wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 5815 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that, through the state's general fund, the state funds public schools, health care, and social services that help Washingtonians to succeed and thrive. These revenues help the state meet its paramount duty to amply provide every child in the state with an education, including children who qualify for special education services, creating the opportunity for each child to succeed in school and achieve success in life. Revenues generated by this act will support health care and other programs that protect the safety and well-being of the public including behavioral health services for those living with mental illness or substance use disorder, as well as supervision of individuals who have committed crimes. These revenues will also fund social services that provide critical, basic needs assistance for our state's most vulnerable residents including support for those with developmental disabilities and long-term care for the elderly. Furthermore, the legislature finds that the state's higher education system ensures Washington businesses are successful in recruiting the talent needed to grow their business and keep Washington's economy strong. Therefore, the intent of this act is to maintain and preserve essential services for Washingtonians, particularly within public schools and higher education, health care, and social services, by depositing revenues from this act into the general fund, with a portion of the revenues deposited into the workforce education investment account. Thus, to help meet the state's paramount duty of amply providing every child in the state with an education, supporting the health and well-being of Washingtonians, and continuing to invest in Washington's higher education system, the legislature intends to modify the business and occupation tax rates, surcharges, and caps and creating a temporary surcharge on large corporations with annual revenues more than $250,000,000.
Upon every person engaging within this state in business as an extractor, except persons taxable as an extractor under any other provision in this chapter; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the value of the products, including by-products, extracted for sale or for commercial or industrial use, multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
The measure of the tax is the value of the products, including by-products, so extracted, regardless of the place of sale or the fact that deliveries may be made to points outside the state.
Upon every person engaging within this state in business as a manufacturer, except persons taxable as manufacturers under other provisions of this chapter; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the value of the products, including by-products, manufactured, multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
The measure of the tax is the value of the products, including by-products, so manufactured regardless of the place of sale or the fact that deliveries may be made to points outside the state.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of making sales at retail, except persons taxable as retailers under other provisions of this chapter, as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the gross proceeds of sales of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of making sales at retail that are exempt from the tax imposed under chapter 82.08 RCW by reason of RCW 82.08.0261, 82.08.0262, or 82.08.0263, except persons taxable under RCW 82.04.260(11) or subsection (3) of this section, as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the gross proceeds of sales of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
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Until July 1, 2040, upon every person classified by the federal aviation administration as a federal aviation regulation part 145 certificated repair station and that is engaging within this state in the business of making sales at retail that are exempt from the tax imposed under chapter 82.08 RCW by reason of RCW 82.08.0261, 82.08.0262, or 82.08.0263, as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the gross proceeds of sales of the business, multiplied by the rate of .2904 percent.
A person reporting under the tax rate provided in this subsection (3) must file a complete annual report with the department under RCW 82.32.534.
Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of making sales at retail or wholesale of digital goods, digital codes, digital automated services, or services described in RCW 82.04.050 (2)(g) or (6)(c), as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the gross proceeds of sales of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent in the case of retail sales and by the rate of 0.5 percent in the case of wholesale sales.
Persons providing subscription television services or subscription radio services are subject to tax under RCW 82.04.290(2) on the gross income of the business received from providing such services.
For purposes of this section, a person is considered to be engaging within this state in the business of making sales of digital goods, digital codes, digital automated services, or services described in RCW 82.04.050 (2)(g) or (6)(c), if the person makes sales of digital goods, digital codes, digital automated services, or services described in RCW 82.04.050 (2)(g) or (6)(c) and the sales are sourced to this state under RCW 82.32.730 for sales tax purposes or would have been sourced to this state under RCW 82.32.730 if the sale had been taxable under chapter 82.08 RCW.
A person subject to tax under this section is subject to the mandatory electronic filing and payment requirements in RCW 82.32.080.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of cleaning up for the United States, or its instrumentalities, radioactive waste and other by-products of weapons production and nuclear research and development; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
For the purposes of this chapter, "cleaning up radioactive waste and other by-products of weapons production and nuclear research and development" means:
The activities of handling, storing, treating, immobilizing, stabilizing, or disposing of radioactive waste, radioactive tank waste and capsules, nonradioactive hazardous solid and liquid wastes, or spent nuclear fuel;
Spent nuclear fuel conditioning;
Removal of contamination in soils and groundwater;
Decontamination and decommissioning of facilities; and
Services supporting the performance of cleanup. For the purposes of this subsection (2)(e), a service supports the performance of cleanup if it:
Is within the scope of work under a clean-up contract with the United States department of energy; or
Assists in the accomplishment of a requirement of a clean-up project undertaken by the United States department of energy under a subcontract entered into with the prime contractor or another subcontractor in furtherance of a clean-up contract between the United States department of energy and a prime contractor.
A service does not assist in the accomplishment of a requirement of a clean-up project undertaken by the United States department of energy if the same services are routinely provided to businesses not engaged in clean-up activities, except that the following services are always deemed to contribute to the accomplishment of a requirement of a clean-up project undertaken by the United States department of energy:
Information technology and computer support services;
Services rendered in respect to infrastructure; and
Security, safety, and health services.
The legislature intends that the examples provided in this subsection be used as a guideline when determining whether a service is "routinely provided to businesses not engaged in clean-up activities" as that phrase is used in subsection (3) of this section.
The radioactive waste clean-up classification does not apply to general accounting services but does apply to performance audits performed for persons cleaning up radioactive waste.
