rates and codes; construction industry tax workshop schedule. State Business Records Database provides business license and tax reporting number, address, owner type and other data. Contains public list of delinquent taxpayers. Provides links to applicable chapters of the Washington Administrative Code and the Revised Code of Washington.


Department of Transportation
www.wsdot.wa.gov

Projects lists proposed, under study, in design, under construction and completed projects. Consultant Services include current and archived advertisements, rosters, electronic manuals and forms, links to regional publications that publish WSDOT advertisements, and consultant services regulations. Construction Office provides contractor prequalification information and code references; contractor bulletins; bid openings; planholder lists; project information; bid results, tabs and awards; advance project schedule; FastBid instructions; reports of completed, uncompleted, active projects and projects waiting closeout. Links to federal and state prevailing wage rates; workplace posters; industrial insurance rates. Includes sample contract, standard agreement and bond forms; online library of engineering technical manuals; legislative updates; standard specifications. Design-Build Program includes RFQs, project listings, guidebooks. Office of Equal Opportunity provides certification information and documents. Bridge and Structures Office provides software, standard drawings, training schedule and environmental compliance resources for bridge-related activities. Design Office provides policies and standards; hydraulics manual; downloadable design programs; information about Estimate and Bid Analysis System; unit bid analysis and standard item table; Plans Preparation Manual; Agreements Manual; design review and plan review checklists and resources. Design Standards Graphics Office contains published and new standard plans, plan sheets and cell libraries. Materials Laboratory includes information about construction and pavement materials, geotechnical services, new products evaluation program; Materials Manual. Environmental Affairs Office contains Environmental Procedures Manual; Highways Runoff Manual; erosion control designers' course; construction site erosion and sediment control certification course. Value Engineering describes program, provides resources. Motor Carrier Services includes oversize permitting forms and load requirements.


Economic Development Finance Authority
www.wedfa.wa.gov

Provides overview of financing programs, applications and project portfolio.


Employment Security Department
fortress.wa.gov/esd/portal/

Job seekers can file claims for unemployment benefits, post resumes, search for job openings, get resume help and view current wage rates. Employers can file and pay unemployment taxes; search for workers; post job openings; view labor market statistics and trends. Provides occupational search engine and guides; career planning tools; links to training and apprenticeship resources.


Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council
www.efsec.wa.gov

Coordinates evaluation and licensing for siting of major energy facilities. If a project is approved, EFSEC specifies the conditions of construction and operation; issues permits in lieu of other state or local agencies; manages environmental and safety oversight program of facility, site operations. Provides overview of certification process; statutes and rules; lists facilities under review and permitted.


Environmental Hearings Office
www.eho.wa.gov

Pollution Control Hearings Board hears appeals from orders and decisions made by the Department of Ecology. Shorelines Hearings Board hears appeals from substantial development, conditional use and variance permit decisions by local governments. Hydraulic Appeals Board hears appeals on hydraulic approvals issued by the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Contains current and archival (1998-) decisions searchable by year and keyword. Case Management System Data Search allows searching for case information by board, appeal type, case information and date(s).


Find It! Washington
find-it.wa.gov

A product of Washington State's Government Information Locator Service, this is an online resource for finding government information. Contains database of government publications and database of state and local government documents, links and resources organized by subject.


Health Care Facilities Authority
www.whcfa.wa.gov

Provides information about loan programs and loan applications; lists loans in process and recently processed; gives authority meeting schedule and agendas; links to current interest rates.


Higher Education Facilities Authority
www.whefa.org

Provides tax-exempt financing to non-profit, independent colleges and universities for building and improving facilities. Provides program guides, rules, summaries of recent financings; lists underwriters.


Housing Finance Commission
www.wshfc.org

Contains program information, eligibility guidelines, loan terms and applications for Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, tax-exempt bonds, and Capital Projects Bonds financing programs.


Infrastructure Database
www.infrafunding.wa.gov

Online resource for locating infrastructure funding or technical assistance in the state. Database organized by type of assistance, industry and eligibility category. Lists current infrastructure opportunities, with program details, dates and contact numbers.


