Running a business in Edmonds means working in a city with two very different commercial faces: the walkable shops, galleries and restaurants of downtown near the ferry dock, and the busy Highway 99 corridor on the east side. Whether you own a boutique on Main Street, a restaurant, a contracting company or a consulting practice run from home, the legal paperwork behind it matters.
Martin J. Kreshon III is a business attorney who helps Edmonds owners form companies, write and review contracts, negotiate commercial leases, and buy or sell businesses. He works from his office in Shoreline, a short drive south, and meets with Edmonds clients by appointment, phone or video.
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Doing business in Edmonds
Edmonds requires a city business license for businesses located in the city or doing business within city limits. Since 2019, the city has processed applications through the Washington Department of Revenue’s Business Licensing Service, so you apply for the Edmonds city endorsement online through My DOR rather than at City Hall.
- Separate from your state registration: the city endorsement is added to your Washington business license, but it is its own requirement, separate from your state UBI number and registration.
- License types: the city has separate categories for general businesses, home occupations, nonprofits and non-resident businesses, each with its own fee and an annual renewal.
- Out-of-town businesses: a business located outside Edmonds that works in the city generally needs a non-resident license, but the city exempts non-resident businesses with $4,000 or less in annual business in Edmonds.
- Home-based businesses: a business run from a residence must follow the city’s home occupation rules in Edmonds City Code chapter 20.20 and submit a supplemental questionnaire.
- Extra paperwork: the city may ask for a supplemental questionnaire and floor plan before it approves the endorsement, so plan for some lead time before opening.
Building permits, land use review and zoning questions go through the city’s Planning and Development Department. Check zoning before you sign a lease: a space being available does not mean your specific use, signage or build-out will be approved.
The main commercial areas are downtown (the “Bowl”), the Highway 99 corridor and smaller neighborhood centers such as Westgate, Perrinville and Five Corners. The city adopted a Highway 99 Subarea Plan in 2017 for a roughly two-mile stretch of the highway, including the area known as the International District, and continues to plan for redevelopment there. The Edmonds Chamber of Commerce is an independent nonprofit that runs community events and networking for local businesses.
How Martin helps Edmonds businesses
- Forming an LLC or corporation for a new shop, restaurant, trade business or home-based practice, with the state and city registrations in the right order.
- Reviewing and negotiating commercial leases for downtown retail and restaurant space and for larger sites along Highway 99, including operating costs, repairs and personal guaranties.
- Drafting and reviewing business contracts, such as vendor agreements, service contracts and customer terms.
- Operating agreements for LLCs with two or more owners, so control, profits and exits are settled in writing.
- Buy-sell agreements that plan for an owner’s retirement, death, disability or departure.
- Buying or selling a business, including lease assignments, which often decide whether a downtown storefront or restaurant sale can close.
- Protecting trade secrets like customer lists, recipes and pricing through confidentiality agreements and practical safeguards.
- Closing an LLC properly when it is time to wind down, including state filings and final obligations.
About Edmonds
Edmonds sits on Puget Sound in southwest Snohomish County. Its downtown occupies a valley locals call the Bowl, running down toward the Washington State Ferries terminal, where boats cross to Kingston on the Kitsap Peninsula. The Edmonds train station, a block from the ferry, is served by Amtrak and Sound Transit’s Sounder commuter trains. On the east side, Highway 99 carries the Swift Blue Line bus rapid transit and is home to car dealerships, Swedish Edmonds hospital and many small businesses.
Parks and places to know
- Brackett’s Landing and Edmonds Underwater Park: just north of the ferry landing at the foot of Main Street, a marine preserve the city established in 1970 that is popular with scuba divers.
- Edmonds Marsh: a park south of downtown that preserves one of the few remaining saltwater marshes in Washington.
- Yost Park: one of the few large areas of native forest left in Edmonds, with trails along Shell Creek in a deep ravine.
- Marina Beach Park: a beach park on Admiral Way whose south end holds the city’s off-leash dog area.
- Edmonds Center for the Arts: a performing arts venue created in 2006 by renovating the former high school auditorium.
Getting to Martin’s Shoreline office
Martin’s office is at 17713 15th Ave NE in Shoreline. From downtown Edmonds the drive typically takes about 20 to 25 minutes, usually east on SR 104 (Edmonds Way) and Ballinger Way, and it is often shorter from the Highway 99 side of town, depending on traffic. Phone and video consultations are also available if a trip to the office does not fit your schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a city business license to operate in Edmonds?
Generally yes. Edmonds requires a license for businesses located in the city or doing business within city limits, including home-based businesses. You apply for the Edmonds endorsement through the Washington Department of Revenue’s Business Licensing Service. Businesses located outside the city with $4,000 or less in annual Edmonds business are exempt. Nonprofits have their own category.
Is the Edmonds license the same as my Washington business license?
No. Your Washington business license and UBI number register you with the state. The Edmonds endorsement is a separate city requirement that is added to that state license through the Business Licensing Service. Both need to be in place, and both need to be renewed, for a business operating in Edmonds.
Can I run a business from my home in Edmonds?
Often, yes, but home-based businesses need a home occupation license and must follow the rules in Edmonds City Code chapter 20.20. The city also asks for a supplemental questionnaire. If clients, employees or deliveries will come to your home, check the rules first. Martin can help you set up the business entity itself.
Can Martin help with a commercial lease in downtown Edmonds?
Yes. Martin reviews and negotiates retail, restaurant and office leases, including space downtown and along Highway 99. He focuses on the terms that affect your costs and flexibility, such as operating expenses, repairs, personal guaranties and whether you can assign the lease if you later sell the business.
Do I have to meet Martin in person?
No. Martin’s office is in Shoreline, a short drive from Edmonds, and in-person meetings are available by appointment. Many business matters can also be handled by phone, video and email, which can save time for owners who cannot easily leave their shop or job site.
Talk with Martin about your Edmonds business
Whether you are opening downtown, expanding on Highway 99 or selling a business you built, Martin can help you get the paperwork right from his nearby Shoreline office.
Direct line: 206-929-0609
Office: 17713 15th Ave NE, Suite 101, Shoreline, WA 98155
You can also read client reviews on Avvo.
See the full list of services Martin Kreshon provides for Washington businesses.
Attorney advertising. This page provides general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Responsible attorney: Martin J. Kreshon III.