The Home Improvement Doctor

Registration as a general contractor in Washington requires a $30,000 surety bond on file with the Department of Labor & Industries.

The bond is a limited fund a homeowner (or subcontractor or supplier) can make a claim against, through the courts, if a registered contractor fails to meet its obligations on a job. Contractors must also keep general liability insurance on file — at least $50,000 in property damage and $200,000 in public liability coverage, or a $250,000 combined single limit — which covers damage the contractor causes, not workmanship disputes. The rows above are the bond and insurance filings L&I publishes for this registration; whether a specific filing applies to a specific project depends on its dates and terms.

A general contractor in Washington is registered with the Department of Labor & Industries to perform or oversee work in multiple building trades. General contractors can take on whole projects — remodels, additions, new construction — and can hire specialty subcontractors for individual trades. A $30,000 surety bond and general liability insurance, filed with WA L&I, are required for this registration.