December 2020 BLS Partner Update

 Season’s Greetings from your BLS Partnership team

The BLS Partnership team wishes
you a safe & happy holiday season.

We are sending good tidings of the season to our partners. As we come to the end of a challenging year, the commitment to our partners has been constant. Even as our offices closed, we kept working for you so you could work for your customers.

Keep checking BLSPartnerPost.com for updates that affect agency programs, municipalities, and Washington businesses. Tell your teammates to subscribe for updates using the box on the right side of this page. 

We wish all of you a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season.

2021 local deposit dates are set.

2021 Treasurer deposit schedule available

City partners should bookmark the link to BLS's version of the State Treasurer's 2021 schedule of revenue distribution to local governments. We have also saved the resource on the BLS city partner’s page at citypartners.dor.wa.gov. 

The schedule shows dates the funds are distributed, as well as other information to support your planning, research, and budgeting

Questions? Contact your maintenance team at DORBLSPartner@dor.wa.gov.

About 150 cities statewide manage local licensing with BLS.

BLS welcomes eight city partners this fall

BLS is marking two big partnership milestones in December. The first is the partnership extending its reach to more than 150 cities and towns. The second is completing a record 38 partnerships in one calendar year. We’re gearing up for more in 2021.

White Salmon, Bingen, and Stevenson in the 
Columbia Gorge are soon set to join BLS.

December 2020 partners

December 17 – Stevenson is a city of 1500 on the Columbia River Gorge. It’s the seat of Skamania County and home to the famous Skamania Lodge.

December 15 – Brier is a mostly residential city of 7000 bordered by Bothell, Lynnwood, Lake Forest Park, and Mountlake Terrace in a rapidly growing area of Snohomish County that lies just north of Lake Washington.

Mount Adams dominates the sky west of Harrah

December 10 – Harrah is a town of 300 inside the Yakama Indian Reservation. It was incorporated in 1946 at the western edge of the Yakima Valley and just east of majestic 12,280 foot Mount Adams.

December 8 – South Cle Elum is joining neighbors Cle Elum and Ellensburg in the combined licensing service. All other incorporated Kittitas County communities will join BLS in 2021.

December 3 –White Salmon, across from Hood River, Oregon, is another Columbia Gorge community famous for stunning vistas, outdoor recreation, and friendly residents. Nearby Bingen joins BLS in 2021 as all incorporated cities on the Lower Columbia will soon connect regional commerce with the BLS one-stop licensing solution.

December 3 – Tieton, a city that shares its name with a rushing river and a sweet cherry, is now partnered with most Yakima Valley cities in the BLS system to help businesses throughout South Central Washington manage their licenses and registrations in the same portal that connects state tax accounts.

The 49th Parallel Ski Area
is in Colville National Forest

November 2020 partners

November 19 – Colville is the seat of Stevens County in northeast Washington. Like other regional cities, agriculture, timber, mining, and manufacturing have been key economic drivers. Tourism has grown with abundant outdoor activities available in the Colville National Forest.

Naches Peak is east 
of Mt. Rainier.

November 19 – Naches, west of Yakima on U.S. Route 12 with a population of nearly 1000 residents, is famous for its abundant fruit orchards surrounding its sunny valley location near glacier-fed rivers.

Relief from penalties extended

The state Business Licensing Service (BLS) is still waiving late filing penalties under the extension of the governor's Proclamation 20-20 through January 19, 2021. The Department of Revenue maintains updated business relief information at dor.wa.gov/taxrelief.

Annual reporting taxpayers should file online in 2021

The Department of Revenue now requires Annual tax filers to file and pay online via My DOR. This requirement applies to the Annual 2020 return, due April 15, 2021. Monthly and Quarterly filers have previously been required to use the online service.

Why the change?

Due to the effects of COVID-19, agencies have been directed to reduce costs. Revenue will show a significant savings by reducing the printing, mailing, and manual processing.

How will taxpayers be notified? 

Impacted businesses will receive a letter explaining the changes and provide instructions on how to register, file, and pay online.