Completing the Registration (Hired directly by the client (employer)

The lobbyist/firm must complete a separate registration for each employer (client)

  1. Login to the Lobbyist Electronic Filing system using your user account.
            a. The PDC has recently shifted to using the Secure Access Washington (SAW) single sign-on system for its lobbyist electronic filing system. Click here for more information on this change and how it could affect you.
  2. Under Lobbyists I File For, choose the name of the lobbyist/firm who the registration will be filed for.
  3. In the next field which shows the name of the lobbyist/firm, choose Add employment registration from the Lobbyist Menu.
  4. In Step 1: Add employment contract, choose the following: Hired directly by the client (employer). If the lobbyist is subcontracting from another lobbyist/firm, please see separate instructions.
  5. In Step 2: Choose employer, enter the name of the employer you want to register in the search field. As you type the employer name, results will appear below. Choose from that list. Caution: if the name of the employer does not appear, try doing a broader search. For example, if the name of the employer is WASHINGTON WIDGET COALITION, try WIDGET or WA WIDGET. If you cannot find the name of the employer, please contact the PDC for verification that the employer does not exist in our system. If you have verified that the employer does not exist currently in our system, you must use the Invite Employer option located at the top of Step 2. Until the employer registers in our system, you will not be able to continue with the registration process. Once this is completed by the employer, repeat all steps listed above and continue.
  6. In the next screen, complete the following sections;
  • Compensation
  • Description of Employment
  • Expenses and Reimbursement
  • Lobbying Length and Exemptions
  • Employment Period
  • Are you exempt?
  • Employment Period Date
  • Employer Areas of Interest
  • Certify
  • Submit to PDC
  1. The registration has now been submitted but will only be valid once the employer "approves" it. The employer will receive an email to the address we have on record requesting their approval of the submission. We highly advise that lobbyists contact the employer directly to ensure that the approval is completed.
  2. Once the employer approves the registration, the lobbyist will see the period the registration is valid listed beside the employer's name in the Employers section.

Completing the Registration (Subcontracting (hired by another lobbyist/firm) )

The lobbyist/firm must complete a separate registration for each employer (client)

  1. Login to the Lobbyist Electronic Filing system using your user account.
  2. Under Lobbyists I File For, choose the name of the lobbyist/firm who the registration will be filed for.
  3. In the next field which shows the name of the lobbyist/firm, choose Add employment registration from the Lobbyist Menu.
  4. In Step 1: Add employment contract, choose the following: Subcontracting (hired by another lobbyist/firm). If the lobbyist is hired directly by the client (employer), please see separate instructions.
  5. In Step 2: Select the lobbyist who hired you; enter the name of the lobbyist/firm in the search field. As you type the lobbyist/firm name, results will appear below. Choose from that list. If the name does not appear in the list, please contact the PDC for assistance.
  6. In Step 3: Choose employer; the subcontracting lobbyist will select the client from the list of the principal lobbyist's employers displayed. A separate registration is required if the subcontract lobbyist is representing more than one employer of the principal lobbyist. If the name of the employer is not displayed in this list, it is because the principal lobbyist has not submitted a registration for the employer. If this is the case, please stop and contact the principal lobbyist, requesting the registration to be completed. Once this is done, the subcontracting lobbyist may proceed with the registration. In the next screen, complete the following sections;
  • Compensation
  • Description of Employment
  • Expenses and Reimbursement
  • Lobbying Length and Exemptions
  • Employment Period
  • Are you exempt?
  • Employment Period Date
  • Employer Areas of Interest
  • Certify
  • Submit to PDC
  1. The registration has now been submitted but will only be valid once the principal lobbyist/firm "approves" it. The principal lobbyist/firm will receive an email to the address we have on record requesting their approval of the submission. We highly advise that subcontract lobbyists contact the principal lobbyist/firm directly to ensure that the approval is completed.
  2. Once the principal lobbyist/firm approves the registration, the subcontract lobbyist will see the period the registration is valid listed beside the employer's (principal lobbyist) name in the Employment via Subcontract section.

Terminating, Suspending and Reinstating Registrations

Registrations filed October 1, 2018, or later expire in January 2021, unless the lobbyist or lobbyist employer terminates the registration on an earlier date.

A lobbyist should terminate an employer's registration when the lobbying functions have ended. Terminations must be done by amending the registration in the electronic system.

Lobbyist employers may terminate the registration by submitting a written statement identifying which lobbyist is being terminated and as of what date.

A lobbyist must file an L-2 for the last month or portion thereof for which they were registered. For example, if lobbying activities conclude on May 23, an L-2 covering May 1 to May 23 would be filed on or before June 15 and must include the termination notice.

A lobbyist may temporarily suspend a registration by amending the registration to indicate the months in which no lobbying will be done for a specific period of time, no lobbying expenditures will be made during the time specified and no compensation will be earned for lobbying. During the period of the suspension, no monthly L-2 reports are required. A lobbyist who has suspended a registration reinstates it by amending the registration.