Washington Collection Agency License Guide

In Washington, all entities who collect and/or solicit debts on behalf of third parties – as well as entities who purchase delinquent or charged off debts for collection purposes – must hold a Collection Agency license.

A WA Collection Agency license is also required from any individual who uses a fictitious name to collect their own debt.

The licenses are processed by the Washington Department of Revenue - Business Licensing Service and issued by the Washington State Department of Licensing (DOL) .

1

All license applications are available online on the DOL Collection Agencies page . To apply for a Collection Agency license, complete the following forms:

 

  • Business License application form available here.

  • Collection Agency License Addendum form available here.

The Collection Agency Addendum form must accompany the Business License application form.

Note: Document links are updated regularly, therefore they may have expired. If this is the case, please go directly to the DOL Collection Agencies page to find the forms you need.

2

Fulfill Requirements and Obtain Required Documents

Apart from the completed Business License form and Collection Agency Addendum form, the following are also required:

 

  • Trust Account - All collection agencies in Washington are required to establish a trust account at a federally-insured banking institution.

  • Financial Statement - Provide a personal or corporate financial statement form showing:

    • The applicant’s assets and liabilities during one of the three months before application.

    • At least $7,500 in cash (or its equivalent), of which $5,000 must be deposited in a bank account.

    • Net worth of at least $7,500.

3

Obtain Your WA Collection Agency Bond

All Collection Agency license applicants are required to provide a surety bond. Your bond must be furnished by a surety company authorized to conduct business in Washington.

 

  • Bond Amount : $5,000

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4

License Fees

All fees are non-refundable. The fees may be paid with a credit/debit card (for online submissions only), or with a check/money order made payable to the Department of Revenue.

 

  • WA Collection Agency License Fee : $850

  • WA Business License Fee : $19

5

Submit Your Collection Agency License Application

Submit your license application online through the WA Department of Revenue, or mail your completed forms (along with any additional documentation and fees) to:

 

Mailing Address:
State of Washington
Business Licensing Service
PO Box 9034
Olympia, WA 98507-9034

For information regarding the license application, you may contact the Department of Licensing at [email protected] or (800) 451-7985.

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