The radioactive waste clean-up classification does not apply to general legal services but does apply to those legal services that assist in the accomplishment of a requirement of a clean-up project undertaken by the United States department of energy. Thus, legal services provided to contest any local, state, or federal tax liability or to defend a company against a workers' compensation claim arising from a worksite injury do not qualify for the radioactive waste clean-up classification. But, legal services related to the resolution of a contractual dispute between the parties to a clean-up contract between the United States department of energy and a prime contractor do qualify.
General office janitorial services do not qualify for the radioactive waste clean-up classification, but the specialized cleaning of equipment exposed to radioactive waste does qualify.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of making sales at wholesale, except persons taxable as wholesalers under other provisions of this chapter; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the gross proceeds of sales of such business multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of: (a) Printing materials other than newspapers, and of publishing periodicals or magazines; (b) building, repairing or improving any street, place, road, highway, easement, right-of-way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle which is owned by a municipal corporation or political subdivision of the state or by the United States and which is used or to be used, primarily for foot or vehicular traffic including mass transportation vehicles of any kind and including any readjustment, reconstruction or relocation of the facilities of any public, private or cooperatively owned utility or railroad in the course of such building, repairing or improving, the cost of which readjustment, reconstruction, or relocation, is the responsibility of the public authority whose street, place, road, highway, easement, right-of-way, mass public transportation terminal or parking facility, bridge, tunnel, or trestle is being built, repaired or improved; (c) extracting for hire or processing for hire, except persons taxable as extractors for hire or processors for hire under another section of this chapter; (d) operating a cold storage warehouse or storage warehouse, but not including the rental of cold storage lockers; (e) representing and performing services for fire or casualty insurance companies as an independent resident managing general agent licensed under the provisions of chapter 48.17 RCW; (f) radio and television broadcasting, but excluding revenues from network, national, and regional advertising computed either: (i) As a standard deduction that the department must publish by rule by September 30, 2020, and by September 30th of every fifth year thereafter, based on the national average thereof as reported by the United States census bureau's economic census; or (ii) in lieu thereof by itemization by the individual broadcasting station, and excluding that portion of revenue represented by the out-of-state audience computed as a ratio to the broadcasting station's total audience as measured by the .5 millivolt/meter signal strength contour for AM radio, the one millivolt/meter or sixty dBu signal strength contour for FM radio, the twenty-eight dBu signal strength contour for television channels two through six, the thirty-six dBu signal strength contour for television channels seven through thirteen, and the forty-one dBu signal strength contour for television channels fourteen through sixty-nine with delivery by wire, satellite, or any other means, if any; (g) engaging in activities which bring a person within the definition of consumer contained in RCW 82.04.190(6); as to such persons, the amount of tax on such business is equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
For the purposes of this section, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Cold storage warehouse" means a storage warehouse used to store fresh and/or frozen perishable fruits or vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy products, or fowl, or any combination thereof, at a desired temperature to maintain the quality of the product for orderly marketing.
"Storage warehouse" means a building or structure, or any part thereof, in which goods, wares, or merchandise are received for storage for compensation, except field warehouses, fruit warehouses, fruit packing plants, warehouses licensed under chapter 22.09 RCW, public garages storing automobiles, railroad freight sheds, docks and wharves, and "self-storage" or "mini storage" facilities whereby customers have direct access to individual storage areas by separate entrance. "Storage warehouse" does not include a building or structure, or that part of such building or structure, in which an activity taxable under RCW 82.04.272 is conducted.
"Periodical or magazine" means a printed publication, other than a newspaper, issued regularly at stated intervals at least once every three months, including any supplement or special edition of the publication.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of operating contests of chance; as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to the business of operating contests of chance is equal to the gross income of the business derived from contests of chance multiplied by the rate of 1.8 percent.
An additional tax is imposed on those persons subject to tax in subsection (1) of this section. The amount of the additional tax with respect to the business of operating contests of chance is equal to the gross income of the business derived from contests of chance multiplied by the rate of 0.2 percent through June 30, 2024, and 0.26 percent thereafter. The money collected under this subsection (2) shall be deposited in the problem gambling account created in RCW 41.05.751. This subsection does not apply to businesses operating contests of chance when the gross income from the operation of contests of chance is less than $50,000 per year.
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For the purpose of this section, "contests of chance" means any contests, games, gaming schemes, or gaming devices, other than the state lottery as defined in RCW 67.70.010, in which the outcome depends in a material degree upon an element of chance, notwithstanding that skill of the contestants may also be a factor in the outcome. The term includes social card games, bingo, raffle, and punchboard games, and pull-tabs as defined in chapter 9.46 RCW.
The term does not include: (i) Race meet for the conduct of which a license must be secured from the Washington horse racing commission, (ii) "amusement game" as defined in RCW 9.46.0201, or (iii) any activity that is not subject to regulation by the gambling commission.
"Gross income of the business" does not include the monetary value or actual cost of any prizes that are awarded, amounts paid to players for winning wagers, accrual of prizes for progressive jackpot contests, or repayment of amounts used to seed guaranteed progressive jackpot prizes.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of providing qualifying international investment management services, as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the gross income or gross proceeds of sales of the business multiplied by a rate of 0.275 percent.
