Updated September 4, 2026 · Washington prevailing wage / public works
Washington L&I certified payroll: what it is and how it relates to the federal WH-347
Washington State contractors on public works projects file through the Department of Labor & Industries' online system, separate from the federal WH-347. If your project also has federal funding, you may owe both. Here's the difference.
What Washington L&I requires
Washington's prevailing wage law requires contractors on public works projects to file an "Intent to Pay Prevailing Wage" before starting work and an "Affidavit of Wages Paid" after completion, along with certified payroll records for the duration of the job. L&I's online system (the Prevailing Wage Intent and Affidavit — PWIA — system) is where contractors submit and track these filings, rather than mailing paper forms to the contracting agency.
Who has to file
- Prime contractors and subcontractors on Washington public works contracts covered by state prevailing wage law.
- Every subcontractor tier that has workers on the job — not just the prime contractor.
- This is for Washington State/local public works funding — federally funded work on the same project can additionally require the federal WH-347 under Davis-Bacon.
Washington L&I vs. the federal WH-347
| Federal (Davis-Bacon) | Washington (L&I) | |
|---|---|---|
| Form | WH-347 + Statement of Compliance | Intent/Affidavit filed through L&I's online system, plus certified payroll records kept on file |
| Applies to | Federally funded/assisted construction contracts | Washington public works contracts under state prevailing wage law |
| Wage source | Federal wage determination for the project (SAM.gov) | Washington L&I prevailing wage rates by county and trade |
| Filed with | Contracting agency / awarding body | Washington State Department of Labor & Industries |
Fringe accrues per hour here too
Washington's prevailing wage rates are published as a base hourly wage plus a fringe/benefits component, and — as with the federal schedule — the fringe portion is owed for every hour actually worked, including overtime, not as a flat weekly amount. A worker who splits hours across a covered project and other work in the same week needs their fringe obligation recalculated for the covered hours specifically. This is the same underpayment trap that shows up in federal Davis-Bacon audits, just under a different state system.
Frequently asked
Does FringeTrack file directly with L&I's PWIA system?
Not yet — FringeTrack currently generates the federal WH-347 and Statement of Compliance, with the fringe-per-hour shortfall check built in. Direct Washington filing is on the roadmap. Let us know if that's your priority.
Do I need to file both the federal WH-347 and the Washington intent/affidavit?
Only if the project has both federal Davis-Bacon coverage and Washington public works funding — check with the contracting agency for mixed-funding projects.