Business License

Chapter 5.04 of the City of East Wenatchee Municipal Code requires that every person engaging in business within the city limits of East Wenatchee to register their business and obtain a business license; this includes home based businesses and out of town contractors.

Businesses operating in multiple locations within the city, must license each location separately. Businesses located outside the city that engage in business activity inside the city limits, must obtain a business license. To determine the appropriate fee only count employees working within the city limits.

Department of Revenue's Business Licensing Service (BLS)

The City of East Wenatchee partnered with the Department of Revenue's Business Licensing Service (BLS) on September 21, 2017. City of East Wenatchee's business licenses and renewals are now processed through the Department of Revenue's BLS which provides a "one-stop-shopping" for business when maintaining and renewing City and State licenses.

Washington State law requires that all cities partner with BLS by December 31, 2022 (RCW 35.90.020(a)).

To Apply for a New Business License

Visit the State of Washington Business Licensing Services website. Follow the prompts, Apply, Get a Washington state business license.

Payments

Payments online can be made with a credit card.

You may apply online or by mail. Paper forms may be obtained and completed at the local Wenatchee, Department of Revenue Office (DOR) located at:
630 N Chelan Avenue
Suite B3
Wenatchee, WA 98801
Phone: 509-885-9825

Hours
8 am to 5 pm

Updates

To update information or make changes to your license log into My DOR, or Paper Change Form (PDF).

To Apply for a Business License Renewal

Approximately six weeks before your current license expires, the Business Licensing Service will send you a license renewal letter with instructions on how to renew your City of East Wenatchee business license. You may use e-check or credit card to make a payment online. If you prefer to renew your license by mail using the BLS renewal form, please do so with plenty of time to reach BLS before the expiration date and include a check made out to DOR for the appropriate amount or visit the Wenatchee office to make the payment. If the renewal is received after the expiration date, a late filing fee will be assessed as authorized by RCW19.02.085.

Visit the Business License Renewal page for more information.

Basic License Fees

All fees are paid to the Washington State Department of Revenue. Businesses will continue to pay the license fee assessed according to the number of persons employed within city limits, whether full time or part time including owners.

Basic License Fee Schedule

Visit the Basic License Fee Schedule for fees based on number of persons employed:

  • Beginning January 1, 2018, on January 1st of each year, the city will increase the basic license fee by 100% of the U.S. Consumer Price Index of Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) August to August statistics for the West Urban Region for the preceding 12 months, rounded up to the nearest whole dollar.
  • An applicant must pay the fee for a business license in full at the time the application is submitted, and annually thereafter on or before its expiration date. 
    • Ordinance 15-04 Section 5 (Exhibit A), 2015
    • Ordinance 15-17 Section 4, 2015
    • Ordinance 17-13 Section 5, 2017
    • Ordinance 99-12 Section 1, 1999
    • Ordinance 305 Section 7, 1980 - Formerly 5.04.070