Market Vendor permits and licenses in Washington

The statewide credentials every market vendor needs to operate in Washington, plus city-specific guides for the cities we cover.

State-level filing fees$50 to $65 in statewide fees for a craft or own-produce vendor, with a home cook adding the $355 two-year WSDA cottage food permit and a packaged-food processor the WSDA Food Processor License from $92, before the locally priced temporary food permit a hot-food booth needs

This page covers only the Washington statewide credentials for market vendors. Federal credentials that apply nationwide are on the Market Vendors overview, and each city layers its own permits on top.

Federal requirementsMarket Vendors nationwide

The credentials below are the Washington-wide requirements that apply to every market vendor in the state. Each city and county layers its own permits, fees, and inspections on top. To see the requirements for a specific city, choose it from the Washington cities list below.

Washington credential overview

Credential	Level	Fee	Renewal
Washington State Business License (Unified Business Identifier)	State	$50 to open a new UBI, $5 a year to renew, and $5 to register a trade name; adding employees or an endorsement to an existing license is $10	Annual (the trade-name registration does not expire)
Retail Sales Tax Collection	State	No registration fee (set up with the business license). The rate is 6.5% state plus a local add-on that varies by where you sell, so confirm the combined rate for the market address at the DOR rate lookup	Ongoing; returns filed monthly, quarterly, or annually by volume
Business and Occupation (B&O) Tax	State	0.471% of gross receipts under the retailing classification; a vendor who also manufactures their goods reports manufacturing at 0.484% with a credit to avoid double tax. An automatic small-business credit (up to $55 a month) zeroes out the tax for low-revenue vendors	Filed on the same excise return as sales tax
Washington Food Worker Card	State	$10 per card	First card valid 2 years, then 3 years on renewal (5 years with approved added training)
WSDA Cottage Food Operation Permit (only for a home cook of shelf-stable food)	State	$355 for a two-year permit; adding products later costs $30 plus a $75 public health review, and sometimes a further $125 inspection fee	Every 2 years, with an annual inspection
WSDA Food Processing Plant License (commercial packaged food)	State	Tiered by prior-year gross sales (RCW 69.07.040): $92 up to $50,000 in sales, then $147, $262, $427, $585, and $862 for the largest producers	Annual (license year ends June 30)
Direct Sale of Your Own Raw Produce (no WSDA license required)	State	$0 for the produce itself; the business license UBI ($50 to open) still applies to retail sales	None for the produce path; the UBI renews annually
Temporary Food Establishment Permit (only for prepared or hot food)	State	Set by each local health jurisdiction, commonly about $30 to $300 by risk and number of market days; the exact amount is a city-page detail	Per event, per season, or annual, depending on the jurisdiction
Certified Food Protection Manager (only for a regular hot-food operation)	State	About $100 to $200 per person for the course and exam; no state fee	Typically every 5 years
WSDA Egg Handler/Dealer License (only if you sell eggs)	State	$30 a year per location, plus $15 per additional branch (RCW 69.25.050)	Annual (with the business license)
WSDA Scale Registration (Weighing and Measuring Devices Endorsement, only if you sell by weight)	State	$16 a year per small scale (0 to 400 pounds capacity), added to your business license; $10 to add the endorsement to an existing license	Annual (with the business license)
Washington Employer Accounts (only if you hire)	State	No fee to open; ongoing premiums. L&I workers comp is charged by hours worked and risk class; Employment Security covers unemployment, Paid Family and Medical Leave (1.13% of wages in 2026), and WA Cares (0.58% of wages)	Quarterly reporting

Washington cities

City and county rules stack on top of the statewide credentials.

Seattle, WAKing County

Each market vendor credential in Washington, explained

Grouped by the level of government that issues it, broadest first. Every market vendor in Washington needs these regardless of city.

State level

12 credentials

Washington State Business License (Unified Business Identifier)

The one filing nearly every Washington market vendor starts with. A single Business License Application returns a nine-digit UBI and opens your Department of Revenue tax accounts, and your L&I and Employment Security employer accounts once you mark that you will hire. A sole proprietor selling under any name other than their own legal name registers that trade name here too. It applies to every vendor, from a craft booth to a hot-food cart.