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Upon every person engaging within this state in any business activity other than or in addition to an activity taxed explicitly under another section in this chapter or subsection (1) or (3) of this section; as to such persons the amount of tax on account of such activities is equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of:
2.1 percent; or
1.5 percent for:
(A) Any person subject to the surcharge imposed under RCW 82.04.299;
(B) Any person whose gross income of the business subject to the tax imposed under this subsection (2), for the immediately preceding calendar year, was less than one million dollars, unless (I) the person is affiliated with one or more other persons, and (II) the aggregate gross income of the business subject to the tax imposed under this subsection (2) for all affiliated persons was greater than or equal to one million dollars for the immediately preceding calendar year; and
(C) Hospitals as defined in RCW 70.41.020, including any hospital that comes within the scope of chapter 71.12 RCW if the hospital is also licensed under chapter 70.41 RCW. This subsection (2)(a)(ii)(C) must not be construed as modifying RCW 82.04.260(10).
b. This subsection (2) includes, among others, and without limiting the scope hereof (whether or not title to materials used in the performance of such business passes to another by accession, confusion or other than by outright sale), persons engaged in the business of rendering any type of service which does not constitute a "sale at retail" or a "sale at wholesale." The value of advertising, demonstration, and promotional supplies and materials furnished to an agent by his or her principal or supplier to be used for informational, educational, and promotional purposes is not considered a part of the agent's remuneration or commission and is not subject to taxation under this section.
c. 14.3 percent of the revenues collected under (a)(i) of this subsection (2) must be deposited into the workforce education investment account created in RCW 43.79.195.
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i. To aid in the effective administration of this subsection (2), the department may require a person claiming to be subject to the tax rate under (a)(ii)(B) of this subsection (2) to identify all of the person's affiliates, including their department tax registration number or unified business identifier number, as may be applicable, or to certify that the person is not affiliated with any other person. Requests under this subsection (2)(d)(i) must be in writing and may be made electronically.
ii. If the department establishes, by clear, cogent, and convincing evidence, that a person, with intent to evade the additional taxes due under the tax rate in (a)(i) of this subsection (2), failed to provide the department with complete and accurate information in response to a written request under (d)(i) of this subsection (2) within thirty days of such request, the person is ineligible for the tax rate in (a)(ii) of this subsection (2) for the entire current calendar year and the following four calendar years. However, the department must waive the provisions of this subsection (2)(d)(ii) for any tax reporting period that the person is otherwise eligible for the tax rate in (a)(ii) of this subsection (2) if (A) the department has not previously determined that the person failed to fully comply with (d)(i) of this subsection (2), and (B) within thirty days of the notice of additional tax due as a result of the person's failure to fully comply with (d)(i) of this subsection (2) the department determines that the person has come into full compliance with (d)(i) of this subsection (2). This subsection (2)(d) applies only with respect to persons claiming entitlement to the tax rate solely by reason of (a)(ii)(B) of this subsection (2).
e. For the purposes of (a)(ii)(B) of this subsection (2), if a taxpayer is subject to the reconciliation provisions of RCW 82.04.462(4), and calculates gross income of the business subject to the tax imposed under this subsection (2) for the immediately preceding calendar year, or aggregate gross income of the business subject to the tax imposed under this subsection (2) for the immediately preceding calendar year for all affiliated persons, based on incomplete information, the taxpayer must correct the reporting for the current calendar year when complete information for the immediately preceding calendar year is available.
f. For purposes of this subsection (2), the definitions in this subsection (2)(f) apply:
i. "Affiliate" means a person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another person; and
ii. "Control" means the possession, directly or indirectly, of more than eighty percent of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting shares, by contract, or otherwise.
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Until July 1, 2040, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of performing aerospace product development for others, as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by a rate of 0.9 percent.
A person reporting under the tax rate provided in this subsection (3) must file a complete annual report with the department under RCW 82.32.534.
"Aerospace product development" has the meaning as provided in RCW 82.04.4461.
Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of providing child care for periods of less than twenty-four hours, the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the gross proceeds derived from such sales multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
Until January 1, 2035, this chapter does not apply to amounts received by a child care provider for the care and supervision for periods of less than 24 hours of children:
Under 13 years of age; or
Under 19 years of age who have a verified special need or are under court supervision as determined by the department of children, youth, and families under chapter 43.216 RCW.
The exemption under subsection (2) of this section applies only to persons primarily engaged in the business of providing child care.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of providing intensive inpatient or recovery house residential treatment services for chemical dependency, certified by the department of social and health services, for which payment from the United States or any instrumentality thereof or from the state of Washington or any municipal corporation or political subdivision thereof is received as compensation for or to support those services; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business shall be equal to the gross income from such services multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
If the persons described in subsection (1) of this section receive income from sources other than those described in subsection (1) of this section or provide services other than those named in subsection (1) of this section, that income and those services are subject to tax as otherwise provided in this chapter.
