State licensing, renewal website down causing delays for business owners
It’s been a bumpy road for small business owners as they try to stay afloat amidst the pandemic. Now, they are up against another challenge: licensing issues, as the state-run website is currently down.
WASHINGTON – During the week of Jan. 24, the Washington Department of Licensing shut down its Professional Online Licensing and Regulatory Information System (POLARIS), frustrating small business owners as they try to stay afloat during the pandemic.
On Feb. 3, the agency announced that the reason they shut down POLARIS was because of a data breach.
While the typical Washingtonian uses the DOL for driver and vehicle licensing, POLARIS provides the licenses for businesses and professionals to make sure they are in compliance with the state and have proper documentation. Without licenses, shops can be shut down.
“The POLARIS system stores…
