FAS has the most diverse set of responsibilities of any City department, so we've organized our website into the four general categories below to help you find the information you need.

Help, Information and Services

The City of Seattle believes that every person who interacts with City government should receive excellent service. The Customer Service Bureau will make that happen by helping you get information, request services, resolve problems, voice an opinion and submit complaints and suggestions.

Seattle has six Customer Service Centers located throughout the city. These "little city halls" are where you can go to find information about Seattle services and programs. In addition, they provide payment and information services with customer service representatives assisting more than 225,000 residents each year to obtain pet licenses, pay City Light and Combined Utility bills, pay traffic tickets, apply for U.S. passports, or to find information about City of Seattle jobs.

You have the right, as a customer, to get what you pay for and to pay a fair fee for services.

The Seattle Consumer Protection Unit regulates certain types of businesses and enforces those regulations. These regulations aim to increase consumer safety and ensure proper charges for certain goods and services. The Consumer Protection Unit regulates:

  • Taxi, for-hire and transportation network companies (TNCs).
  • Limo companies.
  • Tow truck companies.
  • Parking garages and lots.
  • Businesses that use weighing and measuring equipment such as scanners and scales.
  • Businesses that require a regulatory license.

Claims for damages against the City must be filed with the City Clerk's Office within the applicable statute of limitations. Claims must be filed on the official Claim for Damages form. Visit the City's Filing a Damage Claim website to learn more.

In accordance with the City of Seattle's commitment to an open and responsive process for public disclosure, we've assembled resources for requesting City records. Visit our Public Records Request Center to learn more.

The Seattle Animal Shelter was founded in 1972 to protect public safety and enforce all animal-related ordinances for the City of Seattle. In addition to our primary role, we care for the abandoned, abused and orphaned animals of Seattle. To fulfill our dual missions, we provide eight core services:

  • Enforce animal-related ordinances.
  • Investigate animal cruelty, neglect and abuse.
  • License all cats, dogs, potbellied pigs and pygmy goats.
  • Educate residents about responsible pet ownership.
  • Care for the city's lost and unwanted animals.
  • Reunite lost animals with their owners.
  • Adopt orphaned animals to suitable homes.
  • Administer a low-cost spay and neuter clinic.

Information for Businesses

FAS ensures all businesses operating in Seattle are properly licensed. If you need to get, renew or cancel a Seattle business license tax certificate, or for general business licensing information, visit our Licenses website.

FAS also ensures all businesses operating in Seattle are paying required business and occupation taxes. The Seattle business license tax is applied to the gross revenue that businesses earn. Visit our Business License Tax website for information about the tax and to pay your taxes online.

The City of Seattle regulates some business activities. These businesses require both a standard business license tax certificate and a regulatory endorsement on the license. Visit our Business Regulations website to find out if your business requires a regulatory endorsement.

City Purchasing and Contracting Services manages bids and contracts on behalf of all City departments and offices using competitive processes to acquire fiscally and socially responsible solutions.

Managing City Assets

The Civic Center is comprised of Seattle City Hall (SCH), the Seattle Municipal Tower (SMT) and the Seattle Justice Center (SJC). The Civic Center replaced the Municipal Building and the Public Safety Building and houses the majority of the City's downtown work force. The Civic Center website provides an overview of the design and construction of SCH, SMT and SJC.

The Fleet Management Division (FMD) centrally manages the City fleet to provide quality, cost-effective and environmentally sustainable vehicles and equipment to all City departments. FMD also provides vehicle and equipment acquisition, disposal and motor pool services, as well as replacement and green fleet planning to improve and maintain the quality of the City's fleet.

Real Estate Services (RES) is part of FAS' Facility Operations Division. RES provides professional and technical real estate services to all City departments. Services include:

  • Excess property reuse and disposition evaluation.
  • Property sale.
  • Appraisal.
  • Leasing.
  • Citywide property database.
  • Citywide real estate policy development.
  • Property acquisition.

Other than real estate, disposal of all surplus City-owned property and equipment – such as furniture, computers, industrial material and street signs – is handled through the City of Seattle's central warehouse. Whenever possible, the City offers this surplus property for sale. For information about City surplus items, visit our Warehousing Services website.

In November 2003, 69 percent of people voting in Seattle approved the Fire Facilities and Emergency Response Levy. This program, which started in 2004, uses levy proceeds and other funding to:

  • Upgrade, renovate or replace 32 neighborhood fire stations.
  • Construct a new training facility and a new Fire Alarm Center.
  • Establish emergency preparedness facilities and disaster response equipment that includes a modern, seismically safe Emergency Operations Center, emergency community supplies, emergency shelter power generators, and emergency water supply capacity for fire fighting in the event the city's fire hydrants are disabled.
  • Build a new large fire boat, a new small fire boat, and renovate the Chief Seattle fireboat.

The existing North Precinct Police Station, built in 1984 to house 154 staff and now home to 254, is badly overcrowded and there is not enough space available to adequately expand it on its current site. The City Council authorized the acquisition of three parcels for a new North Precinct Police Station in December 2013.

Staff from FAS' Real Estate Services unit were responsible for finding a site for this new police station. Staff from our Capital Development and Construction Management division are responsible for managing the design and construction of this new police station.

City Financial Information

The City Finance Director is located within FAS and oversees functions that ensure the City's financial health. These functions include managing City debt, purchasing insurance, overseeing City investments and assisting with the development of economic and revenue forecasts, all of which are essential to financial planning and budgeting. Visit the Financial Services website to learn more.

The City of Seattle issues general obligation bonds to finance various municipal projects and revenue bonds for each of its publicly owned utilities. Visit the Investor Relations page for more information.

The Seattle Tax Advisory Group:

  • Provides a forum for the City of Seattle and the business community to discuss tax administration and policy.
  • Provides a taxpayer perspective on specific tax issues.
  • Assists in the development of tax policy.
  • Identifies Seattle tax administration improvements.