Application decision times
We are committed to providing clear and timely application decisions, so customers have predictable timelines. To support this, we are setting decision times for the more than 100 types of permits, accreditations, general orders, and other credentials we issue. This is our customer service commitment to you.
The decision time clock starts on the date we determine an application is complete. Once an application is complete, we will have a set number of days (decision time) to make a final decision.
Decision times will be established in phases. We will publish the decision time for each credential and its effective date on this web page.
Our commitment to timely decisions
All processes do not have the same decision time. Look for the credential you are applying for in the table below to find the decision time. If you don’t see your credential on the list, that means we haven't set a decision time for that application review process yet.
|
Name
|
Decision time |
Effective date |
|---|---|---|
| 120 days | 6/1/2026 | |
| Well Construction and Operators License | 20 days | 6/1/2026 |
Refunding, crediting, or discounting application fees
If we do not issue a final decision by the decision time, we will return the application fee. Depending on the situation and billing status, we will return application fees via a refund, credit, or discount, as described below.
For a credential with no application fee, refunds, credits, and discounts do not apply.
Refunds
We issue a refund when we miss the published decision time and the applicant has already paid the full application fee. The refund is for the total amount of the application fee paid. A refund results in money being returned directly to the applicant and is not applied to future invoices.
Credits
We issue a credit when we miss the published decision time and the applicant has not paid the required application fee at the time the decision time was missed. The credit amount equals the applicable application fee and is documented on the customer’s account. Any remaining credit after it is applied to the next invoice continues to carry forward until fully used.
Discounts
We apply a discount when we miss the published decision time and the customer has already paid an initial application fee and additional fees may be owed on a final invoice due to higher-than-estimated review hours. A discount reduces only that invoice and does not create a credit balance.
Frequently asked questions
Related links
Contact information
Laurie Dumar
laurie.dumar@ecy.wa.gov
360-480-0924