Issued by: Washington Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service
Fee: $50 to open a new UBI, $5 a year to renew, and $5 to register a trade name; adding employees or an endorsement to an existing license is $10
Renewal: Annual (the trade-name registration does not expire)
Processing: About 10 business days online, longer if an endorsement needs review

Retail Sales Tax Collection

This is the big departure from Oregon, which has no sales tax at all. Raw, unheated food a customer takes home to prepare is exempt, but most of what sells at a market is not: hot and prepared food, soft drinks, roasted coffee, bottled sauces, plants, and crafts are all taxable. You collect at the rate for the market location and remit it to the state. A farmer selling only their own raw produce collects nothing here.

Issued by: Washington Department of Revenue
Fee: No registration fee (set up with the business license). The rate is 6.5% state plus a local add-on that varies by where you sell, so confirm the combined rate for the market address at the DOR rate lookup
Renewal: Ongoing; returns filed monthly, quarterly, or annually by volume
Processing: Active as soon as the UBI issues

Business and Occupation (B&O) Tax

Washington has no income tax and taxes gross receipts instead, which catches vendors off guard. B&O is owed on every dollar of retail sales, with nothing deducted for ingredients, booth fees, or fuel, so a booth owes it even in a losing year. Most market sales report under retailing. The automatic small-business credit clears the tax entirely for the smallest sellers, but the return is still required.

Issued by: Washington Department of Revenue
Fee: 0.471% of gross receipts under the retailing classification; a vendor who also manufactures their goods reports manufacturing at 0.484% with a credit to avoid double tax. An automatic small-business credit (up to $55 a month) zeroes out the tax for low-revenue vendors
Renewal: Filed on the same excise return as sales tax
Processing: Active with your DOR registration

Washington Food Worker Card

Anyone at a booth who handles unpackaged food, utensils, or food-contact surfaces needs a Washington Food Worker Card, which covers the vendor and every helper on shift. A new worker has 14 days to get one. The only valid online source is foodworkercard.wa.gov; lookalike .com sites do not count, and the card is good in every Washington county. A craft vendor handling no food does not need one.

Issued by: Washington Department of Health, issued through local health jurisdictions
Fee: $10 per card
Renewal: First card valid 2 years, then 3 years on renewal (5 years with approved added training)
Processing: Same day; the online course and test take about 45 minutes

WSDA Cottage Food Operation Permit (only for a home cook of shelf-stable food)

Unlike Oregon, where cottage food is a free exemption, Washington makes it a paid, inspected permit under RCW 69.22.030. It lets a home cook sell shelf-stable, low-risk foods, such as baked goods, jams, jellies, fruit butters, dried herbs, and dry tea blends, directly to the customer while annual sales stay under $35,000. No wholesale, no shipping, and no acidified or canned goods such as salsa or pickles. WSDA inspects the home kitchen before the permit issues.

Issued by: Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Food Safety Program
Fee: $355 for a two-year permit; adding products later costs $30 plus a $75 public health review, and sometimes a further $125 inspection fee
Renewal: Every 2 years, with an annual inspection
Processing: About 8 to 10 weeks from a complete application, including a home-kitchen inspection

WSDA Food Processing Plant License (commercial packaged food)

The core license for commercially producing packaged or shelf-stable food, such as bottled sauces, roasted coffee, spice blends, jarred goods, or dried fruit, in a commercial or commissary kitchen rather than at home. WSDA, not the county, regulates packaged food sold at markets. For acidified products like pickles, salsa, and hot sauce, WSDA wants the federal canning paperwork in place first. A farmer making value-added goods in a commercial kitchen needs this too.

