Bothell is one of the few cities in Washington that sits in two counties, and its business community is just as varied: life science and medical device companies in the Canyon Park and North Creek business parks, shops and restaurants in the revitalized downtown along Main Street, and a growing number of founders and consultants running companies from home. The legal groundwork is similar for all of them: a sound entity, clear contracts, and a lease you understand before you sign it.
Martin Kreshon is a business attorney who works with Bothell owners from his office in nearby Shoreline. He helps with forming LLCs and corporations, drafting and reviewing contracts, negotiating commercial leases, and buying or selling a business. The aim is practical: documents that fit how your Bothell business actually runs.
Doing business in Bothell
Bothell requires a license for every business located in the city or conducting business within city limits. You do not apply at City Hall: the Bothell city endorsement is added to your state business license through the Washington Department of Revenue’s Business Licensing Service (BLS).
- Fee threshold: businesses reporting $12,000 or less in gross annual income pay no city fee. Above that, Bothell’s fee is based on headcount, starting at $94 for one or two employees and $398 for three to ten, plus the state’s own BLS handling fees.
- Owners count as employees: for the headcount, Bothell counts owners, partners, managers and sole proprietors, not just payroll staff, and every business reports at least one.
- Out-of-town businesses: contractors and service providers based elsewhere also need the endorsement if they work in Bothell, and their fee looks at the income earned within the city.
- Two counties, one city license: the King and Snohomish County line runs through Bothell. The city endorsement is the same on both sides, but the Department of Revenue tracks sales tax for each side under a separate location code and the combined rates differ, so retailers should look up the rate by address. Property is also assessed by a different county assessor depending on the side.
- State and city are separate: the Bothell endorsement is in addition to your state UBI number and Washington business license. Forming an LLC with the Secretary of State does not register you with the city.
- Home-based businesses: a business run from a residence must meet the home occupation standards in Bothell Municipal Code 12.06.140(B)(8), so confirm your setup (customer visits, signage, employees) fits before you open.
- Nonprofits and multiple businesses: nonprofits that submit an IRS 501(c) letter may be exempt from city fees, and each separate business at a single property needs its own application.
For networking and local events, Bothell businesses are served by the Bothell Kenmore Chamber of Commerce, which covers both cities. The City of Bothell also runs an Economic Development program with resources for new and expanding businesses.
How Martin helps Bothell businesses
- Business formation: choosing between an LLC and a corporation, filing with the Secretary of State, and lining up your BLS registration and Bothell endorsement.
- Commercial leases: reviewing and negotiating leases for office, lab and flex space in Canyon Park and North Creek, or storefronts in downtown Bothell’s Main Street district.
- Business contracts: customer agreements, supplier and vendor terms, and independent contractor agreements for Bothell manufacturers, service companies and home-based businesses.
- Operating agreements: setting out ownership, voting and money for multi-owner LLCs.
- Buy-sell agreements: planning for an owner’s exit, disability or death before it happens.
- Buying or selling a business: purchase agreements, due diligence and lease assignments for a restaurant, shop or service company changing hands.
- Trade secret protection: confidentiality agreements and practical steps to protect formulas, processes and customer lists, a common concern for companies in Bothell’s life science and technology cluster.
- Dissolving an LLC: winding down properly with the state and closing out your city endorsement.
About Bothell
Bothell incorporated in 1909 and today is home to close to 50,000 people along the Sammamish River, just northeast of Lake Washington. Its two large business parks sit on opposite sides of the county line: North Creek in King County and Canyon Park in Snohomish County. Together they hold a research, development and manufacturing cluster of roughly 2.2 million square feet, much of it occupied by life science, medical device and technology companies. Downtown Bothell has been rebuilt over the past decade around historic Main Street and a realigned Bothell Way (SR 522), and the University of Washington Bothell and Cascadia College share a campus just to the east.
Transit links to Shoreline are improving. Sound Transit’s Stride S3 bus rapid transit line, now under construction, will run along SR 522 between Shoreline and Bothell, with a transfer to the I-405 Stride line, which stops at Canyon Park. Community Transit is also planning to extend its Swift Green Line from Canyon Park into downtown Bothell and the UW Bothell area.
Parks and places to know
- Park at Bothell Landing: a riverside park off Bothell Way with the Beckstrom Log Cabin, the Bothell Historical Museum in the 1893 Hannan House, the town’s first schoolhouse, and a footbridge to the Sammamish River Trail.
- Sammamish River Trail: about 11 miles of paved, car-free trail from Bothell’s Blyth Park through Woodinville to Marymoor Park in Redmond, connecting west to the Burke-Gilman Trail.
- McMenamins Anderson School: Bothell’s 1931 junior high school, converted into a hotel with restaurants, bars and event spaces next to Pop Keeney Stadium.
- Historic Main Street: the heart of downtown Bothell, lined with local shops, restaurants and newer mixed-use buildings.
- UW Bothell and Cascadia College: the shared campus east of downtown that draws students, researchers and new founders to the area.
Getting to Martin’s Shoreline office
Martin’s office is at 17503 Tenth Ave NE, Shoreline, west of Bothell along Bothell Way (SR 522) through Kenmore and Lake Forest Park. Depending on traffic, the trip from downtown Bothell usually takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Phone and video consultations are available if that is easier, and you can reach Martin at 206-929-0609.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a city business license to operate in Bothell?
Yes. Bothell requires a license for businesses located in or doing business within city limits, and you get it by adding a Bothell endorsement to your state business license through the Department of Revenue’s Business Licensing Service. Businesses reporting $12,000 or less in gross annual income pay no city fee; above that, the fee depends on how many employees you have, starting at $94 for one or two, plus state handling fees.
My business is on the Snohomish County side of Bothell. Does that change anything?
Your city license is the same on either side of the county line. What changes is mostly tax and property administration: the Department of Revenue uses separate location codes and different combined sales tax rates for the King and Snohomish portions of Bothell, and property is assessed by the county where it sits. If you sell taxable goods or services, check the rate for your exact address.
Can Martin help with a lease in Canyon Park or North Creek?
Yes. Martin reviews and negotiates commercial leases for tenants and landlords, including office, lab and flex space in Bothell’s business parks and storefronts downtown. He focuses on rent increases, shared operating costs, tenant improvements, repairs, personal guaranties and your options to renew, assign or leave early.
Is the Bothell business license the same as forming an LLC?
No. Forming an LLC is a filing with the Washington Secretary of State that creates the company. The Bothell endorsement is a separate city license handled through the Department of Revenue’s Business Licensing Service. Most Bothell businesses need both, along with any state registrations that apply to their industry.
Do I have to meet Martin in person?
No. Martin’s office is in Shoreline, a short drive from Bothell along SR 522, and in-person meetings are welcome. Phone and video consultations are also available, and many document reviews can be handled by email. Call 206-929-0609 to talk about what your Bothell business needs.
Talk with Martin about your Bothell business
Whether you are leasing space in Canyon Park, opening a shop on Main Street or formalizing a home-based business, Martin can help you get the legal pieces in place.
Direct line: 206-929-0609
Office: 17503 Tenth Ave NE, Shoreline, WA 98155
You can also read client reviews on Avvo and on Google.
See the full list of services Martin Kreshon provides for Washington businesses.