The short version
- Washington licenses electrical contractors separately from general contractor registration. Under RCW 19.28.041, you need an electrical contractor license to advertise, bid, or do electrical work, with a $4,000 bond and evidence of workers comp for employees.
- A qualified person must be designated: a master electrician (general or specialty) or a certified electrical contractor administrator.
- Idaho requires proof of $300,000 of liability insurance and workers comp, if applicable, to hold an electrical contractor license (Idaho Code 54-1003A). Licensed electrical contractors are exempt from Idaho's general contractor registration.
- Electrical claims are severe. Fires and injuries from electrical work can produce large property and bodily injury claims, often years after the job, which makes completed operations coverage and an umbrella central.
- GCs and owners usually require $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate, additional insured endorsements, and an umbrella.
Washington and Idaho licensing at a glance
| Requirement | Washington | Idaho |
|---|
| Business license | Electrical contractor license from L&I, required to advertise, bid, or perform electrical work (RCW 19.28.041) | Electrical contractor license from DOPL (Idaho Code Title 54, Chapter 10) |
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| Bond | $4,000 | None found in the electrical licensing statute |
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| Liability insurance | No minimum in RCW 19.28.041; contracts set the real requirement | $300,000 liability insurance (Idaho Code 54-1003A) |
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| Workers comp | Evidence of coverage for employees working in Washington (L&I) | Proof of workers comp, if applicable |
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| Qualified individual | A designated master electrician, master specialty electrician, or certified electrical contractor administrator | Licensed electricians under DOPL rules |
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| General contractor registration | Certified electricians working within their certificate are exempt from RCW 18.27 registration; non-electrical work can trigger it | Licensed electrical contractors are exempt from the Contractor Registration Act |
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| License term | 24 months | Set by DOPL |
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Individual electricians also need certificates of competency in Washington and licenses in Idaho. This page focuses on the business.
What contracts usually require
| Requirement | Typical ask | How to meet it |
|---|
| General liability | $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate | GL with products and completed operations at those limits |
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| Umbrella | $1 million to $5 million on commercial jobs | A commercial umbrella over GL, auto, and employers liability |
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| Additional insured | Owner and general contractor, for ongoing and completed operations | Endorsements matching the contract wording |
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| Waiver of subrogation | On GL, auto, and workers comp or stop-gap | Endorsements |
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| Workers comp | Proof for every worker on site | L&I plus stop-gap in Washington; Idaho workers comp |
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The coverage program for an electrical contractor
- General liability with completed operations. An electrical fire can surface long after a job closes. See general liability.
- Commercial umbrella sized to your largest contracts and the severity of electrical losses.
- Tools and equipment (inland marine) for testers, wire pullers, lifts, and inventory in vans. See tools, equipment, and business income.
- Commercial auto for service vans, plus hired and non-owned auto.
- Workers comp: L&I and stop-gap in Washington; a private or State Insurance Fund policy in Idaho.
- Installation floater or builder's risk for materials and equipment you install before the owner accepts them.
- Cyber, if you design, install, or support building automation, security, or network systems, or take payments by wire.
Where electrical contractors get caught
| Gap | What happens |
|---|
| Classification mismatch | A policy written for residential service work may not fit commercial, industrial, or solar work; claims outside the described operations can be contested |
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| Low completed operations aggregate | One fire claim from a past job uses up the limit for everything else |
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| Additional insured on the certificate only | The GC is listed on paper but not endorsed on the policy |
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| Installation property | Materials and equipment on site before acceptance are often not covered by GL or the tools policy |
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| Solar, battery, or EV charger work | Some policies exclude or limit this work; disclose it |
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| Subcontracted crews | Uninsured subs end up on your audit; in Idaho, you can be liable for their workers comp under Idaho Code 72-216 |
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Sources
This page is general information. Licensing rules and amounts were checked against the statutes in October 2026; confirm current requirements with L&I or DOPL.