(1) Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of manufacturing:
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of manufacturing:
Wheat into flour, barley into pearl barley, soybeans into soybean oil, canola into canola oil, canola meal, or canola by-products, or sunflower seeds into sunflower oil; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the value of the flour, pearl barley, oil, canola meal, or canola by-product manufactured, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent;
Beginning July 1, 2035, seafood products that remain in a raw, raw frozen, or raw salted state at the completion of the manufacturing by that person; or selling manufactured seafood products that remain in a raw, raw frozen, or raw salted state at the completion of the manufacturing, to purchasers who transport in the ordinary course of business the goods out of this state; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the value of the products manufactured or the gross proceeds derived from such sales, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent. Sellers must keep and preserve records for the period required by RCW 82.32.070 establishing that the goods were transported by the purchaser in the ordinary course of business out of this state;
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Except as provided otherwise in (c)(iii) of this subsection, beginning July 1, 2035, until January 1, 2046, dairy products; or selling dairy products that the person has manufactured to purchasers who either transport in the ordinary course of business the goods out of state or purchasers who use such dairy products as an ingredient or component in the manufacturing of a dairy product; as to such persons the tax imposed is equal to the value of the products manufactured or the gross proceeds derived from such sales multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent. Sellers must keep and preserve records for the period required by RCW 82.32.070 establishing that the goods were transported by the purchaser in the ordinary course of business out of this state or sold to a manufacturer for use as an ingredient or component in the manufacturing of a dairy product.
For the purposes of this subsection (1)(c), "dairy products" means:
(A) Products, not including any cannabis-infused product, that as of September 20, 2001, are identified in 21 C.F.R., chapter 1, parts 131, 133, and 135, including by-products from the manufacturing of the dairy products, such as whey and casein; and
(B) Products comprised of not less than 70 percent dairy products that qualify under (c)(ii)(A) of this subsection, measured by weight or volume.
iii. The preferential tax rate provided to taxpayers under this subsection (1)(c) does not apply to sales of dairy products on or after July 1, 2023, where a dairy product is used by the purchaser as an ingredient or component in the manufacturing in Washington of a dairy product;
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i. Beginning July 1, 2035, fruits or vegetables by canning, preserving, freezing, processing, or dehydrating fresh fruits or vegetables, or selling at wholesale fruits or vegetables manufactured by the seller by canning, preserving, freezing, processing, or dehydrating fresh fruits or vegetables and sold to purchasers who transport in the ordinary course of business the goods out of this state; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the value of the products manufactured or the gross proceeds derived from such sales multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent. Sellers must keep and preserve records for the period required by RCW 82.32.070 establishing that the goods were transported by the purchaser in the ordinary course of business out of this state.
ii. For purposes of this subsection (1)(d), "fruits" and "vegetables" do not include cannabis, useable cannabis, or cannabis-infused products; and
e. Wood biomass fuel; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to the business is equal to the value of wood biomass fuel manufactured, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent. For the purposes of this section, "wood biomass fuel" means a liquid or gaseous fuel that is produced from lignocellulosic feedstocks, including wood, forest, or field residue and dedicated energy crops, and that does not include wood treated with chemical preservations such as creosote, pentachlorophenol, or copper-chrome-arsenic.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of splitting or processing dried peas; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the value of the peas split or processed, multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent.
Upon every nonprofit corporation and nonprofit association engaging within this state in research and development, as to such corporations and associations, the amount of tax with respect to such activities is equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of slaughtering, breaking and/or processing perishable meat products and/or selling the same at wholesale only and not at retail; as to such persons the tax imposed is equal to the gross proceeds derived from such sales multiplied by the rate of 0.138 percent.
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Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of acting as a travel agent or tour operator and whose annual taxable amount for the prior calendar year from such business was $250,000 or less; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to such activities is equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.275 percent.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of acting as a travel agent or tour operator and whose annual taxable amount for the prior calendar year from such business was more than $250,000; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to such activities is equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.275 percent through June 30, 2019, and 0.9 percent beginning July 1, 2019.
Upon every person engaging within this state in business as an international steamship agent, international customs house broker, international freight forwarder, vessel and/or cargo charter broker in foreign commerce, and/or international air cargo agent; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to only international activities is equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.275 percent.
Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of stevedoring and associated activities pertinent to the movement of goods and commodities in waterborne interstate or foreign commerce; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business is equal to the gross proceeds derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.275 percent. Persons subject to taxation under this subsection are exempt from payment of taxes imposed by chapter 82.16 RCW for that portion of their business subject to taxation under this subsection. Stevedoring and associated activities pertinent to the conduct of goods and commodities in waterborne interstate or foreign commerce are defined as all activities of a labor, service or transportation nature whereby cargo may be loaded or unloaded to or from vessels or barges, passing over, onto or under a wharf, pier, or similar structure; cargo may be moved to a warehouse or similar holding or storage yard or area to await further movement in import or export or may move to a consolidation freight station and be stuffed, unstuffed, containerized, separated or otherwise segregated or aggregated for delivery or loaded on any mode of transportation for delivery to its consignee. Specific activities included in this definition are: Wharfage, handling, loading, unloading, moving of cargo to a convenient place of delivery to the consignee or a convenient place for further movement to export mode; documentation services in connection with the receipt, delivery, checking, care, custody and control of cargo required in the transfer of cargo; imported automobile handling prior to delivery to consignee; terminal stevedoring and incidental vessel services, including but not limited to plugging and unplugging refrigerator service to containers, trailers, and other refrigerated cargo receptacles, and securing ship hatch covers.
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Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of disposing of low-level waste, as defined in RCW 70A.380.010; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to such business is equal to the gross income of the business, excluding any fees imposed under chapter 70A.384 RCW, multiplied by the rate of 3.3 percent.
If the gross income of the taxpayer is attributable to activities both within and without this state, the gross income attributable to this state must be determined in accordance with the methods of apportionment required under RCW 82.04.460.
