Oakridge Business Loans, a small-business funding broker in Bellingham, WA, summarizes the City of Bellingham's business steps: registration as a Bellingham city endorsement on the Washington state business license through the Department of Revenue, and a city B&O return filed separately from state taxes. Applicability questions belong with an accountant or attorney.
| City registration | A Bellingham city endorsement on the state business license |
|---|---|
| Where to add it | The Department of Revenue's My DOR portal |
| How long it lasts | The city says one-time registration, valid for the life of the business |
| City B&O return | Filed separately from state taxes |
| City contact | Business Licensing Services, bls@cob.org, 360-778-8012 (cob.org) |
| Source | City of Bellingham pages, checked 2026-10-16 |
The city endorsement
According to the City of Bellingham, registration as a Bellingham business is done through the Washington State Department of Revenue rather than at a city counter. A new business first gets a Washington state business license and then adds a Bellingham "city endorsement" to it. A business that already holds a state license adds the endorsement through the department's My DOR portal (City of Bellingham, "Business license and registration" (cob.org, checked 2026-10-16)).
The city's page also says Bellingham's general business registration only needs to be done once and is valid for the life of the business (same source).
The city B&O tax
Bellingham levies its own business and occupation tax, separate from the state's. The city's tax page says Bellingham B&O returns must be filed separately from state taxes, and it lists three ways to file: the city's online filing system, paper forms mailed to the Finance Department, or delivery in person to the city (City of Bellingham, business and occupation tax page (cob.org, checked 2026-10-16)).
This is the point most often missed by owners who assume the state return covers everything: the state B&O return, filed with the Department of Revenue, and the Bellingham return, filed with the city, are two different filings.
State and city side by side
| Item | Washington State | City of Bellingham, WA |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | State business license, Business Licensing Service | City endorsement on the state license |
| Where | Department of Revenue | Added through the Department of Revenue's My DOR |
| B&O tax return | Filed with the Department of Revenue | Filed separately with the city |
| More detail | Washington license and B&O guide | City of Bellingham business pages (cob.org) |
Your checklist before seeking funding
- Confirm the state business license is active and note the UBI number.
- Confirm the Bellingham city endorsement appears on the license.
- Check that city B&O returns are filed and current, separately from state returns.
- Keep copies of recent returns; lenders may compare reported revenue with bank deposits.
- Note the city's Business Licensing Services contact for questions: bls@cob.org or 360-778-8012, as listed on the city's business services page.
Looking up and renewing
Owners also search for a City of Bellingham business license lookup and for renewal steps. Because the city endorsement sits on the state license, look-ups and renewals generally run through the state system; confirm the current process on the city and Department of Revenue pages.
Sales tax and Whatcom County, WA
Two related questions come up often: the sales tax rate in Bellingham, WA, and whether Whatcom County has its own business license. Rates change and depend on location, so check the Department of Revenue's current rate information rather than relying on a figure copied onto a third-party page. Businesses in unincorporated Whatcom County do not have a city endorsement to add; check county requirements.
Why lenders ask
Registration and tax filings are evidence that a business operates in the open and reports its revenue. Lenders commonly check them, and gaps can delay a request. The Bellingham, WA page has the local business picture, how a request works covers the funding steps, and the guide library has more.
By Oakridge Business Loans · Updated