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Port Angeles to move general business licensing to Washington DOR’s BLS on June 17; exemptions clarified
Summary
Council received a brief update that the city’s general business license program will transition to the Washington State Department of Revenue’s Business Licensing Service on June 17; staff outlined exemptions, fee structure, and implementation phases.
City staff told council Tuesday that Port Angeles will transition its general business licensing program to the Washington State Department of Revenue’s Business Licensing Service (BLS) on June 17, 2025, standardizing endorsements and moving most customer service and renewals to the state portal.
Why it matters: The change centralizes licensing operations and customer service, shifts most application and renewal processing to the state, and is expected to produce administrative savings and better data reporting. It also established a funding plan for two phases of local investments if revenue targets are met.
What staff said: Calvin Goings and city staff reviewed the program’s history and closed the loop on council directives from the Madrona code‑re‑envisioning process. The BLS approach issues a city endorsement attached to the state business license (UBI). Customers applying after June 17 must request both the Washington state business license and the Port Angeles endorsement; businesses with existing state licenses add the city endorsement at renewal. Exemptions include certain small casual sales and 501(c)(3) nonprofits; short‑term lodging licensing remains governed by existing Port Angeles municipal code requirements.
Phases and uses of revenue: Council previously earmarked revenue for two phases. Staff said Phase 1 funding — to support a downtown resource officer and converting two half‑time code personnel into one full‑time code enforcement officer — has already been implemented. Phase 2 investments (additional part‑time positions for public records assistance, a business district/ neighborhood advocate, and a homelessness navigator) were conditioned on demonstrated revenue and will be considered after staff reports availability.
Customer details and data protections: Staff said fees are tiered by gross revenue, with a $25,000 gross‑revenue threshold for fee exemption and that nonprofit exemptions are available. Business data will be held by the Department of Revenue; only designated city staff with confidentiality agreements will access the state portal for enforcement or records purposes.
Ending: The city will not require prorated fees this year; businesses that renewed before June 17 will not need to reapply until their renewal date. Council took no additional vote Tuesday; staff will proceed with the transition and monitor revenue to determine whether to recommend Phase 2 investments later in the year.
