WeeklyCertified / State rules / Certified Payroll in Washington: L&I Intents, Affidavits, and Monthly Filing
Certified Payroll in Washington: L&I Intents, Affidavits, and Monthly Filing
What are the certified payroll rules in Washington?
Washington requires prevailing wages on all public works with no minimum dollar amount. Contractors file a Statement of Intent before work, weekly certified payroll records submitted online to L&I at least monthly, and an Affidavit of Wages Paid at completion. A federal WH-347 alone does not satisfy the state requirement.
Washington wraps certified payroll in a three-part system: an intent filed before work starts, payroll records filed online at least monthly, and an affidavit at the end. All three run through Labor and Industries' online system, and final payment waits on the affidavit.
The rules at a glance
| State law | Prevailing Wages on Public Works Act, Chapter 39.12 RCW |
| Threshold | None; all public works and maintenance contracts are covered |
| Form / format | Weekly certified payroll records filed online (plus the Statement of Intent to Pay Prevailing Wages and the Affidavit of Wages Paid) |
| Where it goes | L&I Prevailing Wage Intent and Affidavit (PWIA) system via My L&I (link) |
| How often | Records kept weekly, filed at least monthly |
| Records kept | 3 years from acceptance of project completion |
| Who administers it | Washington Department of Labor and Industries, Prevailing Wage Section |
Does the federal WH-347 work in Washington?
No. The state filing must go through L&I's online system under RCW 39.12.120, so WH-347 alone does not satisfy Washington's requirement. WH-347 still applies to federally funded projects.
Penalties
Underpayment brings a civil penalty of at least $1,000 or 20 percent of the violation, whichever is greater; repeat violations bring one- to two-year debarment.
Federal jobs in Washington still mean WH-347
State rules govern state-funded work. The moment a project is federally funded or assisted, the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts apply and the weekly WH-347 with its Statement of Compliance is the filing, regardless of what Washington requires on its own jobs. Many contractors run both systems side by side on different projects, which is exactly why knowing which regime a given contract sits under is week-zero work (see the first-job checklist).
The free WeeklyCertified generator prepares the federal form with your wage determination's rates pulled live and the fringe and overtime math done to the cent.
Questions
Does the federal WH-347 satisfy Washington requirements?
No. The state filing must go through L&I's online system under RCW 39.12.120, so WH-347 alone does not satisfy Washington's requirement. WH-347 still applies to federally funded projects.
How often is certified payroll due in Washington?
Records kept weekly, filed at least monthly. Records: kept 3 years from acceptance of project completion.
Who enforces prevailing wage in Washington?
Washington Department of Labor and Industries, Prevailing Wage Section. Underpayment brings a civil penalty of at least $1,000 or 20 percent of the violation, whichever is greater; repeat violations bring one- to two-year debarment.