Which license each job needs in Spokane
| Work | What the City requires of the applicant | Spokane permits, Apr 2024–Mar 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | A licensed electrical contractor, or the homeowner doing the work | 15,771 |
| Gas, propane or oil heating, boilers | A contractor with a Licensed Gas Heating Mechanic, Boiler Operator or Oil Burner/Servicer Installer on staff, who does the work | 9,746 (all HVAC) |
| Roofing, remodels, additions, new homes, fences | L&I-registered contractor with a City business license, or the owner | 4,539 roofing, 1,942 remodel |
| Plumbing | L&I-registered contractor with a City business license, plus L&I's extra plumbing licensing | 3,628 |
The rules are from the City's permit eligibility sheet, read 26 October 2026: "A Licensed Electrical Contractor must apply for the permit(s) for any electrical work they conduct", and for gas, propane or oil work "The licensed employee must conduct the work." L&I's registration page says all construction contractors must register and be "bonded and insured", and that plumbing and electrical contractors "have additional requirements for education, examination, and licensing". L&I lists Spokane among the cities that issue their own electrical permits, so the wiring permit comes from the City, not L&I.
How to run the lookup in five minutes
- Get the L&I registration number (or exact business name) from the bid.
- Search it on L&I's Verify tool. It shows "an active contractor registration; an active and paid-to-date workers' comp account covering any employees", plus safety violations.
- Electrician: check that the business also holds an L&I electrical contractor license; L&I says "All work performed must be done by properly certified electricians."
- Gas furnace or boiler: ask who on staff holds the gas heating mechanic license; that person must do the work.
- Look up the address with the Spokane building permit search guide.
Doing the work yourself
The City lets homeowners "apply for construction related permits where they are conducting the construction activities themselves", or hire licensed contractors. The exceptions, from the eligibility sheet:
| Situation | Allowed? |
|---|---|
| Homeowner pulls an electrical permit and hires someone else to do it | No. An unpaid friend, neighbor or relative may help (RCW 19.28.261) |
| Homeowner does gas, propane or oil heating work | Only if they hold the gas, boiler or oil license themselves |
| Owner works on a home they have owned less than a year, intending to sell | No |
| Owner does electrical work on a home to be sold within two years | No |
The underlying exemption is RCW 18.27.090(12): "Any person working on his or her own property", but not one who works on it "for the purpose of selling, demolishing, or leasing the property". Trade rules: electrical and HVAC permits.
What our Spokane pages add
L&I answers "is this firm registered". Our Spokane page shows what the City permitted: 75% of the 39,355 permits were on homes, and 82% of those issued April 2024 to March 2025 were finished. Roofing rose to 2,379 in April 2025 to March 2026 from 2,160 the year before, while electrical fell to 7,235 from 8,536. The permit statistics page has the months, and fences, solar, new homes and demolition have their own pages. Statewide rules and penalties: How to check a contractor's license in Washington.
What this lookup does not tell you
Spokane's public permit layer names no contractor, so we cannot show who did a job or match firms to L&I records. Our file ends in March 2026. A registration says the firm is bonded and insured today, not how its last job went.
How we know this
License rules are quoted from the City of Spokane's Permit Eligibility sheet, Washington L&I's Verify, Register as a Contractor, Electrical Contractor and City Electrical Permits pages, and RCW 18.27.090, read 26 October 2026. Counts are the City of Spokane's Permit layer (Building and Engineering Permits), read 19 October 2026: permits issued April 2024 to March 2026; the finished share uses permits issued April 2024 to March 2025.
Numbers come from public permit records in 57 cities, data through October 19, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- What does a contractor need to pull a permit in Spokane?
The City's permit eligibility sheet says contractors "sufficiently licensed and bonded through the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries and with an active City of Spokane business license may apply for permit(s)". So: L&I registration, any trade license the work needs, and a City business license.
- Who can pull an electrical permit in Spokane?
A licensed electrical contractor, for any electrical work it does, or a homeowner doing the work on their own residence. A homeowner may not apply for the permit and hire someone else to do the wiring; an unpaid friend or relative may help.
- Who can do gas furnace or boiler work in Spokane?
Only contractors with a Licensed Gas Heating Mechanic, Licensed Boiler Operator or Licensed Oil Burner/Servicer Installer on staff, and that licensed employee must do the work. A homeowner can do it only if they hold one of those licenses themselves.
- How do I check a Spokane contractor's license?
On Washington L&I's Verify tool at lni.wa.gov/Verify. It shows whether the business has an active contractor registration and workers' comp account, and L&I citations. Electrical contractors hold a separate L&I electrical contractor license.
- Does L&I issue electrical permits in Spokane?
No. L&I lists Spokane among the cities that issue their own electrical permits and do their own inspections, so Spokane electrical permits come from the City.
Build your own list
Pick your city and the kind of work. Every firm with a permit on record, sorted by what you value.
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- Arlington, VA contractor license lookup: DPOR class and specialty, the County permit search, and what the permits show
- Permit Eligibility: SMC & RCW in Practice — City of Spokane (2026-10-26)
- Verify a Contractor, Tradesperson or Business — Washington L&I (2026-10-26)
- Register as a Contractor — Washington L&I (2026-10-26)
- Electrical Contractor — Washington L&I (2026-10-26)
- City Electrical Permits & Inspections — Washington L&I (2026-10-26)
- RCW 18.27.090 Exemptions (2026-10-26)