Upon every person engaging within this state as an insurance producer or title insurance agent licensed under chapter 48.17 RCW or a surplus line broker licensed under chapter 48.15 RCW; as to such persons, the amount of the tax with respect to such licensed activities is equal to the gross income of such business multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
Upon every person engaging within this state in business as a hospital, as defined in chapter 70.41 RCW, that is operated as a nonprofit corporation or by the state or any of its political subdivisions, as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such activities is equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 0.75 percent through June 30, 1995, and 1.5 percent thereafter.
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Beginning October 1, 2005, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of manufacturing commercial airplanes, or components of such airplanes, or making sales, at retail or wholesale, of commercial airplanes or components of such airplanes, manufactured by the seller, as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business is, in the case of manufacturers, equal to the value of the product manufactured and the gross proceeds of sales of the product manufactured, or in the case of processors for hire, equal to the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of:
0.4235 percent from October 1, 2005, through June 30, 2007;
0.2904 percent beginning July 1, 2007, through March 31, 2020; and
iii.(A) Beginning April 1, 2020, through December 31, 2026, 0.484 percent, subject to any reduction required under (e) of this subsection (11). The tax rate in this subsection (11)(a)(iii) applies to all business activities described in this subsection (11)(a).
(B) Beginning January 1, 2027, 0.5 percent, subject to any reduction required under (e) of this subsection (11). The tax rate in this subsection (11)(a)(iii) applies to all business activities described in this subsection (11)(a).
b. Beginning July 1, 2008, upon every person who is not eligible to report under the provisions of (a) of this subsection (11) and is engaging within this state in the business of manufacturing tooling specifically designed for use in manufacturing commercial airplanes or components of such airplanes, or making sales, at retail or wholesale, of such tooling manufactured by the seller, as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to such business is, in the case of manufacturers, equal to the value of the product manufactured and the gross proceeds of sales of the product manufactured, or in the case of processors for hire, be equal to the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of:
i. 0.2904 percent through March 31, 2020;
ii. Beginning April 1, 2020, the following rates, which are subject to any reduction required under (e) of this subsection (11):
(A) The rate under RCW 82.04.250(1) on the business of making retail sales of tooling specifically designed for use in manufacturing commercial airplanes or components of such airplanes; and
(B) 0.484 percent on all other business activities described in this subsection (11)(b); and
iii. Beginning January 1, 2027, the following rates, which are subject to any reduction required under (e) of this subsection (11):
(A) The rate under RCW 82.04.250(1) on the business of making retail sales of tooling specifically designed for use in manufacturing commercial airplanes or components of such airplanes; and
(B) 0.5 percent on all other business activities described in this subsection (11)(b).
c. For the purposes of this subsection (11), "commercial airplane" and "component" have the same meanings as provided in RCW 82.32.550.
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i. In addition to all other requirements under this title, a person reporting under the tax rate provided in this subsection (11) must file a complete annual tax performance report with the department under RCW 82.32.534. However, this requirement does not apply to persons reporting under the tax rate in (a)(iii) of this subsection (11), so long as that rate remains 0.5 percent, or under any of the tax rates in (b)(ii)(A) and (B) of this subsection (11), so long as those tax rates remain the rate imposed pursuant to RCW 82.04.250(1) and 0.484 percent, respectively.
ii. Nothing in (d)(i) of this subsection (11) may be construed as affecting the obligation of a person reporting under a tax rate provided in this subsection (11) to file a complete annual tax performance report with the department under RCW 82.32.534: (A) Pursuant to another provision of this title as a result of claiming a tax credit or exemption; or (B) pursuant to (d)(i) of this subsection (11) as a result of claiming the tax rates in (a)(ii) or (b)(i) of this subsection (11) for periods ending before April 1, 2020.
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i. After March 31, 2021, the tax rates under (a)(iii) and (b)(ii) of this subsection (11) must be reduced to 0.357 percent provided the conditions in RCW 82.04.2602 are met. The effective date of the rates authorized under this subsection (11)(e) must occur on the first day of the next calendar quarter that is at least 60 days after the department receives the last of the two written notices pursuant to RCW 82.04.2602 (3) and (4).
ii. Both a significant commercial airplane manufacturer separately and the rest of the aerospace industry as a whole, receiving the rate of 0.357 percent under this subsection (11)(e) are subject to the aerospace apprenticeship utilization rates required under RCW 49.04.220 by April 1, 2026, or five years after the effective date of the 0.357 percent rate authorized under this subsection (11)(e), whichever is later, as determined by the department of labor and industries.
iii. The provisions of RCW 82.32.805 and 82.32.808 do not apply to this subsection (11)(e).
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i. Except as provided in (f)(ii) of this subsection (11), this subsection (11) does not apply on and after July 1, 2040.
ii. With respect to the manufacturing of commercial airplanes or making sales, at retail or wholesale, of commercial airplanes, this subsection (11) does not apply on and after July 1st of the year in which the department makes a determination that any final assembly or wing assembly of any version or variant of a commercial airplane that is the basis of a siting of a significant commercial airplane manufacturing program in the state under RCW 82.32.850 has been sited outside the state of Washington. This subsection (11)(f)(ii) only applies to the manufacturing or sale of commercial airplanes that are the basis of a siting of a significant commercial airplane manufacturing program in the state under RCW 82.32.850. This subsection (11)(f)(ii) continues to apply during the time that a person is subject to the tax rate in (a)(iii) of this subsection (11).
g. For the purposes of this subsection, "a significant commercial airplane manufacturer" means a manufacturer of commercial airplanes with at least 50,000 full-time employees in Washington as of January 1, 2021.
