Updated 10/23/2009

A Washington State Egg Handler/Dealer License is required for businesses or persons that produce, handle, contract for, or obtain possession or control of eggs for sale to wholesalers, dealers or retailers within or into Washington; or for processing and sale to wholesalers, dealers, retailers, foodservice, institutional consumers, or consumers within or into Washington.

Contents

• Licensing & fees
• Required registration/inspection
• Egg seals
• Assessment

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Licensing & fees

License application

Department of Licensing issues the "Egg Handler/Dealer" license.

• Master Application: You must complete a Master Application and pay the appropriate fees to obtain the required registrations and licenses. The Master License Service, Department of Licensing, assigns a "Unified Business Identifier (UBI) to the owner of the business. There is a $15 application fee and must be paid each time a Master Application is submitted.

• Application is made through the "Master License System, Department of Licensing"; request an Egg Handler/Dealer license.

• A master application can be requested by contacting:

Master License Service
Department of Licensing
P.O. Box 9034
Olympia, WA 988507-9034
(360) 664-1400

Licensing Fees

Marketers need to obtain:

• Master Application (UBI): $15.00

• Egg Handler/Dealer License: $30.00 for the first location, $15.00 for each additional location

• Department of Licensing License Fee Sheet (scroll down to the Egg Handler/Dealer section for information and available forms.

Note: Egg producers who sell eggs from their own flocks at the place of production directly to consumers for their own personal use are not required to be licensed or buy egg seals.

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Required registration/inspection

Egg Inspection Program Investigators under cooperative agreement with the U S Department of Agriculture complete quarterly Shell Egg Surveillance Inspections of shell egg packaging operations with more than 3,000 bird flocks and hatcheries to assure compliance with requirements of the U S Egg Products Inspection Act. All producer packers with 3,000 birds, grading stations, and hatcheries are required to be registered and inspected quarterly/annually. Additional investigations are conducted into alleged violations of the federal act, on an as needed basis. Program investigators are trained and licensed by USDA to complete these investigations.

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Egg seals

Paste-on seals can be purchased for $2.68 for 1,000 dozen from the Washington State Department of Agriculture. Payment to the department is required prior to delivery.

To obtain the Egg Seal order form, open the link below or contact the WSDA Egg Inspection Program at (360) 902-1886.

Egg Seal Order Form (PDF 12K)

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Assessment

Payment of assessment per dozen eggs is required for the sale of eggs in intrastate commerce except as provided in RCW 69.25.290 or in WAC 16-108-050.

Egg Handlers or Dealers can pay assessments on a monthly basis in lieu of purchasing or imprinting egg seals.

This can be accomplished by acquiring a permit from the department. If this is the case , then a permanent egg handler/egg dealer number will be issued to you by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. This number is required to appear on all shell egg containers marketed in the state of Washington. (WAC 16-108-040)

Prior to the issue of this number to firms, it is necessary to request in writing your firm's desire to pay monthly assessments in lieu of the use and purchase of egg seals. Upon being granted a permit and number under agreement a firm's records are then subject to audit by the department, with all audit fees incurred to be paid by the firm. (RCW 69.25.270)

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