Every business in the state must register with the State of Washington through the Department of Licensing. Please visit the State's Web site.
Zoning and Building Occupancy Requirements
Contact Shoreline’s Planning and Development Services Department to check zoning and building occupancy requirements for your business. You will need to have the exact address of the property to ensure that you receive the correct information.
Planning and Development Services
Shoreline City Hall, First Floor
Past the City Clerk's desk in the lobby
17500 Midvale Avenue N
Shoreline, WA 98133-4905
(206) 801-2500
pds@shorelinewa.gov
Business License Program: the City has established a business license that is required for most profit and nonprofit businesses. Businesses that are operated in a home, but have annual gross receipts less than $12,000 and do not include any retail activity are exempt as are federal, state and local governments. The business license fee is $40 with nonprofits exempt from the fee.
Shoreline has partnered with the State Department of Licensing Master License Service (MLS) to handle applications for and renewal of the new business license through the state’s combined-licensing process.
Businesses will receive information about their first City business license in mid-March and will need to make payment to MLS by April 30. Businesses must renew their license annually.
For more information, contact the City Clerk’s Office at (206) 801-2230.
Regulated Businesses
The City of Shoreline licenses certain regulated businesses formerly licensed through King County. Examples of such businesses include adult cabarets, secondhand dealers, soliciting, pawnbrokers and adult panorams. It is important to note that some activities require criminal background investigations, zoning/land use approval, and review by the Fire Marshall when a license is issued, transferred or renewed. For more information on obtaining a license for a regulated business, contact the City Clerk's Office at (206) 801-2230 or e-mail us.