What we do

Our role

As Washington state’s primary licensing and tax collection agency, the Department of Revenue oversees about 60 different taxes. We administer Washington State’s Business and Occupation, Public Utility, and Sales and Use taxes. We also administer Timber, Cigarette and Tobacco, Real Estate, Leasehold, Estate, and many other tax programs. We:

• Provide taxpayer assistance, information, and education to our approximately 486,000 businesses.
• Process $18.5 billion in revenues a year which includes all local sales and use tax and more than 90 percent of state General Fund tax revenues.
• Process over 523,000 business license applications and renewals annually.
• Coordinate with our 39 counties to administer property taxes.
• Develop and implement tax legislation.
• Conduct tax and fiscal research.
• Manage the state's Unclaimed Property Program.
• Locate unregistered businesses.

Current key legislation projects include Washington’s Working Families Tax Credit and Capital Gains tax.

Our organization

The Department of Revenue is headquartered in Tumwater, with public field offices in Bellingham, Bothell, Kent, Port Angeles, Richland, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Wenatchee, Vancouver, and Yakima. We have approximately 1,100 employees, including a wide variety of professions such as agents, analysts, appraisers, attorneys, auditors, examiners, foresters, information technology specialists, and support staff.

Revenue is recognized nationally for its leadership, innovation, compliance, and quality customer service.

Learn about other partner agencies and what they do.