plia logo

Financial Assurance Program

Last updated September 16, 2026.

You can now apply to the Financial Assurance Program through our online application. Our current application review timeline is about 36 days.

To access your application or any funding requests, please log into your Online Community account.

You can learn more about the program in PLIA’s Financial Assurance Program Guidance Document.

If you experienced wildfire impacts at your gas station and would like assistance deciding next steps, please contact PLIA’s Financial Assurance Program Coordinator, Schellie Schlesser at schellie.schlesser@plia.wa.gov. For additional information, see our Wildfire Guidance Fact Sheet.

Federal and state rules require petroleum UST owners and operators to show that they have access to $1 million in case of a release or leak. This is referred to as demonstrating financial assurance or financial responsibility. If a UST owner or operator does not show financial responsibility, they are prohibited from receiving fuel into their USTs, and are not able to operate.

In 2023, the Washington State Legislature tasked the Washington State Pollution Liability Insurance Agency (PLIA) with establishing the State Financial Assurance Program (FA Program), Chapter 70A.545 RCW. The chapter describes the program’s statutory intent and purpose. The program rules found in Chapter 374-10 WAC describe the requirements and how the program is administered. The FA Program provides UST owners and operators with a financial responsibility option that meets the rules for operating a petroleum UST in the state.

Find additional information on our About the Financial Assurance Program page.

UST owners and operators must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the FA Program:

  • The petroleum UST must be located in Washington State.

  • The UST must be registered with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) or federal or tribal equivalent, and in compliance with state and federal law regulating petroleum USTs. Temporarily closed USTs are eligible if the owner or operator can demonstrate compliance with all applicable UST regulations prior to closure.

  • The owner or operator of the UST must agree to clean up any future release or leak to meet the state’s Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA) cleanup standards, or the most stringent of state, federal, or tribal standards. If Program funding is used for cleanup costs, the project may be required to enroll in PLIA’s Technical Assistance Program.

There are additional requirements for USTs with existing releases prior to enrollment.

Find additional information on our Financial Assurance Program Eligibility page.

Starting October 1, 2024, you can apply to the FA Program by submitting an online application.

Any information entered in the application or sent to PLIA is subject to public disclosure. Do not submit any information or supporting documentation that contains sensitive information, such as a Social Security number, taxpayer identification number, driver license number, or date of birth. We strongly advise that you blackout or remove personal identifiers.

For applicants who are unable to submit the online application or require translations, alternative application forms are available on request. To request an alternative format or translation of the application, please contact PLIA by email at pliamail@plia.wa.gov or call 1-800-822-3905.

Find additional information on our Financial Assurance Program Application page.

Enrollment fees for the FA Program are paid annually and depend on the age of the underground storage tank (UST). Enrollment fees are listed below:

  • UST is 0-10 years old: $1,000 per UST.
  • UST is 11-20 years old: $1,500 per UST.
  • UST is 21-30 years old: $2,000 per UST.
  • UST is 30+ years old: $2,500 per UST.

There are no deductibles under this program.

If your application has been accepted, you can pay your enrollment fee by following the instructions on PLIA’s Make a Financial Assurance Program Fee Payment page. PLIA also offers payment plans for the fee. Additionally, after the first year of program enrollment, you may qualify for fee discounts based on actions you take to reduce the risk of a release or leak. You can learn more about fee discounts and how to earn them in our Enrollment Fee Discounts Fact Sheet. 

Find additional information on our Financial Assurance Program Enrollment Fee page.

The FA Program provides different amounts of coverage depending on when the leak happened. There are no deductibles under this program.

Petroleum leaks that occur while a tank is enrolled in the FA Program will be eligible for up to $2 million for cleanup and infrastructure costs. The $2 million includes cleanup for the enrolled property and all impacted properties, as well as third-party coverage for damages.

Coverage for leaks from USTs that start before enrollment is available for up to $1 million for cleanup. Funds spent on cleaning up leaks that started before the UST is enrolled in PLIA’s program are subject to cost recovery, which means that PLIA will seek repayment of the funds from the individual or company liable for a release of contamination. Releases that occurred prior to enrollment in the FA Program do not qualify for third-party coverage.

To receive funding for cleanup, an FA program participant must first submit a Financial Assurance Request (FAR).

Find additional information on our Financial Assurance Program Fund Coverage page.

PLIA offers language interpretation services for our customers and partners at no charge. Please let us know when contacting us. To request materials in an alternative format, call PLIA at 800-822-3905. Relay Service 711, or TTY at 1-800-833-6388.

I Would Like To...

How-to Guides

Other Helpful Program Resources