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New Sales Tax Law
Effective Oct. 1, some business services are now subject to retail sales tax, as required by state law, ESSB 5814. When you buy these services, vendors should add sales tax to your bill. If you sell these services, you should begin collecting retail sales tax. Learn more about services newly subject to retail sales tax
Expanded Voluntary Disclosure Program
Businesses with unreported investment income subject to B&O tax may qualify for penalty and interest relief under a temporary Voluntary Disclosure Program.
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Office of Minority & Women's Business Enterprises
omwbe.wa.gov
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Virtual Small Business Lending Series - Session #5
Join us Today for a Small Business Listening Session
This series is an on-going effort to address access to capital for small businesses. Provide feedback to the state and help guide access to capital efforts for 2026.
Why should you attend?
- Share your experiences and recommendations for improving access to capital for Washington businesses.
- If you have attended any of the previous sessions, please provide us with feedback to improve the experience.
- Collaborate with us to identify actionable areas the state can work on for access to capital for 2026.
When:
- Thursday, November 13, 2025 | 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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State Contracting Opportunities & Open House
Join us for a conversation on state contracting practices and opportunities!
State Contracting Opportunities & Open House is a free, monthly training for small, diverse, and veteran-owned businesses. Learn how to start or grow your state contracting efforts, including:
- Introduction to state contracting.
- How to find upcoming state contracting opportunities.
- Where to get technical assistance.
- Where to find additional training.
Next Session:
Receiving Payments From The State
Statewide Vendor / Payee Services
The Office of Financial Management (OFM) registers vendors to receive payments from the agencies they contract with. Vendors can choose:
- Direct deposit (electronic funds transfer, EFT), or
- Payment by check.
For details on how to register, lookup statewide vendor numbers, access the accounts payable contact list, and other helpful resources, click the button below.
If you’d rather speak with someone, call the statewide registration line at 360-407-8180.
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Delinquency Fees on Annual Reports
Annual report delinquency fees waived until November 25, 2025
Due to recent technical issues and the worldwide Azure outage, our online filing system experienced unexpected downtime. We understand that many businesses attempted to file their annual report during this period and may have been unable to do so.
To ensure that business entities are not adversely affected by these disruptions, our office will not assess delinquency fees until November 25, 2025.
Please note: A delinquency notice was issued on Saturday, November 1, to business entities that have not yet filed their annual report, or for reports that may have been received by our office but are still pending processing.
Future Effective Dates
Do you need documents filed before January 1, 2026? Don’t wait until the last day!
- Take advantage of filing early with a future effective date.
- The future effective date can be up to 90 days in the future from the date the documents are received by our office.
Expect higher volumes as the Corporations & Charities Division approaches its busy season due to the holidays, winter, and end-of-year deadlines. This will help ensure your business documents are filed and become effective when you need them. File online using CCFS.
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Paid Family and Medical Leave Premium Rates Change Jan. 1, 2026
Premiums, collected from employees and employers through quarterly reporting, fund the Paid Leave program. By law, we recalculate the Paid Leave premium rate annually in October. We adjust the premium rate based on premiums contributed and benefits paid during the previous year.
Paid Leave premium rate increases to 1.13% of each employee’s gross wages
Employers will pay 28.57% of the total premium and employees will pay 71.43%. For comparison, the current (2025) premium rate is 0.92% with employers paying 28.48% of the total premium and employees paying 71.52%.
Quickly Find ESD Contact Information for Employers
Any time you need to respond to a notice from Employment Security, please be sure to use the phone number on that notice to reach the right team. If you do not contact the right team, we are not able to forward your call. Instead, we will give you the correct number to call.
If you have other questions related to unemployment taxes or benefits, about Paid Leave or WA Cares reporting, SharedWork and more, reach out!
SharedWork - An Option for Employers Facing Economic Setback
The SharedWork program can help employers prevent layoffs with the flexibility to retain employees at reduced hours during economic downturns. If you are not aware of this option, we encourage you to learn more on the Employment Security website about SharedWork.
Program Benefits:
- Employers keep their workforce intact during an economic setback.
- Employees keep their job and get a prorated percentage of unemployment benefits.
- Open to most businesses and industries.
- Improves employee morale.
- Applying is easy! It takes only about 10 minutes.
Go to our website to register for a free monthly webinar about the program.
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It’s Open Enrollment!
Help your employees stay healthy! Connect them to the health insurance they need.
Open enrollment is Nov. 1– Jan.15 for Washingtonians to sign up for health and dental insurance on Washington Healthplanfinder for the 2026 plan year. Shop, compare and select a plan that fits your budget and health care needs.
Through Washington Healthplanfinder, eligible customers can access federal tax credits and Cascade Care Savings, a state subsidy, to lower their monthly cost of insurance. Visit wahealthplanfinder.org to learn more about available savings and find the right plan for you!
Need help? Trusted resources in your community are available to help explain coverage options, financial assistance and enroll in coverage for no additional cost!
Small Business owners don’t forget to share this information with your employees and ensure they have the coverage they need for 2026!
Questions on how you can support your employees sign up for health coverage? Contact [email protected].
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Small Business Resources & Requirements
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The Small Business Liaison Team (SBLT) is a partnership of 29 state agencies working to improve access to regulatory information, education, and agency resources for business communities across the state of Washington.
The Small Business Requirements & Resources (SBRR) free workshops provide vital information on regulatory requirements, state permits, business structures, employee hiring and retention, and available resources to help businesses grow and thrive.
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New Tool Drop: Find the Right Funding for Your Business
Big news! We’ve just updated and relaunched our Loans & Grants Finder — your one-stop tool to explore funding opportunities from state, local, and federal programs across Washington.
Whether you’re starting out, expanding, or investing in growth, this new resource helps you easily discover loans, grants, and startup support programs tailored to your business needs.
Use it to:
- Find grants for equipment, recovery, or growth.
- Explore loan programs with better terms than commercial credit.
- See what’s available in your area.
- Spot programs for women-, minority-, and immigrant-owned businesses.
💡 Try The New Funding Tool
New on Business.wa.gov: How to Sell to State Agencies
We’re excited to announce a new resource developed in partnership with the Department of Enterprise Services (DES), The 5-Step Guide: How to Sell to State Agencies.
Every year, Washington spends over $2.1 billion on goods and services and many of those contracts go to small businesses. This new, easy-to-use guide helps you explore how your business can take part.
Whether you’re just curious about contracting or ready to compete for bids, this tool breaks it down with short videos, quick links, and practical tips to help you navigate the process.
In the guide, you’ll find how to:
- See if the state buys what you sell.
- Register and market your business effectively.
- Discover upcoming contract opportunities and winning proposals.
- Connect with free experts and support programs.
👉 Explore The New Guide Here
The Small Business Guide
The Small Business Guide is broken into six sections, based on your stage of business. Whether you’re launching a new business, managing an existing one, or looking to expand, you’ll discover valuable information and resources here. The guide offers essential details, links to important resources, and a clear outline of the steps needed to start and run a business in Washington State.
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The Small Business Guide is now available in the following languages:
English, Spanish, Russian, Korean, Vietnamese, Samoan, Somali, and Tagalog, Ukrainian, NEW Farsi, and two volumes in Braille Ready Format Braille - Volume 1 and Braille - Volume 2.
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World Cup Ready: Game On, Washington!
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Your Statewide FIFA Watch Party Guide
The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce is the Seattle local organizing committee’s small business liaison. Join us for “Game On, Washington!” - a dynamic webinar unveiling the statewide playbook for hosting unforgettable FIFA World Cup watch parties.
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