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Certified payroll

Washington certified payroll: how often, where to file, how long to keep

By the Public Works Desk Team · Last verified · How we check every number · Corrections

Source: Washington RCW 39.12.120 (retrieved 2026-11-13)

In Washington, every contractor, subcontractor or employer on a public works project files its certified payroll

with the Department of Labor and Industries at least once a month,

normally through L&I's online system.

Payroll records are kept for three years from the date the agency accepts the project.

  • State text quoted word for word
  • Checked November 13, 2026
A subcontractor's office manager hands a stack of weekly payroll sheets across the counter to the prime contractor's compliance coordinator in a rainy field office.

Washington at a glance

How oftenAt least once per month
Send toDept. of Labor & Industries (L&I)
System / formatL&I online system (or approved format)
Keep recordsYou keep: 3 years from project acceptance
If you don'tViolation of RCW 39.12.050

What the law says

“A contractor, subcontractor, or employer shall file a copy of its certified payroll records using

the department of labor and industries'

online system at least once per month.”

Washington RCW 39.12.120 · retrieved 2026-11-13

“shall keep accurate payroll records for three years from the date of acceptance of the public

works project by the contract awarding agency”

Washington RCW 39.12.120 · retrieved 2026-11-13

“it is the duty of the officer or person charged with the custody and disbursement of public funds

to require the contractor and each and every subcontractor from the contractor or a subcontractor

to submit to such officer a "Statement of Intent to Pay Prevailing Wages".”

Washington RCW 39.12.040 · retrieved 2026-11-13

“A contractor, subcontractor, or employer's noncompliance with this section constitutes a violation

of RCW 39.12.050”

Washington RCW 39.12.120 · retrieved 2026-11-13

Step by step

  1. File your Statement of Intent firstBefore the public body pays you, it must have your Statement of Intent to Pay Prevailing Wages, and every sub's.
  2. Enter payroll monthly in L&I's systemEvery month with work on the project needs a filing; many contractors file weekly to stay ahead.
  3. Include usual benefits per hourThe record shows straight and overtime rates and the hourly rate of usual benefits for each worker.
  4. Keep three years from acceptanceThe clock starts when the awarding agency accepts the project, not when your work ends.
Common mistakes
  • Sending payroll only to the awarding agency instead of L&I.
  • Starting the 3-year retention from your last day on site.
  • Missing the employee's daily and weekly hours, which the record must show.
Federal money on the job? Washington files At least once per month, sent to Dept. of Labor & Industries (L&I). Washington's 3 years and the federal floor look alike but start on different dates. On a federally funded job, keep payrolls for at least 3 years after all the work on the prime contract is completed (29 CFR 5.5(a)(3)), and keep whichever runs later. The weekly WH-347 goes in too.
Limits. Washington's filing and recordkeeping rules here are for state public works, quoted from the statutes cited below. They do not replace the weekly WH-347 or the federal 3-year retention period (29 CFR 5.5(a)(3)) on a Davis-Bacon job. Penalty language is quoted, not computed.

Related

Other states

Sources