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GUIDE FOR CONTRACTORS

How to keep track of your contractor license and insurance expiration dates

Your license can show "inactive" even when you did nothing wrong on the job. Most of the time it comes down to a date nobody was watching or paperwork that never reached the state.

Updated October 28, 2026 · By DH1 Tech, built by a working general contractor in Washington

Why it happens

In Washington, L&I suspends a contractor's registration when a requirement stops being met, like a bond or insurance policy that cancels or expires. You don't always find out first. Sometimes a client does, when they look you up.

It happened to us. A client told our founder his license was showing inactive. He had the insurance. The liability insurance paperwork just hadn't made it to L&I. One phone call and a trip with the paperwork fixed it, but it could have cost a job.

What to track

• Contractor registration renewal date
• Surety bond (in Washington, $30,000 for general contractors and $15,000 for specialty contractors)
• General liability insurance, with L&I listed as a certificate holder
• Vehicle insurance
• Business license
• Your subs' licenses, insurance and bonds, if you hire subs

Requirements change. Check the current rules on L&I's contractor registration page, or your own state's licensing agency.

A simple system that works

1. Put every date in one placeOne list with the document, the expiration date and who you call to renew it.
2. Set reminders well aheadStart about three months out. Renewals and new certificates can take weeks.
3. Confirm the state got itRenewing with your insurer isn't the last step. Make sure the new certificate reached the licensing agency.
4. Look yourself upAfter a renewal, check your license status the way a client would.
5. Do the same for your subsAn expired sub can become your problem on the job.

If your license shows inactive

Don't panic. In Washington, L&I says it sends notice by certified mail when it suspends a registration. To reinstate, you provide proof the problem is fixed, like a new bond or insurance certificate, and pay the reinstatement fee. Call L&I and your insurance agent the same day.