Heads up, Washington service pros
ESSB 5814 hits on October 1, 2025. Retail sales tax and the retailing B&O rate start applying to agencies, studios, dev shops, and consultants overnight.
🗑️🔥Washington New Tax Dumpster Fire Kit
Information Technology
Managed IT, help desk, backups, and troubleshooting shops fall here.
Advertising & Marketing
Strategy, social, creative, media buying, and influencer retainers count.
Custom Websites
Design sprints, headless builds, e-commerce launches, and maintenance retainers.
Custom Software
Custom tools, integrations, scoped builds, and software support agreements.
Architecture & Engineering
Architecture, engineering, and BIM teams layering in portals or AI extras.
Temporary Staffing
Temp staffing, agency markups, fractional benches, and contractor pools.
Security & Investigation
Guarding, investigations, armored transport, and security system ops.
Professional Services
Law, accounting, architecture, and consulting shops adding portals or AI.
Existing Contracts
Contracts signed before October 1, 2025 may qualify for transitional relief.
Before You Update Your Invoice Template…
Effective Date
October 1, 2025 – get systems ready before invoices go out.
What’s Changing
Retail sales tax plus retailing B&O classification now hits these services.
Contract Trap
Existing contracts may be grandfathered, but modifications can void the relief.
Source material: Washington Department of Revenue interim guidance statements for services affected by ESSB 5814 including IT services, advertising services, custom websites, custom software, live presentations, temporary staffing, investigation/security services, and contracts prior to October 1, 2025.
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Sales tax isn’t our specialty—your business is. We built this guide because so many C Street clients got blindsided. When you want a preparer who will stand between you and the IRS, Washington, or Oregon in an audit, and who understands self-employed, variable-income life in Vancouver, we’re your crew.
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