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Until July 1, 2045, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of extracting timber or extracting for hire timber; as to such persons the amount of tax with respect to the business is, in the case of extractors, equal to the value of products, including by-products, extracted, or in the case of extractors for hire, equal to the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.4235 percent from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, and 0.2904 percent from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2045.
Until July 1, 2045, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of manufacturing or processing for hire: (i) Timber into timber products or wood products; (ii) timber products into other timber products or wood products; or (iii) products defined in RCW 19.27.570(1); as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to the business is, in the case of manufacturers, equal to the value of products, including by-products, manufactured, or in the case of processors for hire, equal to the gross income of the business, multiplied by the rate of 0.4235 percent from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, and 0.2904 percent from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2045.
Until July 1, 2045, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of selling at wholesale: (i) Timber extracted by that person; (ii) timber products manufactured by that person from timber or other timber products; (iii) wood products manufactured by that person from timber or timber products; or (iv) products defined in RCW 19.27.570(1) manufactured by that person; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to the business is equal to the gross proceeds of sales of the timber, timber products, wood products, or products defined in RCW 19.27.570(1) multiplied by the rate of 0.4235 percent from July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007, and 0.2904 percent from July 1, 2007, through June 30, 2045.
Until July 1, 2045, upon every person engaging within this state in the business of selling standing timber; as to such persons the amount of the tax with respect to the business is equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 0.2904 percent. For purposes of this subsection (12)(d), "selling standing timber" means the sale of timber apart from the land, where the buyer is required to sever the timber within 30 months from the date of the original contract, regardless of the method of payment for the timber and whether title to the timber transfers before, upon, or after severance.
For purposes of this subsection, the following definitions apply:
"Biocomposite surface products" means surface material products containing, by weight or volume, more than 50 percent recycled paper and that also use nonpetroleum‑based phenolic resin as a bonding agent.
"Paper and paper products" means products made of interwoven cellulosic fibers held together largely by hydrogen bonding. "Paper and paper products" includes newsprint; office, printing, fine, and pressure-sensitive papers; paper napkins, towels, and toilet tissue; kraft bag, construction, and other kraft industrial papers; paperboard, liquid packaging containers, containerboard, corrugated, and solid-fiber containers including linerboard and corrugated medium; and related types of cellulosic products containing primarily, by weight or volume, cellulosic materials. "Paper and paper products" does not include books, newspapers, magazines, periodicals, and other printed publications, advertising materials, calendars, and similar types of printed materials.
"Recycled paper" means paper and paper products having 50 percent or more of their fiber content that comes from postconsumer waste. For purposes of this subsection (12)(e)(iii), "postconsumer waste" means a finished material that would normally be disposed of as solid waste, having completed its life cycle as a consumer item.
"Timber" means forest trees, standing or down, on privately or publicly owned land. "Timber" does not include Christmas trees that are cultivated by agricultural methods or short-rotation hardwoods as defined in RCW 84.33.035.
"Timber products" means:
(A) Logs, wood chips, sawdust, wood waste, and similar products obtained wholly from the processing of timber, short-rotation hardwoods as defined in RCW 84.33.035, or both;
(B) Pulp, including market pulp and pulp derived from recovered paper or paper products; and
(C) Recycled paper, but only when used in the manufacture of biocomposite surface products.
vi. "Wood products" means paper and paper products; dimensional lumber; engineered wood products such as particleboard, oriented strand board, medium density fiberboard, and plywood; wood doors; wood windows; and biocomposite surface products.
f. Except for small harvesters as defined in RCW 84.33.035, a person reporting under the tax rate provided in this subsection (12) must file a complete annual tax performance report with the department under RCW 82.32.534.
g. Nothing in this subsection (12) may be construed to affect the taxation of any activity defined as a retail sale in RCW 82.04.050(2) (b) or (c), defined as a wholesale sale in RCW 82.04.060(2), or taxed under RCW 82.04.280(1)(g).
Upon every person engaging within this state in inspecting, testing, labeling, and storing canned salmon owned by another person, as to such persons, the amount of tax with respect to such activities is equal to the gross income derived from such activities multiplied by the rate of 0.5 percent.
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Upon every person engaging within this state in the business of printing a newspaper, publishing a newspaper, or both, the amount of tax on such business is equal to the gross income of the business multiplied by the rate of 0.35 percent until July 1, 2024, and 0.5 percent thereafter.
A person reporting under the tax rate provided in this subsection (14) must file a complete annual tax performance report with the department under RCW 82.32.534.
Beginning January 1, 2026, in addition to all other taxes imposed under this chapter, persons must pay a surcharge on Washington taxable income over $250,000,000 in a calendar year.
The rate of the tax is 0.5 percent of the amount of Washington taxable income over $250,000,000.
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Any Washington taxable income subject to the tax in RCW 82.04.29004 is exempt from the surcharge imposed in this section.
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Any Washington taxable income subject to the manufacturing tax rates in RCW 82.04.240, 82.04.2404, 82.04.241, 82.04.260, 82.04.2602, 82.04.287, 82.04.2909, or 82.04.294(1) is exempt from the surcharge imposed in this section.