Insurance Commissioner
www.insurance.wa.gov

Contains consumer guides to insurance; online consumer complaint forms; insurance information for small businesses; publications; list of authorized insurance carriers; resources for insurance agents and companies; earthquake and flood insurance information; statutes and rules.


Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation
www.oahp.wa.gov

Contains environmental review documents; Section 106 compliance forms; survey and inventory guidelines; listings of historic architects, professional archaeological consultants and National Register/historic preservation consultants; article on planning and managing historic preservation projects; information about Historic Investment Tax Credits.


Office of Financial Management
www.ofm.wa.gov

Contains guide to personal service (consulting) contracts and guide to client service contracting. News and Reports contains Predesign Manual for Capital Projects, 2003-2013 Capital Plan instructions and Architect/Engineer fee guidelines. Economy contains economic trends; labor force, income, trade and economic development statistics. Research and Data includes population and economic data.


Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises
www.omwbe.wa.gov

Business resources include certification information; application; bid notifications; database of certified firms searchable by vendor name, SIC or NAICS codes; eligibility criteria; business briefs; and listings of events, training and workshops.


Office of the Governor
www.governor.wa.gov

Provides contact information and e-mail form. Includes links to governor's actions on current year's bills, budget and policy proposals; cabinet and staff; judicial appointments; executive orders; speeches; and public schedule.


Office of the Secretary of State
www.secstate.wa.gov

Provides information about registration and renewal requirements for corporations, limited partnerships and other entities; registration forms and fee schedule. Provides link to the state Unified Business Identifier (Uniform Business Identifier) program that allows businesses to fulfill many licensing and registration requirements by completing one master application and making a single payment. Can look up registration information on corporations and other business entities that register with the office by name or UBI number. Can renew corporation license and file annual report online.


Office of the State Fire Marshal
www.wsp.wa.gov/fire/firemars.htm

Fire Sprinkler Inspection Program provides sprinkler inspection forms. Licensing Section lists licensed sprinkler contractors and certificate of competency holders. Provides links to licensing information; statutes; fee schedule; contractor application, licensing, bond and complaint forms. Fire Protection Policy Board contains information about fire and life safety inspections, plan review. Contains Emergency Procedures for Multi Residential Buildings and forms.


Oregon and Southwest Washington Fair Contracting Foundation
www.fcffair.com

Non-profit organization provides prevailing wage assistance to workers and contractors and promotes compliance with prevailing wage laws. Provides prevailing wage information geared toward contractors, workers and government agencies; links to wage-related state and federal laws.


Pollution Liability Insurance Agency
www.plia.wa.gov

Offers pollution liability insurance to owners and operators of regulated petroleum underground storage tanks, heating oil tanks. Provides information about commercial UST reinsurance program.


Public Works Board
www.pwb.wa.gov

Provides information, contact numbers and downloadable applications for Public Works Trust Fund construction loans, pre-construction loans, emergency loans, public works planning loans and state drinking water revolving loans. Includes list of current year's construction loans to be approved and lists of previous year's pre-construction loans and state drinking water revolving loans. Contains downloadable scope of work forms, quarterly report forms and pre-award compliance form; online loan reports. Lists board members and meeting schedule.


State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
www.sbctc.ctc.edu

Provides information about workforce development, WorkFirst program, apprenticeship; lists labor liaisons. Can download directory of community and technical colleges.


Transportation Improvement Board
www.tib.wa.gov

The board invests state gas tax funds in local communities through grant programs serving cities, urban counties and transportation benefit districts. Lists funding programs, provides program applications, forms, guidelines and policies. Provides database of projects; lists project awards.


Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board
www.wtb.wa.gov

Eligible Training Provider List can be searched by region, provider or program to find training programs in architectural design, drafting, CAD, building/construction, building maintenance, carpentry, civil drafting/engineering, civil engineering technology, construction equipment operation, construction inspection, construction technology, drywall, electrical trades, engineering, HVAC, masonry, occupational safety and health, painting, plastering, plumbing, project management, sheet metal, welding, woodworking and other trades.