Starting a Notary Business in Washington — Licenses, Taxes, and Registration
Your Commission Is Not a Business License
A Washington notary public commission is a personal license — it grants you authority to perform specific notarial acts as an impartial witness. It does not authorize you to operate a commercial enterprise. If you plan to offer notary services independently (mobile notary, signing agent, home-based notary business), you need separate business registrations beyond your commission.
This is where most side-business starters hit unexpected complexity. The state commission from the Department of Licensing is one layer. The business licensing requirements from the Department of Revenue, Secretary of State, and your local city are entirely separate layers with their own fees and filings.
State Business License and UBI Number
If you operate as an independent notary (sole proprietor, LLC, or partnership) and expect to earn $12,000 or more in annual gross income, or if you operate under a trade name other than your full legal name, you must register with the Washington Department of Revenue.
This registration gets you a Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number — Washington's state identifier for tax and licensing purposes, not a federal EIN. The base application fee is $90 through the DOR's online Business Licensing Service at dor.wa.gov.
The UBI registration also establishes your state tax accounts, including the Business & Occupation (B&O) tax. Washington does not have a state income tax, but it levies B&O tax on gross receipts — meaning you pay tax on revenue, not just profit. This catches notaries who assume no income tax means no business tax.
Forming a Business Entity (Optional but Worth Considering)
Operating as a sole proprietor is the simplest structure — you and the business are legally the same. But it also means your personal assets are exposed if someone files a claim against your notary bond or sues you for a notarization error.
Forming an LLC can create a legal boundary between your personal assets and some business liabilities. The filing fee is $200 ($180 state fee plus $20 processing fee) through the Secretary of State's online portal. An LLC does not change your notary commission — the commission remains in your personal name. But it puts a legal boundary between your business operations and personal finances.
Choose your business structure before registering with the DOR, since the UBI application asks for your entity type.
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City Business Licenses
Many Washington cities require separate local business licenses for any commercial activity conducted within their boundaries. If you travel to clients (mobile notary), you may need licenses in multiple cities depending on where you perform work.
The complexity here is real: each city sets its own fee structure, typically $50–$400 annually. Many Washington cities participate in the FileLocal system (filelocal-wa.gov), which lets you apply for and manage multiple city licenses through a single portal.
As of January 1, 2026, cities that participate in the statewide licensing threshold set the minimum activity level at $4,000 in gross receipts. Below that threshold in a given city, you may be exempt from that city's license fee. Verify your specific cities — not all participate in the threshold program.
Home-Based Business Considerations
If you operate your notary business from home, check your city's zoning ordinances. Home-based business rules vary by city, and some require a specific home occupation permit.
The zoning compliance is separate from your business license. You can hold a valid city business license and still violate zoning rules if your home-based operation exceeds the permitted scope.
Tax Obligations
Independent notaries in Washington face several tax obligations:
- B&O tax: Levied on gross receipts at rates that vary by business classification (service is the most common category for notaries)
- Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML): Premium of 1.13% in 2026, split between employer and employee if you have staff — sole proprietors can opt in
- WA Cares: Long-term care premium of 0.58% on W-2 wages (applies if you also hold employment)
Keep clean records of every notarization fee, travel charge, and signing agent payment. The B&O tax applies to gross receipts before expenses, so even a modest mobile notary operation with $15,000 in annual revenue has a tax obligation.
Separating Commission Costs from Business Costs
Your notary commission supplies (bond, stamp, journal) are personal expenses tied to your individual commission. Your business expenses (entity formation, city licenses, E&O insurance, marketing, mileage) are tied to your commercial operation.
If your employer pays for your commission, those supplies remain your personal property — not the employer's. The stamp and journal never belong to the employer, regardless of who funded them. This is a Washington-specific rule under WAC 308-30-080 and WAC 308-30-200.
The Washington Notary Commission guide includes a complete business setup sequence covering DOR registration, entity formation, and the city license requirements for mobile notary operations.
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