Any Washington taxable income attributable to the wholesale or retail sale of products so manufactured by a person subject to the manufacturing tax rates specified in (b)(i) of this subsection (3) is exempt from the surcharge imposed in this section.
Any Washington taxable income attributable to retail sales that are exempt from the imposition of sales tax in RCW 82.08.0293, 82.08.0297, and 82.08.0281 is exempt from the surcharge imposed in this section.
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The surcharge imposed under this section does not apply to taxable income for which a credit is allowed under RCW 82.04.440.
The surcharge imposed under this section does not apply to a person engaged in business primarily as a farmer or eligible apiarist as defined in RCW 82.04.213.
Any income that is exempt from the surcharge imposed under this section is not included in the calculation of Washington taxable income in subsection (1) of this section.
This section expires December 31, 2030.
(a) From January 1, 2020, through September 30, 2025, in addition to any other taxes imposed under this chapter, an additional tax is imposed on specified financial institutions. The additional tax is equal to the gross income of the business taxable under RCW 82.04.290(2) multiplied by the rate of 1.2 percent.
The definitions in this subsection apply throughout this section unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
"Affiliated" means a person that directly or indirectly, through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with another person. For purposes of this subsection (2)(a), "control" means the possession, directly or indirectly, of more than 50 percent of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting shares, by contract, or otherwise.
"Consolidated financial institution group" means all financial institutions that are affiliated with each other.
"Consolidated financial statement" means a consolidated financial institution group's consolidated reports of condition and income filed with the federal financial institutions examination council, or successor agency.
"Financial institution" means:
Any corporation or other business entity chartered under Titles 30A, 30B, 31, 32, and 33 RCW, or registered under the federal bank holding company act of 1956, as amended, or registered as a savings and loan holding company under the federal national housing act, as amended;
A national bank organized and existing as a national bank association pursuant to the provisions of the national bank act, 12 U.S.C. Sec. 21 et seq.;
A savings association or federal savings bank as defined in the federal deposit insurance act, 12 U.S.C. Sec. 1813(b)(1);
Any bank or thrift institution incorporated or organized under the laws of any state;
Any corporation organized under the provisions of 12 U.S.C. Sec. 611 through 631;
Any agency or branch of a foreign depository as defined in 12 U.S.C. Sec. 3101 that is not exempt under RCW 82.04.315;
A production credit association organized under the federal farm credit act of 1933, all of whose stock held by the federal production credit corporation has been retired;
Any corporation or other business entity who receives gross income taxable under RCW 82.04.290, and whose voting interests are more than 50 percent owned, directly or indirectly, by any person or business entity described in (d)(i) through (vii) of this subsection other than an insurance company liable for the insurance premiums tax under RCW 48.14.020 or any other company taxable under chapter 48.14 RCW;
ix.(A) A corporation or other business entity that receives more than 50 percent of its total gross income for federal income tax purposes from finance leases. For purposes of this subsection, a "finance lease" means a lease that meets two requirements:
(I) It is the type of lease permitted to be made by national banks (see 12 U.S.C. Sec. 24(7) and (10), comptroller of the currency regulations, part 23, leasing (added by 56 C.F.R. Sec. 28314, June 20, 1991, effective July 22, 1991), and regulation Y of the federal reserve system 12 C.F.R. Part 225.25, as amended); and
(II) It is the economic equivalent of an extension of credit, i.e., the lease is treated by the lessor as a loan for federal income tax purposes. In no event does a lease qualify as an extension of credit where the lessor takes depreciation on such property for federal income tax purposes.
(B) For this classification to apply, the average of the gross income in the current tax year and immediately preceding two tax years must satisfy the more than 50 percent requirement;
x. Any other person or business entity, other than an insurance general agent taxable under RCW 82.04.280(1)(e), an insurance business exempt from the business and occupation tax under RCW 82.04.320, a real estate broker taxable under RCW 82.04.255, a securities dealer or international investment management company taxable under RCW 82.04.290(2), that receives more than 50 percent of its gross receipts from activities that a person described in (d)(ii) through (vii) and (ix) of this subsection is authorized to transact.
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i. "Specified financial institution" means a financial institution that is a member of a consolidated financial institution group that reported on its consolidated financial statement for the previous calendar year annual net income of at least $1,000,000,000, not including net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, as the terms "net income" and "noncontrolling interest" are used in the consolidated financial statement.
ii. If financial institutions are no longer required to file consolidated financial statements, "specified financial institution" means any person that was subject to the additional tax in this section in at least two of the previous four calendar years.
The department must notify the fiscal committees of the legislature if financial institutions are no longer required to file consolidated financial statements.
To aid in the effective administration of the additional tax imposed in this section, the department may require a person believed to be a specified financial institution to disclose whether it is a member of a consolidated financial institution group and, if so, to identify all other members of its consolidated financial institution group. A person failing to comply with this subsection is deemed to have intended to evade tax payable under this section and is subject to the penalty in RCW 82.32.090(7) on any tax due under this section by the person and any financial institution affiliated with the person.
Taxes collected under this section must be deposited into the general fund.
