Washington - State Unemployment Insurance

Justworks is required to file unemployment taxes in certain states under our individual clients' Unemployment Account numbers, as opposed to Justworks Unemployment Account numbers.

In order to report, please send Justworks the following:

• From The Department of Revenue:
  • Your Unified Business Number (UBI)
• From The Department of Labor and Industries (Worker's Compensation):
  • Your L&I Number
  • Your L&I Rate
  • Your L&I Code
  • Your PAC Code
• From The Employment Security Department (Unemployment):
  • Your unemployment account number (ESD number)

 

Our company might already be registered with the Secretary of State in Washington – what do we need to do?

If you have conducted any business in Washington or have employed someone in Washington before, it is possible that you may already be registered with the Washington Secretary of State. Here are steps to check:

1. Navigate to the state’s Corporations and Charities page here. 
2. Click the green module in the top left corner of the page, labeled “Corporations & Charities Filing System (CCFS)”
3. Scroll down to the section labeled “Corporation Search” and input your entity’s information. This will trigger a response notifying you that a registration has or has not already been completed. 

If you have not been registered, please follow the instructions below for a new company registration in Washington.

If you are already registered, you would have received a certificate from the Secretary of State with your Unified Business Number (UBI) in the mail. Proceed with Steps 2 & 3 below to register with the Business Licensing Service and register for your other state accounts. 

 

Our company is new in Washington – what do we need to do? 

If you are a new employer in Washington, you will need to register with the Washington Secretary of State, Department of Revenue and obtain a business license as outlined by the state. 

Step 1: Register with the Secretary of State

1. Click here to create an account/ login at the top of the page, and follow the instructions as prompted by the portal.

If you need additional assistance, there is a video link for “Creating a User Account” at the bottom of this Washington state page!

 

Step 2: Register with Washington's Business Licensing Service

What to Prepare: 

• Certificate of Existence - If you are a business that is not based in Washington, the registration requires that you provide a “Certificate of Existence” (aka: Certificate of Good Standing). You can request this from the state you were incorporated in.

• Registered Agent - If you are a business that is not based in Washington, the registration will ask for a registered agent. This agent must have a Washington address. Examples of registered agents can be found on this site and this site. (If you are using your Washington employee as a registered agent, please ensure you have their consent.)

• Company Ownership Information

Note: There is an application fee with the state of Washington. See the state’s website for further details.

 

How to Register:

1. Navigate to the Business Licensing Service.
2. Click “Log in” in the top right corner of the page. Click “sign up” to create a username and password.
3. You will receive an authentication code by email. Enter this to validate your account.
4. Log in with the username and password you created.
5. Click “Create or Register a Business” in the left dropdown.
6. Follow the steps in the application process. Note that “Foreign” refers to a business incorporated outside of Washington, and “Domestic” is for businesses incorporated in Washington.

For additional help, there is a video tutorial for “Registering a Business Entity” at the bottom of this page.

 

What to Expect:  

You will receive your Business License certificate by mail approximately 10 days after this step is complete. This includes your Unified Business Number (UBI). Please send this information to Justworks.

You will receive Workers' Compensation and ESD information by mail 2-3 weeks after completing the registration. This will include your L&I Number, L&I Rate, L&I Code, PAC Code, and ESD account number. Please send all of this information to Justworks.

Any additional steps illustrated by the state in the mailed packet will help to activate your state accounts. Follow these steps accordingly.

 

Step 3: Register for your other state accounts (reminder: your UBI number is needed for this!)

Please make sure all ownership information on your account is accurate and up to date! This will help avoid any access issues moving forward. 

1. Log in to your SAW account.
2. Select “Add A New Service”.
3. Select “I would like to browse a list of services by name”. 
4. Add the following three services individually by following the steps below:
   • “Paid Family and Medical Leave”
   • “My L&I provided by the Department of Labor & Industries”
   • “Upgraded Employer Account Management Services (EAMS)”

When you see the confirmation that the service has been added to your list, click “OK,” then select the service name you are adding. Click 'Access Now', then 'Continue' onto the next page. Finally, click 'Create Your Account' within the "Register a Business" section.

 

FAQ:

I have already registered with the State of Secretary for Washington, but have lost the original certificate with the Unified Business Number (UBI). What can I do?

If you have no record of the UBI or the certificate within 10 days of registering, call the Secretary of State for an update on the status. If you do not have the original certificate but do have the UBI, send the UBI to the Justworks team. It is recommended that you then call the Secretary of State for a copy of this certificate for record-keeping purposes. 

 

Who can I contact for assistance with my account and/or online login?

Secretary of State: (360) 725-0377

L&I (Worker's Compensation): (360) 902-4817

ESD (Unemployment): (855) 829-9243

PFML (Paid Family Medical Leave): (833) 717-2273 or paidleave@esd.wa.gov

 

I need help finding a registered agent. What options are available for me?

Some entities opt to use their Washington employee as a registered agent. Please ensure this is agreed upon before acting on this option. Please see the state’s page for additional information here. Examples of registered agents can be found on this site and this site. 

 

I am looking to close my account with the state, as I no longer have employees working in the state of Washington. How do I go about doing this? 

Check with our Justworks team before taking any action, as Justworks will need to make sure that all the correct information has been collected to properly file on your behalf. Utilize Washington’s instruction page to close your account.

 

I am waiting on the state to send me the account information that Justworks has asked for. In the meantime, I’ve been getting penalty notices from the state. What do I do with them?

Currently, Justworks files for Paid Family Medical Leave, Unemployment Insurance (ESD), and L&I (Workers Compensation). If you are receiving notices or penalties for any of these, please send them to the Justworks team to look into them.

If you are receiving notices related to any other kind of account, your company is responsible for responding to those notices and rectifying those accounts. 

Common accounts that your business might have and be responsible for filing outside of Justworks include Business and Occupation Tax (B&O), Property Tax, Retail Sales Tax, Use Tax, Public Utility Tax, Excise Tax, and handling the Annual Business License Renewal. To request a tax penalty waiver for one of these accounts that Justworks does not file for, see this guide. 

Unsure about what kind of notice you received from the state? Send it to our Justworks team to confirm if it is a notice relating to one of the accounts we file for you.

 

The only employee we have in Washington is a corporate officer or owner. Do we still need to register with the state?  

This state information page has additional details on owners and officers. If your situation allows for your company to request to opt out of either workers' compensation or paid family leave, once you request to opt out with that department you will receive a confirmation letter. Please scan and send that confirmation to Justworks so your file can be updated. 

 

The state is asking me about an Express Annual Report. How do I complete it?

The responsibility to complete this report belongs to your company directly. Linked here is a video resource from the state with further instructions.