Washington Contractor's License Bond
Overview
Washington's electrical and telecommunications contractor licenses run through the Department of Labor & Industries, and RCW 19.28.041 makes a $4,000 surety bond a condition of the license: the statute directs that an electrical contractor license application be accompanied by a bond of $4,000 running to the State of Washington, or an equivalent cash deposit or assigned savings in the same amount. The bond stays on file with L&I for as long as the license is active, and telecommunications contractors licensed under the same chapter meet the same financial-security requirement.
Who Needs This Bond?
Businesses applying for or renewing a Washington electrical contractor license — general electrical (01) or any specialty electrical classification — file this bond with L&I under RCW 19.28.041, and telecommunications contractors licensed under chapter 19.28 RCW carry the same security. Sole proprietors, partnerships, LLCs, and corporations all meet the identical requirement. Note that this is a different obligation from the general/specialty construction contractor registration bond under chapter 18.27 RCW — electrical and telecom work is governed by its own chapter and its own bond.
What is this Bond For?
The bond runs to the State of Washington and is conditioned on the contractor paying all taxes and penalties incurred under state law and otherwise complying with chapter 19.28 RCW in the conduct of electrical or telecommunications work. If the licensed contractor fails those obligations and the failure causes a covered loss, recovery comes from the bond up to its $4,000 penal sum. It is a compliance guarantee to the state — not liability insurance for the contractor's work product, and not a substitute for the insurance the statute separately requires.
When is it Required?
RCW 19.28.041 requires the bond at the application stage: the license application must be accompanied by the bond (or the cash/assigned-account alternative) before L&I issues the license. The security must then remain continuously in force — a cancelled or lapsed bond leaves the license out of compliance until replacement security is filed. Renewals are checked the same way, so line up your new bond term before your current one expires rather than after L&I flags the gap.
Where Does it Apply?
This is a statewide requirement enforced by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Once bonded and licensed, the contractor can perform electrical or telecommunications contracting anywhere in Washington — the authority comes from chapter 19.28 RCW, not from any city or county rule. Local jurisdictions still control permits and inspections for individual jobs, but they do not impose or replace this license bond.
How to Buy Online
Hit 'Buy This Bond Online' to open the secure surety portal in a new tab, complete the brief application, and pay in the same session. The executed bond comes back ready to file with your L&I electrical or telecommunications contractor application or renewal.
Why Bond Titan?
Every requirement described on this page is cited to the Revised Code of Washington in the Official Sources section below, so you can read the statute yourself before you buy. Bond Titan is powered by The Southern Agency, a licensed surety agency, and the fully online flow gets your executed bond back fast enough to keep your L&I filing on schedule.
Official Sources
The requirements described on this page are verified against the official sources below.
- $4,000 bond (or equivalent cash deposit/assigned account) required with the electrical contractor license application; bond runs to the State of Washington; conditions of the bond: RCW 19.28.041 (verified July 16, 2026)
- Separate registration bond scheme for general/specialty construction contractors (distinct from the chapter 19.28 electrical/telecom bond): RCW 18.27.040 (verified July 16, 2026)