(1)(a) Beginning with business activities occurring on or after April 1, 2020, in addition to the taxes imposed under RCW 82.04.290(2), a workforce education investment surcharge is imposed on select advanced computing businesses. The
The legislature finds that the decision of the state supreme court in Antio, LLC v. Department of Revenue could lead to uncertainty insofar as it affirms that the business and occupation tax deduction provided in RCW 82.04.4281 for the investment income of persons is only applicable if such income is from investments that are incidental to the main purpose of a person's business, without providing a bright line rule for what constitutes incidental to the main purpose of the person's business. The legislature intends, by adopting this revision of the statute, to avoid uncertainty and provide clarity around what incidental to the main purpose of the business means and, by extension, what income qualifies for the business and occupation tax deduction provided in RCW 82.04.4281 for investment income.
The legislature also intends to make it clear that amounts received by individuals from personal investments are generally not considered amounts received from engaging in business and therefore are not subject to the business and occupation tax. To that end, the legislature directs the department of revenue to provide guidance on what constitutes income from personal investments that are not considered engaging in business and thus not subject to the business and occupation tax.
The legislature further intends to make it clear that nondeductible investment income is subject to the service and other activities business and occupation tax classification and should be apportioned in accordance with RCW 82.04.462.
In computing tax under this chapter, a person may deduct the following from the measure of tax:
Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, amounts derived from investmentsthat are incidental to the main purpose of the person's business. Investments are incidental to the main purpose of the person's business if the total worldwide gross income derived from such investments is less than five percent of the person's total worldwide gross income of the business annually.
Amounts derived as dividends or distributions from the capital account by a parent from its subsidiary entities.
Amounts derived from interest on loans between subsidiary entities and a parent entity or between subsidiaries of a common parent entity, but only if the total investment and loan income is less than five percent of gross receipts of the business annually.
The following are not deductible under either subsection (1)(a) or (3) of this section, or both:
Amounts received from loans, except as provided in subsection (1)(c) of this section, or the extension of credit to another, revolving credit arrangements, installment sales, the acceptance of payment over time for goods or services, or any of the foregoing that have been transferred by the originator of the same to an affiliate of the transferor; or
Amounts received by a banking, lending, or security business.
Except as provided in subsections (2) and (4) of this section, in computing tax under this chapter, the following persons may deduct from the measure of the tax amounts derived from such person's investments regardless of whether the investments are incidental to the main purpose of the person's business:
Nonprofit organizations; and
Collective investment vehicles.
The following are not deductible under subsection (3)(b) of this section:
Amounts derived from investments of persons who are invested in a collective investment vehicle but not themselves a collective investment vehicle;
Amounts received by persons as compensation for services rendered to either the collective investment vehicle or the collective investment vehicle's investors, or both;
Amounts derived from sources other than investments by a collective investment vehicle; or
Amounts derived from factoring.
The department must, consistent with the purpose of this section, adopt rules necessary to implement this section including, but not limited to, rules that provide examples of investment income from personal investments that is not eligible for a deduction under this section by virtue of it not being income from engaging in business and thus not taxable under this chapter. Such rule making must also include examples of the tax treatment of investment income received by persons making certain investments through different types of collective investment vehicles.
The definitions in this subsection apply only to this section.
"Banking business" means a person engaging in business as a national or state-chartered bank, a mutual savings bank, a savings and loan association, a trust company, an alien bank, a foreign bank, a credit union, a stock savings bank, or a similar entity that is chartered under Title 30, 31, 32, or 33 RCW, or organized under Title 12 U.S.C.
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(A) The person's total gross income derived from its investments is at least 90 percent of the person's total worldwide gross income of the business annually;
(B) The person holds title to passive investment assets for the benefit of the person's investors and the investment decisions are made by another person who serves as the collective investment vehicle's manager or advisor; and
(C) The person accepts unrelated persons as its investors.
ii. A collective investment vehicle may take the form of a mutual fund, collective fund, and any similar investment vehicle whether structured as a limited or general partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust, or otherwise.
c. "Investments" includes, but is not limited to, securities, trading account assets, federal funds, options, futures contracts, forward contracts, notional principal contracts, equities, foreign currency transactions, fixed income instruments, derivative instruments, and commodities.
d. "Lending business" means a person engaged in the business of making secured or unsecured loans of money, or extending credit, and (i) more than one-half of the person's gross income is earned from such activities and (ii) more than one-half of the person's total expenditures are incurred in support of such activities.
e. The terms "loan" and "extension of credit" do not include ownership of or trading in publicly traded debt instruments, or substantially equivalent instruments offered in a private placement.
f. "Nonprofit organization" has the same meaning as in RCW 82.04.3651.
g. "Security business" means a person, other than an issuer, who is engaged in the business of effecting transactions in securities as a broker, dealer, or broker-dealer, as those terms are defined in the securities act of Washington, chapter 21.20 RCW, or the federal securities act of 1933. "Security business" does not include any company excluded from the definition of broker or dealer under the federal investment company act of 1940 or any entity that is not an investment company by reason of sections 3(c)(1) and 3(c)(3) through 3(c)(14) thereof.
RCW 82.32.805 and 82.32.808 do not apply to this act.
If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
This act is necessary for the support of the state government and its existing public institutions.
Sections 101 through 108 and 110 through 112 of this act take effect January 1, 2027.
Section 113 of this act takes effect January 1, 2034.
Section 112 of this act expires January 1, 2034.
Sections 201, 301, 401, and 402 of this act take effect January 1, 2026.
Sections 109 and 202 of this act take effect October 1, 2025.