How do you check an electrical contractor license in Washington?

Key facts

• "However, L&I does not keep records of liability insurance for electrical contractors."

  Source: L&I, business requirements, read 2 November 2026.

• "If an electrical contracting business does other, non-electrical work, registration as a contractor may also be required."

  Source: L&I, business requirements, read 2 November 2026.

• "Your contractor is responsible to get the electrical permits and inspections for the work that they do."

  Source: L&I, homeowner guidance, read 2 November 2026.

how to check electrician license?

Start with L&I’s electrical lookup guidance, which L&I links from its homeowner electrical guidance. Read the status exactly as the record shows it. Keep the inquiry about the person doing the installation separate from the inquiry about the contracting business.

Source: L&I, homeowner guidance, read 2 November 2026.

For the person performing electrical work, the relevant starting point is the competency certificate. RCW section 19.28.161(1) reads: "No person may engage in the electrical construction trade without having a valid master journey level electrician certificate of competency, journey level electrician certificate of competency, master specialty electrician certificate of competency, or specialty electrician certificate of competency issued by the department in accordance with this chapter." This is a different question from whether the business can contract for the installation.

Source: RCW section 19.28.161(1), read 2 November 2026.

can a general contractor do electrical work in washington?

For the electrical contracting business, read the electrical requirement itself. RCW section 19.28.041(1) states: "It is unlawful for any person, firm, partnership, corporation, or other entity to advertise, offer to do work, submit a bid, engage in, conduct, or carry on the business of installing or maintaining wires or equipment to convey electric current, or installing or maintaining equipment to be operated by electric current as it pertains to the electrical industry, without having an unrevoked, unsuspended, and unexpired electrical contractor license, issued by the department in accordance with this chapter." The quoted provision addresses advertising, bids and carrying on that business. A general construction registration is a different record to investigate; this provision is the electrical-business rule to read alongside it.

Source: RCW section 19.28.041(1), read 2 November 2026.

The L&I business guidance distinguishes the broad electrical category from specialties: "General electrical (01) contractors are licensed to perform all types of electrical and telecommunications installations."

Source: L&I, business requirements, read 2 November 2026.

For the narrower categories, the same guidance says: "Specialty electrical contractors are licensed to perform work within a category described in WAC 296-46B-920(2)." Follow the linked rule from L&I’s page if the proposed installation falls within a specialty.

Source: L&I, business requirements, read 2 November 2026.

how to go after a contractor's bond in washington state?

Use the electrical-specific bond provisions rather than substituting the general construction bond rule. RCW section 19.28.041(3) states: "The application for an electrical contractor license shall be accompanied by a bond in the sum of four thousand dollars with the state of Washington named as obligee in the bond, with good and sufficient surety, to be approved by the department." This is the electrical contractor application bond described in that subsection.

Source: RCW section 19.28.041(3), read 2 November 2026.

The claim priorities, liability language and action deadline are in RCW section 19.28.071: "Claims or actions against the surety on the bond shall be paid in full in the following order of priority: (1) Labor, including employee benefits, (2) materials and equipment used upon such work, (3) taxes and contributions due to the state, (4) damages sustained by any person, firm or corporation due to the failure of the principal to make the installation in accordance with the provisions of chapter 19.28 RCW, or any ordinance, building code, or regulation applicable thereto: PROVIDED, That the total liability of the surety on any bond shall not exceed the sum of four thousand dollars and the surety on the bond shall not be liable for monetary penalties; and any action shall be brought within one year from the completion of the work in the performance of which the breach is alleged to have occurred." Read the complete section at its source before relying on the excerpt, including its opening action and venue language. The different claim priorities matter to anyone considering a bond action.

Source: RCW section 19.28.071, read 2 November 2026.

L&I’s homeowner guidance cautions: "Filing a lawsuit against an electrical contractor should be a last resort." The agency’s electrical hiring page links its step-by-step filing publication. Follow that publication for the procedure instead of treating a lookup search as a claim filing.

Source: L&I, homeowner guidance, read 2 November 2026.

does an electrician need a contractors license?

In Washington, the distinction is between performing the electrical work and contracting for it. L&I’s Questions and Answers about Electrical Safety says: "An electrician cannot perform the functions of a licensed electrical contractor unless he/she is a licensed electrical contractor." The certificate inquiry about a worker therefore does not replace the business inquiry when you are arranging the installation.

Source: L&I, safety questions, Qualifications, read 2 November 2026.

The current electrical contractor guidance adds: "All work performed must be done by properly certified electricians."

Source: L&I, business requirements, read 2 November 2026.

how to look up electrical contractor license?

Open L&I’s electrical lookup guidance from L&I’s homeowner guidance. The electrical business requirement in RCW section 19.28.041 and the worker certificate requirement in RCW section 19.28.161, quoted above, address the business and worker inquiries separately.

Source: L&I, homeowner guidance, read 2 November 2026.

For the separate final-judgment search, L&I’s Electrical Violators guidance gives these search options: "You can search by the individual's name, company or business name, electrician or business license number, or UBI number."

Source: L&I, search guidance, read 2 November 2026.

Complaints are a separate inquiry. L&I’s Electrical Violators page describes its public history search this way: "Look up electrical violations (final judgments) issued to contractors, administrators, master electricians, trainees and others who have not followed the electrical compliance laws during the last 6 years." That describes the agency’s final-judgment search coverage; it does not describe a result retrieved for any contractor on this page.

Source: L&I, compliance guidance, read 2 November 2026.

To report electrical compliance concerns, the same page instructs: "Complete a witness statement or investigation report" The agency reporting page links both forms. This reporting route concerns electrical compliance; it is separate from the bond-action provision quoted above.

Source: L&I, compliance guidance, read 2 November 2026.

How can InstaBids help with a written request?

One point about InstaBids follows. There is no cost to see a request or bid.

Sources for the facts on this page

• L&I, homeowner guidance, read 2 November 2026
• L&I, business requirements, read 2 November 2026
• Washington Legislature, RCW section 19.28.161, read 2 November 2026
• L&I, compliance guidance, read 2 November 2026
• Washington Legislature, RCW section 19.28.041, read 2 November 2026
• Washington Legislature, RCW section 19.28.071, read 2 November 2026
• L&I, safety questions, read 2 November 2026