What can a handyman do in Lacey, WA?
Washington's small-job figure is $500. The exact wording below decides whether a job fits.
RCW 18.27.090(9): exempt is work on one undertaking/project 'the aggregate contract price of which for labor and materials and all other items is less than five hundred dollars' - i.e., UNDER $500 (not 'at or below'). The exemption is lost if the work is part of a larger operation, if a job is split into sub-$500 contracts to evade, or if the person advertises or puts out any sign/card indicating to the public that he or she is a contractor.
What counts toward it: labor+materials
"Any work or operation on one undertaking or project by one or more contracts, the aggregate contract price of which for labor and materials and all other items is less than five hundred dollars, such work or operations being considered as of a casual, minor, or inconsequential nature."
Source: app.leg.wa.gov · checked November 2, 2026
What Lacey adds
Lacey license required for businesses located in Lacey; non-resident businesses only if Lacey gross receipts > $10,000/yr. Apply as a City of Lacey endorsement in MyDOR; fee $0-$25 initial, $0-$10 renewal.
Source link: cityoflacey.org · dor.wa.gov · checked November 2, 2026
Local business license
Required
- Name: City of Lacey business license (endorsement via WA DOR BLS / MyDOR)
- Office: City of Lacey Finance Department; applied through DOR Business Licensing Service
- Fee: $0-$25 initial; $0-$10 renewal
"If your business is physically located outside city limits, but conducts business within city limits, a non-resident license is required. NEW: As of January 1, 2026, non-residents businesses only need a license if their gross receipts in Lacey exceed $10,000 annually."
Source: cityoflacey.org · checked November 2, 2026
Local contractor or handyman license
None found on official sources
"No city/county contractor or handyman license found on the official licensing pages checked; WA contractor registration is state-level (L&I, RCW 18.27). Building permits still apply."
Source: lni.wa.gov · checked November 2, 2026
Jobs a handyman usually takes
Examples of everyday jobs that stay inside a small-job rule when the whole job fits the wording above. This is an example list, not a legal one:
- Mounting TVs, shelves, mirrors and pictures
- Assembling furniture and flat-pack cabinets
- Patching drywall and interior painting
- Caulking, weatherstripping and sealing
- Repairing doors, locks, screens and windows
- Basic carpentry, trim and small repairs
- Pressure washing and gutter cleaning
Trade work in Washington
State-level via L&I. Electrical (RCW 19.28.161): no person may engage in the electrical construction trade without a master/journey level or (master) specialty electrician certificate of competency (specialties include residential, appliance repair, limited energy, etc.); electrical contractors also need an electrical contractor license (not reviewed). Plumbing (RCW 18.106.020): no person may engage in or offer to engage in the trade of plumbing without a journey level, specialty, residential service, temporary permit or trainee certificate. HVAC: no standalone state HVAC license found
Source: app.leg.wa.gov · app.leg.wa.gov · checked November 2, 2026
When a permit changes the answer
The statutory $500 exemption text contains no permit condition; it is voided by being part of a larger operation, contract-splitting, or advertising as a contractor. Note the RCW 18.27.010 contractor definition covers a person who employs members of more than one trade 'under a single building permit'.
Source: app.leg.wa.gov · checked November 2, 2026
Nearby places
Rules change. This page shows what official sources said on the dates above. It is not legal advice, so confirm with the office named before you take the job.