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Frequently Asked Fee Billing Questions

Billing Questions

• The Department of Revenue calculates the business revenue for last year to see if the value of your products, gross proceeds of sales or gross income exceeded $12,000. Ecology uses this information for the billing.
• Why didn’t I receive a bill this year?
  Generation Fee packets are sometimes sent to the wrong department and/ or get misplaced, since it is mailed to the corporate office address listed in the Department of Revenue’s database. It is also possible your company did not meet fee billing requirements for this year.
  
• Why did we receive more than one bill for our company? Were we double billed?
  Your company applied for and was assigned more than one tax registration number by the Department of Revenue. Tax numbers may apply to your corporate offices and/or production facilities. The fee applies only to those facilities that generated waste. If the bill is for the corporate office and no waste is generated, submit a waiver request for staff review.
  
• Can I write one check and pay for several billed facilities in Washington?
  Yes, but be sure to follow the payment instructions discussed in the Generation Fee Cover Letter and include all billing coupons with the check. If you do not have the billing coupons, write the tax registration numbers on the check.
  
• Our old tax registration number and company name is printed on the fee bill. Are we properly billed?
  Yes, the bill was for last year’s activities under your old tax registration number/business name. If you generated waste during that period, the fee applies. Next year, you will be billed under your new tax registration number and business name, if you meet the billing criteria thresholds described in the Generation Fee Cover Letter.

My Business Changed

• I have been in business for part of last year. Why did I receive a bill?
  Department of Revenue records show your gross revenue was above the $12,000 threshold for the period you were in business, so the fee was properly assessed, unless no hazardous waste was generated by your activities. Please review the waste stream discussion in the Generation Fee Cover Letter or the remaining questions contained in this website to determine if you generated waste.
  
• I closed my business last year. Why did I receive a bill?
  Although your business closed, gross revenue was above the $12,000 threshold for the period you were active. You owe the fee if you generated any amount of hazardous waste. If the business remains closed, you should not receive a fee bill next year.

Waste Questions

• The hazardous waste I generate is not listed on this web site. Why was I billed?
  Businesses are billed by business codes that typically generate waste. The typical waste streams listed in the Generation Fee Cover Letter are only examples. Also review questions and answers for specific business activities listed below. If you still have questions, contact our staff listed under Staff Contacts.
  
• I properly manage my waste. Why do I have to pay a fee?
  You are to be commended for properly managing your waste, but the law applies to companies who generate waste, not how it is managed.
  

Contact Ecology staff, so we can check if we sent you a bill or need to send you another one.