1099 Contractor in Washington with a Rhode Island Client: Where Do You File?
Answer
One state at most. Washington does not tax earned income; Rhode Island does, but only what is sourced to Rhode Island. For a contractor working entirely from Washington, that source amount is normally zero regardless of where the invoices are sent.
Last verified
Two things make this pairing simple. Washington levies no personal income tax, so there is no resident return; and Rhode Island taxes nonresidents only on services actually performed inside Rhode Island, which for a fully remote contractor is normally nothing.
Rhode Island publishes no de minimis day count or dollar floor for nonresidents. Any Rhode Island-source wage income above the state's general filing threshold requires a nonresident return, and that threshold is reset each year — check the current figure on the Rhode Island Division of Taxation nonresident instructions before filing.
What you file
- 1Nonresident return · Rhode IslandForm RI-1040NR
File a Rhode Island nonresident return only for income from services you physically performed in Rhode Island. Washington does not tax wage or self-employment income.
The two states, side by side
| Washington | Rhode Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Taxes wages | No | Yes — graduated |
| Reciprocity partners | None | None |
| Convenience rule | No | No |
| Nonresident return | Not applicable | Form RI-1040NR |
| Credit for other-state tax | No income tax | Form RI-1040NR Schedule II |
| Nonresident safe harbour | Not applicable | None published |
| Local income tax | No | No |
| Revenue department | Washington State Department of Revenue | Rhode Island Division of Taxation |
| Last verified |
The other direction
Reversing the commute does not always reverse the answer. Living in Rhode Island and working in Washington gives:Home state only — estimated payments.
Same two states, different situation
The withholding answer turns on how you are paid and where the work happens, not only on which two states are involved.
- W-2 commuter: Washington → Rhode IslandWork state only
- Remote worker: Washington → Rhode IslandNo state income tax on your wages
- Moved mid-year: Washington → Rhode IslandOne part-year return — the state you moved to
Other Washington pairs
Questions people actually ask
I live in Washington and my client is in Rhode Island. Do I have to file a Rhode Island tax return?
One state at most. Washington does not tax earned income; Rhode Island does, but only what is sourced to Rhode Island. For a contractor working entirely from Washington, that source amount is normally zero regardless of where the invoices are sent.
Do reciprocity agreements help a 1099 contractor?
No. Every state reciprocity agreement in the country is an arrangement about wage withholding between two revenue departments, and a 1099 has no withholding to switch off. Whether Washington and Rhode Island hold an agreement makes no difference to a self-employed filer — sourcing rules decide the answer instead.
How current is this?
The Washington and Rhode Island rules on this page were last checked against Washington State Department of Revenue and Rhode Island Division of Taxation on 2026-08-07. We re-check the full grid every December after state legislative sessions close, and re-check the convenience-of-the-employer states quarterly because that is where the rules move fastest.
Sources
Every fact above comes from the revenue department that publishes the rule. We do not cite secondary summaries, and we do not restate a figure we could not find at source.
- Washington State Department of Revenue — individual income taxaccessed 2026-08-07
- Rhode Island Division of Taxation — individual income taxaccessed 2026-08-07