Issued by: Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), Food Safety Program
Fee: Tiered by prior-year gross sales (RCW 69.07.040): $92 up to $50,000 in sales, then $147, $262, $427, $585, and $862 for the largest producers
Renewal: Annual (license year ends June 30)
Processing: About 4 to 6 weeks, including a facility inspection

Direct Sale of Your Own Raw Produce (no WSDA license required)

A farmer selling their own raw, unprocessed produce, such as fruit, vegetables, and herbs, needs no separate WSDA food license to do so (shell eggs carry their own license, below). Those raw food sales are exempt from sales tax, though B&O still applies to retail sales. The moment the farmer makes a value-added product, like jam or a dried herb blend, a cottage food permit or food processor license is required depending on where it is made.

Issued by: Washington State Department of Agriculture (a non-license path, not a permit)
Fee: $0 for the produce itself; the business license UBI ($50 to open) still applies to retail sales
Renewal: None for the produce path; the UBI renews annually
Processing: No application for the produce itself

Temporary Food Establishment Permit (only for prepared or hot food)

Required for any booth that cooks or serves food for immediate eating at a market or event. State law mandates it under WAC 246-215, but the county or city health department issues, inspects, and prices it, so a vendor working markets in two counties may need a permit in each. A temporary establishment runs no more than 21 days for one event, or up to 3 days a week for an approved recurring market. A booth selling only pre-packaged low-risk food may qualify for an exemption it still has to request.

Issued by: Local health jurisdiction, under the Washington Retail Food Code (WAC 246-215)
Fee: Set by each local health jurisdiction, commonly about $30 to $300 by risk and number of market days; the exact amount is a city-page detail
Renewal: Per event, per season, or annual, depending on the jurisdiction
Processing: Varies; many counties want the application 2 to 4 weeks before the first market day

Certified Food Protection Manager (only for a regular hot-food operation)

Since March 1, 2023, most Washington food establishments must have at least one staff member holding a nationally accredited manager certificate, a separate proctored exam, not the $10 food worker card. The rule exempts low-risk and short-term operations, including a vendor selling only pre-packaged food and one serving food on an infrequent, temporary basis at fairs and markets. A vendor running a hot-food booth at markets regularly generally needs one; an occasional booth usually does not.

Issued by: An ANSI-accredited program such as ServSafe; required under WAC 246-215-02107
Fee: About $100 to $200 per person for the course and exam; no state fee
Renewal: Typically every 5 years
Processing: Set by the provider; the proctored exam result is usually same day

WSDA Egg Handler/Dealer License (only if you sell eggs)

A farmer selling their own eggs off the farm, including at a market, needs this license under RCW 69.25. A flock under 3,000 hens is judged by state rules rather than USDA grades but still needs the license, and you follow the state's egg carton labeling and refrigeration rules. This is separate from selling raw produce, which needs no license, which is what makes the egg rule easy to miss.

Issued by: Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA), applied for through the state Business Licensing System
Fee: $30 a year per location, plus $15 per additional branch (RCW 69.25.050)
Renewal: Annual (with the business license)
Processing: Same as the business license application

WSDA Scale Registration (Weighing and Measuring Devices Endorsement, only if you sell by weight)

If you price any goods by weight, such as produce or coffee by the pound, the scale must be a legal-for-trade (NTEP-certified) device, registered through the state business license system, and sealed by the Weights and Measures program. Vendors selling in Seattle or Spokane register with those cities' own sealers instead. A vendor selling only pre-packaged goods by the unit does not need it.

Issued by: Washington Department of Revenue, on behalf of the WSDA Weights and Measures Program
Fee: $16 a year per small scale (0 to 400 pounds capacity), added to your business license; $10 to add the endorsement to an existing license
Renewal: Annual (with the business license)
Processing: Same as the business license application or renewal

Washington Employer Accounts (only if you hire)

Most market vendors are solo and skip this, but the moment you hire a booth helper as an employee it applies. Checking the hire box on the business license opens workers compensation through the L&I state fund, which no private carrier can replace, plus unemployment, Paid Leave, and WA Cares through Employment Security. Part-time and seasonal helpers count, and everything reports quarterly.

