Wage liens

For employees

File a wage lien by mail

Download the UCC Wage Lien Statement form and complete it following the instructions on page 2. Only type or laser print on the form. We don’t accept forms filled out by hand.

Mail your form(s) and a check or money order (payable to the Department of Licensing) for the filing fee to:

Department of Licensing
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
PO Box 9660
Olympia, WA 98507-9660

Notify employer of wage lien

You must notify your employer after you file a wage lien.

• Mail copies of your forms via certified mail with return receipt requested.
• You’ll receive a copy of your filing after we post it to our system.

Required information

The notice of wage lien to your employer must include:

• The claimant's (employee) name, address, and phone number
• A description of the personal property subject to the wage lien
• The name of the property owner
• The principal amount being claimed

How to amend a wage lien

Download the UCC Wage Lien Statement Amendment form and complete it following the instructions on page 2. Only type or laser print on the form. We don’t accept forms filled out by hand.

Mail your form(s) and a check or money order (payable to the Department of Licensing) for the filing fee to:

Department of Licensing
Uniform Commercial Code (UCC)
PO Box 9660
Olympia, WA 98507-9660

For employers

Contest or stop a wage lien

You can contest or stop a wage lien if:

• 8 months have passed,
• You have paid the wage claim, or
• You feel the claim is invalid.

How to contest or stop a wage lien

You must provide the UCC office with a court order signed by a judge. You can get a court order at a district or superior court.

Send the court order along with the wage lien file number, name of debtor, and name of the secured party to: