Section 220-460-020 - Commercial whale watching and paddle tour licenses-Application process and deadline(1) License requirements.(a) A commercial whale watching business license is required for commercial whale watching businesses as defined in this chapter.(b) A paddle tour business license is required for paddle tour businesses as defined in this chapter.(c) A commercial whale watching operator license is required for commercial whale watching operators as defined in this chapter.(d) A paddle guide license is required for paddle guides as defined in this chapter.(2) Applicants must be at least 16 years of age and possess a driver's license or other government-issued identification number and jurisdiction of issuance.(3) Applicants for a commercial whale watching business license or paddle tour business license must be authorized to conduct business within the state of Washington. However, the residency and business requirements of RCW 77.65.040 (2) and (3) do not apply to Canadian individuals or corporations applying for and holding Washington commercial whale watching licenses.(4) The commercial whale watching or paddle tour business license application must include the following information regarding the whale watching or paddle tour business:(a) The applicant must identify the business name, type of business (i.e., sole proprietor, partnership, corporation), and for all associated business owner(s): Full name, association to the business, email address, telephone number, and Social Security number if the business owner is a United States citizen or resident.(b) The applicant must identify and confirm the business is registered to conduct business within the state by providing the unified business identifier (UBI) number. Canadian commercial whale watching businesses are exempt from this requirement.(5) Any business license applicant must also designate, as applicable, all commercial whale watching operators authorized to operate a motorized or sailing vessel or all paddle guides authorized to guide a paddle tour on behalf of the business. The applicant must identify each operator's or paddle guide's full name and date of birth.(6) On the commercial whale watching business license application, the applicant must designate all commercial whale watching vessels to be used while engaging in commercial whale watching. (a) The applicant must indicate either motorized or sailing vessels on the application.(b) The applicant must select the appropriate option for the passenger capacity on each designated vessel.(7) Commercial whale watching operator license applicants and paddle guide license applicants must provide their full name, date of birth, Social Security number (U.S. citizens and residents only), gender, hair, eyes, weight, height, physical address, mailing address, email address, and telephone number.(8) An application submitted to the department shall contain the applicant's declaration under penalty of perjury that the information on the application is true and correct.(9) Applications must be completed and submitted online through the department-provided commercial licensing system, or by mailing the application to: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Attn: Commercial License Sales
P.O. Box 43154
Olympia, WA 98504-3154
(10) If the required fields are blank or omitted from the application, then the department will consider the application to be incomplete, and it will not be processed.Wash. Admin. Code § 220-460-020
Adopted by WSR 21-01-216, Filed 12/23/2020, effective 3/1/2021Amended by WSR 21-23-070, Filed 11/15/2021, effective 12/16/2021Amended by WSR 24-14-067, Filed 6/27/2024, effective 7/28/2024