Issued by: Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) and Employment Security Department (ESD)
Fee: No fee to open; ongoing premiums. L&I workers comp is charged by hours worked and risk class; Employment Security covers unemployment, Paid Family and Medical Leave (1.13% of wages in 2026), and WA Cares (0.58% of wages)
Renewal: Quarterly reporting
Processing: Opened with the business license when you mark that you will hire

See how other market vendors in Washington are managing every permit, license, and renewal in one place with CredentiAlert.

Washington-specific things to watch for

1Washington has a sales tax and Oregon does not. A vendor who also works Oregon markets is used to collecting nothing. In Washington, hot and prepared food, soft drinks, roasted coffee, bottled sauces, plants, and crafts are all taxable, and you collect at the combined state and local rate for the specific market location. Only raw, unheated food a customer takes home stays exempt.

2The B&O tax falls on your sales, not your profit. Washington has no income tax and instead taxes gross receipts, so a booth owes B&O on every retail dollar with no deduction for ingredients, booth fees, or fuel, even in a year it loses money. The retailing rate is 0.471%. An automatic small-business credit clears it for the smallest sellers, but the return is still due.

3Cottage food is a paid permit here, not a free pass. Oregon lets a home cook sell shelf-stable goods with no license; Washington charges $355 for a two-year cottage food permit and inspects the home kitchen first. The cap is $35,000 a year, sales must be direct to the customer, and acidified or canned goods like salsa and pickles are never allowed under it.

4WSDA versus the local health department decides who licenses you. Packaged, shelf-stable food (jars, bottles, bags) is licensed by WSDA as a food processor. Food you cook and serve to eat on the spot is licensed by the county or city health department as a temporary food establishment. A vendor who bottles hot sauce and also hands out samples in a cup can land in both tracks. Showing up permitted by the wrong agency costs you a market season.

5The temporary food permit is priced per jurisdiction, not statewide. The requirement is statewide under WAC 246-215, but each county or city sets its own fee and forms, so the same hot-food booth can cost a different amount in each county it works. A vendor touring markets across county lines may need a separate permit in each. Always price from the local health department, not a single statewide figure.

6Selling eggs needs its own license, even from a small flock. Many farmers assume eggs ride along with their produce. Selling eggs off the farm, including at a market, needs a $30-a-year WSDA egg dealer license under RCW 69.25, and a flock under 3,000 hens is not exempt from it. Raw produce needs no such license, which is exactly what makes the egg rule easy to miss.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit to sell at a farmers market in Washington?

At a minimum you need a Washington state business license and UBI, which also registers you for sales tax and the B&O tax. What you add depends on what you sell: a WSDA cottage food permit for home-baked goods and preserves, a WSDA food processor license for commercially packaged food, or a local temporary food establishment permit if you cook and serve hot food. A craft vendor with no food needs only the business license and tax accounts.

Do I need a cottage food permit in Washington?

Yes, if you make shelf-stable foods like baked goods, jams, or dried herb blends in your home kitchen to sell directly to customers. Washington's cottage food law (RCW 69.22.030) requires a paid WSDA permit, $355 for two years, with a home-kitchen inspection before it issues and an annual sales cap of $35,000. It does not cover acidified or canned goods such as salsa and pickles, wholesale, or shipping.

Do I have to collect sales tax at a farmers market in Washington?

It depends on what you sell. Raw, unheated food a customer takes home to prepare is exempt, but hot and prepared food, soft drinks, roasted coffee, bottled sauces, plants, and crafts are taxable. You collect at the combined state and local rate for the market location and remit it to the Department of Revenue. This surprises vendors used to Oregon, which has no sales tax at all.

What is the B&O tax and do market vendors owe it?

Washington's business and occupation tax is a tax on gross receipts, not profit. Most market vendors report retail sales under the retailing classification at 0.471% of gross sales, owed even on sales-tax-exempt raw food. An automatic small-business credit of up to $55 a month wipes out the tax for low-revenue vendors, but you still file the return.

You just read through every credential your market vendor needs in Washington.

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Official sources

Last verified 2026-06-07. Requirements change. Always confirm with the issuing department before applying.