Auctioneer License Requirements in Washington
State registration. Washington requires state registration for both auctioneers and auction companies through the Department of Licensing.
What Online Auctioneers Need to Know
There is no explicit online exemption — the statute is silent on the sales medium — so the safe assumption is that registration applies to an online-only auction operation.
The Rules in Washington
Washington registers auctioneers and auction companies through the Department of Licensing under RCW chapter 18.11. The statute does not distinguish between live and online sales, so registration is the default assumption regardless of format.
RCW 18.11.130 requires a written contract, executed in duplicate, before the sale. Under RCW 18.11.230, proceeds must go into a trust account by the next business day unless the client is paid within 24 hours, and clients must be paid within 21 days unless a written agreement says otherwise. Auctioneers post a $5,000 bond; companies post $5,000 to $25,000 depending on size (RCW 18.11.121).
Requirements at a Glance
- State registration for auctioneers and auction companies (Dept. of Licensing, RCW ch. 18.11)
- Written contract in duplicate before the sale (RCW 18.11.130)
- Trust deposit by the next business day unless the client is paid within 24 hours (RCW 18.11.230)
- Pay the client within 21 days unless a written agreement says otherwise
- Bond: $5,000 for auctioneers; $5,000–$25,000 for companies (RCW 18.11.121)
Authority: Washington Department of Licensing. Statute: RCW ch. 18.11.
Not legal advice. Auction law changes — several states have amended their online-auction rules since 2019. Verify current requirements with the licensing authority above (or your city/county clerk) before your first sale, and have a local attorney review your consignment contract.
Licensed (or Exempt)? Here's the Rest of the Path
The license is usually the easy part. The business itself — platform affiliation, sourcing consignments, cataloging, settlement — is laid out in how to start an online auction business, and the earning math is in how much auctioneers make.