Business & Development

Doing Business in the City of Spokane

Congratulations on taking one of the first steps to starting your new business in the City of Spokane! All businesses operating in the City or with the City are required to obtain a City of Spokane Business Registration. SMC 8.01

Depending on the type of business you are engaged in, there may be other required licenses/permits/registrations and taxes.

Please view our Frequently Asked Questions to help you understand our business licensing process.

Doing Business with the City of Spokane

Vendors, contractors and suppliers wishing to do business with the City of Spokane must obtain a Washington State business license with a City of Spokane endorsement. Both the business license and Spokane endorsement can be obtained on the Washington State Department of Revenue website.

Taxes and Licensing can help answer any questions you might have.

Please ensure that you are familiar with common requirements that may occur as part of doing business with the City. We recommend reviewing the Vendor prep list (PDF 112 KB).

For any questions relating to our Procurement methods or registration, please visit the City of Spokane Purchasing page.

Vendor Documents

• ACH Vendor Enrollment Form (PDF 145 KB)
• W-9 Request for Vendors
• Business License Exemption Request Form (PDF 198 KB)

How to Apply for a Business License Exemption

1. Download and open the Business License Exemption Request Form
2. If any of the exemptions on the form are applicable to you, complete the form and submit it to taxesandlicenses@spokanecity.org and cc your City Liaison.
3. The Taxes & Licenses Department will review your request; this can take up to 10 business days.
4. The Taxes & Licenses Department will email you with our approval or rejection. If the form is rejected, a reason will be listed on the bottom of the form.
5. Forward the approved Business License Exemption Request Form to your City Liaison.

City Boundary Map