Every city wants businesses to be successful. That’s why we want to help you spend less time figuring out local taxes and more time running your business.

Our region is known for setting standards for customer service. Nordstrom defined retail customer service before customer service was the buzzword it is today. More recently, Amazon.com has become the world leader in online commerce through a near-fanatical focus on its customers. We want city services to be viewed in the same way—setting the standard for excellence in customer service. FileLocal is now available for you to use to register, file and pay your local taxes for participating cities.

The four founding cities began working together in 2010 to simplify the process of local business licensing and tax filing so that businesses can spend more time focusing on their customers. Previously, businesses had to print tax forms, complete them, compute their tax due, write a check, and then mail in the check and the forms. Now that FileLocal is launched for participating cities you can achieve the same result online at one convenient location.

Cities recognize that businesses want to meet their license and tax obligation—they just want the process to be hassle-free. FileLocal is designed to make that happen. Once you create an account, you can apply for a business license from any participating city. You can also pay all your local taxes with one click. Just enter your revenues by city, and FileLocal will compute the taxes due. After a payment is made, FileLocal then disburses the correct amount to each city. It’s that easy.

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PARTNER CITIES

AUBURN

The City of Auburn, incorporated in 1891, began as a small rural community founded in agriculture and railroad. The City has grown significantly since WWII and is now the 14th largest city in Washington and home to many large and small industrial and commercial companies. Auburn businesses are required to register and maintain an active license through an easy annual renewal process. In addition to licensing requirements, Auburn businesses who operate in the city are responsible for reporting applicable taxes, which include: Business & Occupation (B&O) tax, utility taxes, admission taxes, and gambling/amusement tax. To incentivize new businesses, Auburn offers a new business tax credit of $1,000/employee for up to three years. To qualify, employers must be new to Auburn and maintain staffing of at least 20 full-time employees (FTE).

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BELLEVUE

Business is booming in Bellevue, as the proliferation of downtown high-rises in recent years suggests. More than 23,000 businesses are located in Bellevue, representing a broad range of activities. While retail and service firms comprise a large share of Bellevue’s economy, the city is also home to scores of high-tech companies, engineering firms and financial institutions. All businesses in Bellevue are required to have a business license, and they may apply and pay for that license online. Unlike most cities, a business license in Bellevue doesn’t need to be renewed. Bellevue businesses with annual revenues exceeding $160,000 also must pay B&O taxes.

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EVERETT

Everett is much more than Boeing and the U.S. Navy. Many of its businesses are linked to aerospace or the sea, but most are broader-based or focused on other industries. Everett builds job-creation incentives into its business and occupation (B&O) taxes. Businesses can earn a $1,000 tax credit for each new employee working full time, as long as that job is maintained for at least three years. Businesses pay 0.1 percent of their gross receipts, so a company with $200,000 in annual sales would pay just $200 in B&O tax. Effective January 1, 2015, businesses engaging in business in Everett must renew their business licenses annually and pay annual license renewal fees.

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POULSBO

Poulsbo is home to a diverse group of entrepreneurs. With a population of 13,010, there are more than 2,000 businesses located in Poulsbo and about half are small businesses. Poulsbo business licenses are obtained by the Department of Revenue, where excise and state business and occupation (B&O) taxes are paid. Effective July 1, 2024, the City of Poulsbo implemented a B&O tax of .2% (.002) on gross revenue with two exemptions: (1) the first $20,000 of taxable gross revenue earned annually that is not subject to retail sales tax is exempt and (2) the first $125,000 of taxable gross revenue earned annually that is subject to retail sales tax is exempt. Small businesses will be exempt from paying B&O tax if annual gross revenue is less than $20,000. However, B&O tax form filings are required, even if there is no balance due.

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RENTON

Renton is the 8^th largest City in Washington and has a broad base of businesses including the well-known home to the Boeing 737 plant. Renton is comprised of several other large companies including Seattle Seahawks, Paccar Kenworth plant, Wizards of the Coast, Ikea Home Furnishings, Valley Medical Center, Kaiser Permanente, Providence Health & Services, and the newly constructed Southport. As a rapidly expanding city with over 6,000 licensed businesses, Renton offers a new business tax credit of $1,000 per position for employers that create over 50 new positions within the city. Businesses are now able to apply for a new business license, renew their licenses annually, and file all tax returns online.

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SEATTLE

Seattle is the largest of the four partner cities and has more than 85,000 licensed businesses. Seattle businesses are required to register and maintain a business license for the duration of the business. In addition, Seattle businesses are responsible for reporting gross receipts and paying Business & Occupation (B&O) taxes. Businesses with annual taxable gross revenue of $100,000 or more must pay B&O Tax, but businesses with less revenue or those with no business activity for the year are exempt from paying B&O tax. All businesses are still required, however, to report gross revenue, even if zero, to the City of Seattle.

There may be other taxes businesses have to pay based on the type of business activities. For example, there are specific taxes associated with gambling, commercial parking, utilities, admissions, and firearm sales. All of these tax types are available to file online.

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TACOMA

Tacoma is a progressive, international waterfront city where businesses thrive in a supportive, business-friendly environment. With nearly 25,000 businesses in operation, Tacoma offers B&O taxes and pay a reduced license fee. And all businesses can take advantage of up to $750 in B&O tax credits for creating new family wage jobs in Tacoma. Businesses are able to register and complete their initial license application, renew and pay their annual license fees, and file and pay their quarterly or annual B&O taxes all online.

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ABOUT

PARTNER CITIES

AUBURN

BELLEVUE

EVERETT

POULSBO

RENTON

SEATTLE

TACOMA

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