Thinking about doing business in the City of Bothell? The good news is that the City does not impose a business and occupation tax. The bad news is that unless you qualify under one of a few specified exemptions, you will need to obtain a business license before conducting business within City limits.

In general, all persons conducting business within Bothell City limits must obtain a business license. However, certain activities are exempt from this requirement. Farmers who peddle their own produce, businesses that gross less than $1000 per month and certain nonprofit activities are exempt. For a complete list of all exempt categories, visit http://bothelltaxaccountant.com/ and click "Exempt Businesses" or call the Bothell Community Development Department at (425) 486-8152.

If your business does not fall within one of the exempt categories, the easiest way to obtain a business license application is to visit http://bothelltaxaccountant.com/ and select "Tax License Download". If you do not have internet access, you can pick up an application at Bothell City Hall located at 18305 101st Ave NE. Finally, to save yourself a trip, you can call the Bothell Community Development Department at (425) 486-8152 to request that an application be faxed to you

The completed application must be accompanied by a license fee. In general, the amount of the fee is determined by the type of business and the number of employees (with the business owner counting as one). For a business with a square footage of 3000 or more, an additional fee is imposed. You can obtain details regarding the appropriate license fee by calling the Bothell Community Development Department at (425) 485-8152. Once you have determined the appropriate fee, return the completed application and fee to the following address: New Business Licenses, City of Bothell, 9654 NE 182nd Street, Bothell, WA 98011.

The licensing period runs from July 1st through June 30th. Thus, if you are thinking about beginning your business in the Spring, you will need to renew your license in the month of June. The application fee is not discounted for partial year operations.