Ordinance 44081
ORDINANCE NO. 4408
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS,
WASHINGTON, AMENDING CHAPTER 4.72 OF THE
EDMONDS CITY CODE RELATED TO THE CITY BUSINESS
LICENSE
WHEREAS, the city has an adopted business license program and associated fees and
procedures in Chapter 4.72 ECC; and
WHEREAS, the city council desires to increase the business license fee to keep pace with
the average rate of inflation, in addition to amendments to the out-of-city business license threshold
exemption and application procedure;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS,
WASHINGTON, DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 4.72.021 of the Edmonds City Code, entitled “Threshold exemption,”
is hereby amended to read as follows (new text is shown in underline; deleted text is shown in
strike-through):
4.72.021 Threshold exemption.
To the extent set forth in this section, the following persons and businesses shall be exempt
from the registration, license and/or license fee requirements as outlined in this chapter:
A. Any person or business whose annual value of products, gross proceeds of sales, or
gross income of the business in the city is equal to or less than $12,000 4,000 and who does
not maintain a place of business within the city, i.e., a nonresident applicant, shall be
exempt from the general business license requirements in this chapter. The exemption does
not apply to regulatory license requirements or activities that require a specialized permit.
B. Nonprofit organizations or corporations with tax exempt status under 26 USC Section
501(c)(3) shall require a nonprofit business license but are exempt from a license fee. [Ord.
4269 § 5, 2022; Ord. 4165 § 1 (Exh. A), 2019; Ord. 4135 § 1, 2018].
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Section 2. Section 4.72.030 of the Edmonds City Code, entitled “Procedure,” is hereby
amended to read as follows (new text is shown in underline; deleted text is shown in strike-
through):
4.72.030 Procedure.
A. Application for the business license shall be made to the Washington State Business
Licensing Service, and must include all information required for the licenses requested,
and total fees due for all licenses requested, as well as the handling fee required by RCW
19.02.075.
B. The administrative services director or designee shall receive all applications for city
business licenses. The administrative services director or designee shall cause an
investigation of the completed application to be made by the proper city officials and shall
grant or refuse to grant the license within 15 days of the date of receipt of the application
information, unless city permits are required based off the proposed use of the space for
which the application is being applied, in which case the application shall be granted or
refused within 120 days of the date of receipt of the application information. Applications
may be referred to the planning and development department, the fire department, or other
governmental agencies for their review. Compliance with building, zoning and other laws
is the business owner’s responsibility and issuance of a business license is not a guarantee
of compliance or a waiver of future enforcement by the city or other agency with
jurisdiction. If an application is refused, the reason for refusal shall be designated on the
application. The application fee shall not be refunded, except under the following
circumstances:
1. An applicant requests cancellation of a license application from the city within five
business days of submitting an application to the Business Licensing Service. [Ord. 4299
§ 10 (Exh. A), 2023; Ord. 4269 § 5, 2022; Ord. 4165 § 1 (Exh. A), 2019; Ord. 4135 § 1,
2018; Ord. 1139 § 1, 1965].
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Section 3. Section 4.72.040 of the Edmonds City Code, entitled “Fee – Terms – Penalty,”
is hereby amended to read as follows (new text is shown in underline; deleted text is shown in
strike-through):
4.72.040 Fee – Terms – Penalty.
A. Business licenses required to be obtained pursuant to this chapter expire on the date
established by the Business Licensing Service. The renewal application must be submitted
to the Business Licensing Service, and must contain all information that may be required
for all licenses being renewed, and the total fees due for all licenses being renewed, as well
as the handling fee required by RCW 19.02.075.
B. The annual amounts of fees for the city business licenses issued hereunder shall be as
follows:
1. The fee for an application for a new business license for any business that is not
a home occupation, as provided in ECDC 20.20.010, to be operated from any real
estate within the city of Edmonds shall be $125.00 186.87;
2. The fee for an application for a new business license for a new home occupation
business, as provided in ECDC 20.20.010, to be operated from any residential real
estate within the city of Edmonds shall be $100.00 149.50;
3. The fee for an application for a new business license for any other business
conducted for, under contract with or by providing services to any person within
the city, to be operated in locations outside the city limits, shall be $50.00 74.75;
and
4. The fee for an application for an annual renewal of a city business license shall
be $50.00 74.75 for any business operated within the city of Edmonds.
5. A nonprofit business license application shall be exempt from a license fee;
provided, that the business provides proof of tax exempt status under 26 USC
Section 501(c)(3).
6. The term and respective fee amount for a license may be prorated to
accommodate synchronizing of the city license expiration date with the business
license account expiration date established by the Business Licensing Service.
Section 4. Severability. If any section, subsection, clause, sentence, or phrase of this
ordinance should be held invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of
the remaining portions of this ordinance.
Section 5. Effective Date. This ordinance, being an exercise of a power specifically
delegated to the City legislative body, is not subject to referendum and shall take effect five (5)
days after passage and publication of an approved summary thereof consisting of the title.
ATTEST/ AUTHENTICATED:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY :
BY ~
JEFF T ARADAY -
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK:
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL :
PUBLISHED:
EFFECTIVE DA TE:
ORDINANCE NO.:
APPROVED:
#/4-
MAYOR MIKE ROSEN
September 18, 2025
September 23, 2025
September 26, 2025
October I, 2025
4408
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SUMMARY OF ORDINANCE NO. 4408
of the City of Edmonds, Washington
On the 23rd day of September, 2025, the City Council of the City of Edmonds, passed
Ordinance No. 4408. A summary of the content of said ordinance, consisting of the title,
provides as follows:
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS,
WASHINGTON, AMENDING CHAPTER 4.72 OF THE
EDMONDS CITY CODE RELATED TO THE CITY
BUSINESS LICENCE
The full text of this Ordinance will be mailed upon request.
DATED this 23rd day of September, 2025.
CITY CLERK, SCOTT PASSEY
Everett Daily Herald
Affidavit of Publication
State of Washington }
County of Snohomish } ss
Michael Gates being first duly sworn, upon
oath deposes and says: that he/she is the legal
representative of the Everett Daily Herald a
daily newspaper. The said newspaper is a legal
newspaper by order of the superior court in the
county in which it is published and is now and
has been for more than six months prior to the
date of the first publication of the Notice
hereinafter referred to, published in the English
language continually as a daily newspaper in
Snohomish County, Washington and is and
always has been printed in whole or part in the
Everett Daily Herald and is of general
circulation in said County, and is a legal
newspaper, in accordance with the Chapter 99
of the Laws of I 921, as amended by Chapter
213, Laws of 1941, and approved as a legal
newspaper by order of the Superior Court of
Snohomish County, State of Washington, by
order dated June 16, 1941, and that the annexed
is a true copy of EDH1020195 ORDINANCE NO.
4408 as it was published in the regular and
entire issue of said paper and not as a
supplement form thereof for a period of I
issue(s), such publication commencing on
09/26/2025 and ending on 09/26/2025 and that
said newspaper was regularly distributed to its
subscribers during all of said period.
The amount
$22.36.
publication is
Subscribed and sworn before me • on this
L-~ dayof s.ee~~
-Z..O'LS.
Notary Public in and for the State of
Washington.
City of Edmonds-LEGAL ADS I 14101416
SCOTT PASSEY
) '
Classified Proof
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