How to File a Business License via FileLocal
FileLocal (filelocal-wa.gov) is the unified online filing portal for most WA cities' business licenses and B&O tax returns — Seattle, Tacoma, Bellevue, Bellingham, and dozens of others. If a client has a city business-license obligation in any of these jurisdictions, FileLocal is usually how we file it.
Source of truth: filelocal-wa.gov (opens in a new tab). Some smaller WA cities still file paper or have their own portal — check before assuming FileLocal works.
When to file
- New business with operations or revenue in a FileLocal city — typically required within 30 days of starting operations
- Existing business expanding into a new FileLocal city
- Annual license renewal (most cities require renewal each calendar year)
- City B&O return filing — quarterly or annual depending on revenue
Prerequisites
Before starting:
- UBI — assigned by WA SOS / DOR
- EIN — federal tax ID
- WA State Business License — from DOR BLS (required first; FileLocal pulls from this)
- Business activity description — what they actually do in this city
- Physical address in the city — if no physical location, the rule depends on the city's nexus threshold (Seattle uses gross receipts attributable to the city)
- Estimated annual gross receipts attributable to that city
- Owner / officer info
- Bank account info for tax payments
- Email + phone for the licensee record
Seattle has its own quirk. If you already added the Seattle General Business License endorsement during the DOR BLS filing, you do NOT need a separate FileLocal application for the license itself — only for filing the B&O returns going forward. Check the BLS confirmation before duplicating.
Filing procedure
Log in to FileLocal
FileLocal account: stored in 1Password under "FileLocal — Launch Industries — RA Operator." If the client wants direct access too, walk them through creating their own FileLocal account and then add Launch as a "tax preparer" or authorized filer on their account.
Confirm the city
FileLocal's first screen asks for the city. Common Launch-supported cities:
- Seattle — most common. Tiered license fee ($110 for under $20K gross; goes up from there).
- Tacoma — flat fee + B&O return.
- Bellevue — flat fee + B&O return.
Pick the city the client has nexus in. If they have nexus in more than one, file each separately (each city is its own application + license).
Apply for the new license
- New business → "Apply for new license"
- Already have a license → "File a return" (skip to step 7)
Form sections:
- Business info — legal name, UBI, EIN, NAICS, business structure (pre-filled if WA State Business License exists)
- Owner info — same data DOR collected
- Activity details — city-specific list of taxable activities; pick the matching ones
- Physical / mailing address — physical in city if applicable; mailing can be PO Box
- Estimated gross receipts attributable to this city
- Start date for activity in the city
Pay the license fee
Seattle's tiered fee schedule (2026):
| Annual Gross | License Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 – $20,000 | $0 (still must register) |
| $20,001 – $500,000 | $110 |
| $500,001 – $2,000,000 | $480 |
| $2,000,001 – $5,000,000 | $1,000 |
| $5,000,001+ | tiered higher |
Other cities have their own schedules — read the fee table before paying.
Pay via ACH or credit card. We expense and pass through at cost.
Wait for approval
- Seattle: usually approved within 1 business day; license certificate available for download immediately.
- Other cities: 1 to 5 business days.
Capture the artifacts
After approval:
- Download the City Business License PDF — file under
Drive → Government → [Client Name]/Licenses/ - Note the city account number — different from UBI, used for B&O return filing
- Note the renewal date — usually December 31; renewal opens in late October/early November
- Note the B&O return filing frequency — based on gross receipts
- Email the client a copy of the city license
Filing returns going forward
Each filing cycle:
- Log in to FileLocal under our operator account
- Select the client's business → "File a Return"
- Enter gross receipts for the period (broken down by activity if applicable)
- FileLocal calculates the B&O tax due
- Apply any deductions or exemptions if applicable
- Pay (ACH preferred — credit card carries a small processing fee in some cities)
- Save the confirmation PDF to the client's Drive folder
- Note next due date on compliance calendar
Common gotchas
- Filing under wrong city — a client with Seattle nexus can accidentally get filed in Bellevue if you skip the city-selection step. Always confirm with the client which city/cities apply.
- Forgetting the renewal — Seattle's renewal is December 31; FileLocal sends an email reminder but it's missable. Put it on the compliance calendar.
- Mixing UBI vs city account number — FileLocal uses the city-issued account number for returns, not the UBI. Note both.
- Activity code mismatch — picking the wrong B&O activity can shift the tax rate. Seattle has separate rates for retail, service, wholesale, manufacturing, etc.
- "Out of city" gross receipts — Seattle B&O applies only to gross receipts attributable to Seattle. For mixed nexus clients, we need to allocate; FileLocal has the worksheet built in.
Filing frequencies for Seattle B&O
Based on gross income — Seattle assigns:
| Annual Gross | B&O Filing Frequency |
|---|---|
| < $100,000 | Annual |
| $100,000 – $5,000,000 | Quarterly |
| > $5,000,000 | Monthly |
What if a city isn't on FileLocal?
Some smaller WA cities (Issaquah, Bothell, Vancouver, etc.) have their own portals or accept paper. Check the city's "Business Licensing" page; if no FileLocal integration, file via their portal directly. Note this in the client file so the next person on the account doesn't try FileLocal first.
v1 draft. Seattle's fee schedule and FileLocal UI change annually. Verify fees against seattle.gov/license-and-tax-administration (opens in a new tab) before quoting. Last updated 2026-05-27.