Licenses and permits to open an importer or e-commerce seller in Bellevue

Opening an importer or e-commerce seller in Bellevue takes 8 filings with 6 agencies, starting with the LLC formation and ending with the City of Bellevue business license. The fixed government fees add up to about $119, 3 fees are set by the space or the business and 4 filings are free. Build-out, insurance and adviser costs are on top.

Updated October 21, 20268 filingsSources: the agencies' own sitesSources checked October 21, 2026

Fees and timelines at a glance

Selling imported goods online means customs registration and import paperwork before the first shipment lands.

Filing	Agency	Government fee	How long	Renews
LLC formation	Washington Secretary of State, Corporations	Varies	Not listed	Not listed
Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN)	Internal Revenue Service	Free	Fax: about 4 business days. Mail: about 4 to 5 weeks. Phone: issued on the call.	Not listed
Washington business license (state tax registration)	Washington Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service	Varies	About 10 business days; city or state endorsements can add another 2 to 3 weeks.	Every year, before the date printed on the license, when it carries endorsements.
Create/Update Importer Identity Form	U.S. Customs and Border Protection	Free	Up to 5 business days.	Not listed
Customs Bond	U.S. Customs and Border Protection	Varies	At least 5 business days for review.	Continuous bonds renew yearly.
ACE Secure Data Portal account for importers	U.S. Customs and Border Protection	Free	Not listed	Not listed
Product safety certificate, filed electronically at entry	U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission	Free	Not listed	Not listed
City of Bellevue business license	City of Bellevue Finance, Tax Division	$119	Not listed	Not listed

LLC formation

Washington Secretary of State, CorporationsWashington State

Form the company or register a foreign company online.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed online

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Internal Revenue ServiceUS federal

Owners with an SSN or ITIN apply online. A company whose responsible party has neither (most China-based owners) faxes or mails Form SS-4, or calls the IRS international line.

Fee
Free
Filed
Paper form, faxed or mailed
Takes
Fax: about 4 business days. Mail: about 4 to 5 weeks. Phone: issued on the call.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Washington business license (state tax registration)

Washington Department of Revenue, Business Licensing ServiceWashington State

File online in My DOR, or by mail. It gives the business its UBI number and tax registration, registers trade names and city and state endorsements, and passes your details to Employment Security and Labor and Industries, which open the unemployment insurance and workers' comp accounts.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed online
Takes
About 10 business days; city or state endorsements can add another 2 to 3 weeks.
Renews
Every year, before the date printed on the license, when it carries endorsements.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Create/Update Importer Identity Form

U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal

Sent to CBP (usually through your customs broker), or created in the ACE portal. Needed before your first entry as importer of record.

Fee
Free
Filed
Paper form, mailed
Takes
Up to 5 business days.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Customs Bond

U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal

Bought from a CBP-approved surety, usually through your customs broker, who files it electronically. A continuous bond covers a year of entries.

Fee
Varies
Filed
Filed on the agency's portal
Takes
At least 5 business days for review.
Renews
Continuous bonds renew yearly.

File on the agency's site How to fill it
ACE Secure Data Portal account for importers

U.S. Customs and Border ProtectionUS federal

Applied for online in ACE. Lets you see your entries, duties and bond.

Fee
Free
Filed
Filed online

File on the agency's site How to fill it
Product safety certificate, filed electronically at entry

U.S. Consumer Product Safety CommissionUS federal

The importer issues the certificate itself (there is no government form) and, under the eFiling rule, files the certificate data with CBP at entry.

Fee
Free
Filed
Filed online

File on the agency's site How to fill it
City of Bellevue business license

City of Bellevue Finance, Tax DivisionBellevue

Needed once Bellevue gross receipts reach $4,000 a year (or for a regulated activity), after the Washington business license; apply through FileLocal. It doesn't expire, but tax returns are due on the assigned schedule.

Fee
$119
Filed
Filed online

File on the agency's site How to fill it

Questions and answers

How much do the permits cost to open an importer or e-commerce seller in Bellevue?

The fixed government fees add up to about $119, 3 fees are set by the space or the business and 4 filings are free. The largest fixed fee is the City of Bellevue business license, at $119. Build-out, insurance and adviser costs are on top.

How long do the permits take for an importer or e-commerce seller in Bellevue?

The times the agencies give. Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN): Fax: about 4 business days. Mail: about 4 to 5 weeks. Phone: issued on the call. Washington business license (state tax registration): About 10 business days; city or state endorsements can add another 2 to 3 weeks. Create/Update Importer Identity Form: Up to 5 business days. Customs Bond: At least 5 business days for review.

Which agencies issue the permits for an importer or e-commerce seller in Bellevue?

The 8 filings go to 6 agencies: Washington Secretary of State, Corporations, Internal Revenue Service, Washington Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and City of Bellevue Finance, Tax Division.

What is the first filing to open an importer or e-commerce seller in Bellevue?

The LLC formation, with the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations. Form the company or register a foreign company online.

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<div class="placetta-checklist"><p><strong>Licenses and permits to open an importer or e-commerce seller in Bellevue</strong></p><ol><li>LLC formation (Washington Secretary of State, Corporations)</li><li>Application for Employer Identification Number (EIN) (Internal Revenue Service)</li><li>Washington business license (state tax registration) (Washington Department of Revenue, Business Licensing Service)</li><li>Create/Update Importer Identity Form (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)</li><li>Customs Bond (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)</li><li>ACE Secure Data Portal account for importers (U.S. Customs and Border Protection)</li><li>Product safety certificate, filed electronically at entry (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission)</li><li>City of Bellevue business license (City of Bellevue Finance, Tax Division)</li></ol><p>Source: <a href="https://www.placetta.com/guides/bellevue/importer-ecommerce.html">Placetta license guide</a></p></div>

Questions people ask

Other businesses in Bellevue

Every filing links to the agency's own page, and every fact comes from an official form or agency page. Agency requirements change; check the agency's page before you file. How we source and check these guides

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