It is important that you make sure that your business is up to date on its state tax liability soon – or have made arrangements with the Department of Revenue.

During the pandemic, the Washington State Department of Revenue paused much of its tax enforcement collection activities on delinquent accounts in recognition that many businesses were struggling with the forced shutdowns. DOR repurposed its collection outreach efforts to focus on educating businesses on available options for assistance. One of the centerpieces in that outreach has been the expansion of flexible payment plans available to businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic. These include payment plans for extended durations with low monthly payments, no interest, and no penalties. In September of 2020, an online self-serve payment plan option was made available to businesses with delinquent taxes, allowing them to enter into extended payment plans without the need to interact with a revenue agent.

Many businesses have taken advantage of these relief efforts – however, a significant number of businesses have been unresponsive regarding outstanding taxes owed. The longer you are out of compliance, the amount of collected sales tax owed to the state grows and this revenue becomes increasingly difficult to collect. With restrictions lifting in Washington and around the country, now is the time to contact the Department of Revenue.