RCW 39.08

RCW 39.08.010. Bond required -- Conditions -- Retention of contract amount in lieu of bond -- Contracts of one hundred thousand dollars or less.

Whenever any board, council, commission, trustees, or body acting for the state or any county or municipality or any public body shall contract with any person or corporation to do any work for the state, county, or municipality, or other public body, city, town, or district, such board, council, commission, trustees, or body shall require the person or persons with whom such contract is made to make, execute, and deliver to such board, council, commission, trustees, or body a good and sufficient bond, with a surety company as surety, conditioned that such person or persons shall faithfully perform all the provisions of such contract and pay all laborers, mechanics, and subcontractors and materialmen, and all persons who supply such person or persons, or subcontractors, with provisions and supplies for the carrying on of such work, which bond in cases of cities and towns shall be filed with the clerk or comptroller thereof, and any person or persons performing such services or furnishing material to any subcontractor shall have the same right under the provisions of such bond as if such work, services or material was furnished to the original contractor: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That the provisions of RCW 39.08.010 through 39.08.030 shall not apply to any money loaned or advanced to any such contractor, subcontractor or other person in the performance of any such work: PROVIDED FURTHER, That on contracts of twenty-five thousand dollars or less, at the option of the contractor the respective public entity may, in lieu of the bond, retain fifty percent of the contract amount for a period of thirty days after date of final acceptance, or until receipt of all necessary releases from the department of revenue and the department of labor and industries and settlement of any liens filed under chapter 60.28 RCW, whichever is later: PROVIDED FURTHER, That for contracts of one hundred thousand dollars or less, the public entity may accept a full payment and performance bond from an individual surety or sureties: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That the surety must agree to be bound by the laws of the state of Washington and subjected to the jurisdiction of the state of Washington.

[1989 c 145 § 1; 1982 c 98 § 5; 1975 1st ex.s. c 278 § 23; 1967 c 70 § 2; 1915 c 28 § 1; 1909 c 207 § 1; RRS § 1159. Prior: 1897 c 44 § 1; 1888 p 15 § 1.]

NOTES: Construction -- Severability -- 1975 1st ex.s. c 278: See notes following RCW 11.08.160.

Liens for labor, material, taxes on public works -- Reserve fund required: RCW 60.28.010. State highway construction and maintenance, bond and surety requirements: Chapter 47.28 RCW.

RCW 39.08.015. Liability for failure to take bond.

If any board of county commissioners of any county, or mayor and common council of any incorporated city or town, or tribunal transacting the business of any municipal corporation shall fail to take such bond as herein required, such county, incorporated city or town, or other municipal corporation, shall be liable to the persons mentioned in RCW 39.08.010, to the full extent and for the full amount of all such debts so contracted by such contractor.

[1909 c 207 § 2; RRS § 1160. Prior: 1888 p 15 § 2. Formerly RCW 39.08.070.]

RCW 39.08.030. Conditions of bond -- Notice of claim -- Action on bond -- Attorney's fees.

The bond mentioned in RCW 39.08.010 shall be in an amount equal to the full contract price agreed to be paid for such work or improvement, and shall be to the state of Washington, except as otherwise provided in RCW 39.08.100, and except in cases of cities and towns, in which cases such municipalities may by general ordinance fix and determine the amount of such bond and to whom such bond shall run: PROVIDED, The same shall not be for a less amount than twenty-five percent of the contract price of any such improvement, and may designate that the same shall be payable to such city, and not to the state of Washington, and all such persons mentioned in RCW 39.08.010 shall have a right of action in his, her, or their own name or names on such bond for work done by such laborers or mechanics, and for materials furnished or provisions and goods supplied and furnished in the prosecution of such work, or the making of such improvements: PROVIDED, That such persons shall not have any right of action on such bond for any sum whatever, unless within thirty days from and after the completion of the contract with an acceptance of the work by the affirmative action of the board, council, commission, trustees, officer, or body acting for the state, county or municipality, or other public body, city, town or district, the laborer, mechanic or subcontractor, or materialman, or person claiming to have supplied materials, provisions or goods for the prosecution of such work, or the making of such improvement, shall present to and file with such board, council, commission, trustees or body acting for the state, county or municipality, or other public body, city, town or district, a notice in writing in substance as follows:

To (here insert the name of the state, county or municipality or other public body, city, town or district):
Notice is hereby given that the undersigned (here insert the name of the laborer, mechanic or subcontractor, or materialman, or person claiming to have furnished labor, materials or provisions for or upon such contract or work) has a claim in the sum of . . . . . . dollars (here insert the amount) against the bond taken from . . . . . . (here insert the name of the principal and surety or sureties upon such bond) for the work of . . . . . . (here insert a brief mention or description of the work concerning which said bond was taken).
	(here to be signed)	. . . . . . . . . . . .

Such notice shall be signed by the person or corporation making the claim or giving the notice, and said notice, after being presented and filed, shall be a public record open to inspection by any person, and in any suit or action brought against such surety or sureties by any such person or corporation to recover for any of the items hereinbefore specified, the claimant shall be entitled to recover in addition to all other costs, attorney's fees in such sum as the court shall adjudge reasonable: PROVIDED, HOWEVER, That no attorney's fees shall be allowed in any suit or action brought or instituted before the expiration of thirty days following the date of filing of the notice hereinbefore mentioned: PROVIDED FURTHER, That any city may avail itself of the provisions of RCW 39.08.010 through 39.08.030, notwithstanding any charter provisions in conflict herewith: AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That any city or town may impose any other or further conditions and obligations in such bond as may be deemed necessary for its proper protection in the fulfillment of the terms of the contract secured thereby, and not in conflict herewith.

[1989 c 58 § 1; 1977 ex.s. c 166 § 4; 1915 c 28 § 2; 1909 c 207 § 3; RRS § 1161. Prior: 1899 c 105 § 1; 1888 p 16 § 3. Formerly RCW 39.08.030 through 39.08.060.]

NOTES: Severability -- 1977 ex.s. c 166: "If any provision of this 1977 amendatory act, or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act, or the application of the provision to the other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1977 ex.s. c 166 § 9.]

RCW 39.08.065. Notice to contractor condition to suit on bond when supplies are furnished to subcontractor.

Every person, firm or corporation furnishing materials, supplies or provisions to be used in the construction, performance, carrying on, prosecution or doing of any work for the state, or any county, city, town, district, municipality or other public body, shall, not later than ten days after the date of the first delivery of such materials, supplies or provisions to any subcontractor or agent of any person, firm or corporation having a subcontract for the construction, performance, carrying on, prosecution or doing of such work, deliver or mail to the contractor a notice in writing stating in substance and effect that such person, firm or corporation has commenced to deliver materials, supplies or provisions for use thereon, with the name of the subcontractor or agent ordering or to whom the same is furnished and that such contractor and his bond will be held for the payment of the same, and no suit or action shall be maintained in any court against the contractor or his bond to recover for such material, supplies or provisions or any part thereof unless the provisions of this section have been complied with.

[1915 c 167 § 1; RRS § 1159-1. Formerly RCW 39.08.020.]

RCW 39.08.080. Liens for labor, materials, taxes, on public works.

See chapter 60.28 RCW.