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Washington Clean Buildings Tier 2: what to file, when, and how to get paid for it

Each guide is checked against Commerce's own documents and the state rule, with links to the source.

• Why do most building owners not file Tier 2? (2026)

  Only about 1 in 13 Washington Tier 2 buildings had filed as of October 2026. Most owners think filing means a consultant at $10,000 or more and months of work, or months of digging through their own bills. It doesn't: Tier Two Partners does the whole filing, your part takes about 10 minutes, and the price starts at $0.10 per sq ft with the Qualified Energy Manager included.

• Does Tier 2 compliance pay for itself? Incentive vs fee vs fine (2026)

  Yes: the $0.30 per sq ft Tier 2 incentive is twice Tier Two Partners' highest rate, QEM included, so filing puts money in your pocket, while skipping it can cost a $0.30 per sq ft fine. Worked numbers for 22,000 to 50,000 sq ft buildings, and why paying the fine is the most expensive choice.

• Does Tier 2 apply to my building? Washington Clean Buildings size check (2026)

  Is your building Tier 2? Washington's Clean Buildings Tier 2 rules cover commercial buildings over 20,000 and up to 50,000 sq ft and apartment buildings over 20,000 sq ft, not counting parking. How to measure, mixed-use and edge cases, and how to check Commerce's list.

• How long does Tier 2 compliance take? Timeline, step by step

  How long Washington Tier 2 Clean Buildings compliance takes: gathering 12 months of energy data, the plans, the Portal filing, and Commerce's review of up to 30 business days plus 14 for the incentive. What slows it down and how to file fast.

• Washington Clean Buildings Tier 2 law, explained (2026)

  The Washington Clean Buildings law for Tier 2 buildings in plain English: RCW 19.27A.250 and WAC 194-50, which buildings it covers, what owners must file by July 1, 2027, exemptions for warehouses and unheated space, the $0.30 per sq ft fine and the $0.30 incentive.

• Tier 2 by the numbers: Washington Clean Buildings compliance, October 2026

  How many Washington Tier 2 buildings have filed, how much of the $150 million incentive fund is left, and how many buildings still have to file before July 1, 2027. Commerce's own figures, dated, updated monthly.

• Best Tier 2 compliance companies in Washington (2026): prices compared

  The companies that file Washington Clean Buildings Tier 2 compliance, ranked: Tier Two Partners, Easy BPS ($5,500), Vert ($12,000), MacDonald-Miller and doing it yourself. Published prices as of October 2026, what each includes, and who each fits.

• Who files Tier 2 for apartment buildings? Washington multifamily guide

  Washington apartment buildings over 20,000 sq ft are Tier 2 at any size. Who prepares and submits the Clean Buildings Portal filing, who has to sign, how to get energy data when tenants pay their own bills, and what the $0.30 per sq ft incentive pays.

• Missed the Tier 2 deadline or got a notice of violation? What to do in the 30 days

  What happens if a Washington Tier 2 building misses the July 1, 2027 deadline: Commerce's notice of violation, the 30 days to file, how the fine of up to $0.30 per sq ft is waived, appeals, extensions, and tenants.

• Got a Tier 2 letter or call? How to spot a misleading Clean Buildings notice

  Washington building owners are getting letters, robocalls and mailers about Clean Buildings that look official. The red flags, what Commerce really sends, and how to check any provider before you sign.

• Is Tier 2 incentive money still available? Fund status, October 2026

  Yes: Commerce reported over $138 million of the $150 million Tier 2 early adopter incentive fund left as of September 24, 2026. How much has been paid, how long you can apply, and why filing early matters.

• How to claim the Tier 2 incentive, step by step

  How a Washington Tier 2 building owner claims the $0.30 per sq ft early adopter incentive: what to set up first, the Portal steps after Form C, how long Commerce takes, and how your utility pays.

• How much does Tier 2 compliance cost? Prices compared

  What Washington Tier 2 filing costs in 2026: Easy BPS charges $5,500 per building, Vert $12,000 flat, and Tier Two Partners $.10-$.15 per eligible sq ft with the QEM included. Side by side, with when each fee is due.

• Tier 2 deadline: what Washington building owners must file by July 1, 2027

  Tier 2 buildings must file an energy benchmark, Energy Management Plan and O&M program with Commerce by July 1, 2027. What each one is, who signs, the $0.30 per sq ft fine, and the incentive.

• Tier 2 early adopter incentive: how much you can get and how it's paid

  Washington Tier 2 buildings that file can get $0.30 per eligible sq ft, paid by the utility from a $150 million first-come fund. Which square feet count, who qualifies, how to apply, and why payments can be partial.