The Rules Have Changed in Clark County. Has Your Strategy?
Vancouver is no longer just a bedroom community for Portland. With the billion-dollar transformation of the Waterfront, the explosion of the “Silicon Forest” tech sector, and a construction boom that rivals any in the Pacific Northwest, our local economy has evolved.
But while business in “The Couve” is booming, the legal landscape for getting paid has become a minefield.
Washington State has recently enacted some of the strictest consumer protection laws in the country. If you are a Vancouver business—whether a contractor, a tech firm, or a healthcare provider—relying on a traditional “dial-and-threaten” collection agency is now a liability, not an asset.
You need a partner who understands that profit protection is about precision, not brute force.
Nexa provides a reputation-safe approach, equipped with all 50-state collections license, offering free credit reporting, free litigation, free bankruptcy scrubs, and zero onboarding fees. Secure – SOC 2 Type II & HIPAA compliant. Over 2,000 online reviews rate us 4.85 out of 5.
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Pricing (Simple, Transparent, Easy to Start)
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Fixed-Fee: $15 per account — you keep 100% of what’s recovered
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Contingency: 40% — no recovery, no fee
When appropriate and permitted, we may also use email or text to speed up responses and reduce phone-tag.
Money saver tip: Many clients are able to treat our fixed-fee option as a Business Expense (after consulting their CPA), which can make it feel close to free.
The New Washington Reality: Why “Old School” is Dangerous
If your current agency is operating on a standard playbook, they might be walking you into a lawsuit.
1. The Medical Debt “Credit Ban” (SB 5480)
This is the single biggest shift in decades. As of mid-2025, medical debt cannot be reported to credit bureaus in Washington State. The old agency tactic of “ruining their credit” to force payment is now illegal for medical debt. If your agency doesn’t have a strategy beyond credit reporting, they are toothless. We use data-driven mediation, not empty threats.
2. The “Closed Border” License Trap
Washington is a “closed border” state. This means any agency contacting a debtor here must be fully licensed by the Washington State Department of Licensing, even if they are located out of state. Many national agencies skip this step. We are fully compliant, licensed, and bonded, protecting you from vicarious liability.
3. The 3-Year Oral Contract Limit
In the busy construction and trade sectors of Clark County, “handshake deals” happen. But in Washington, you only have 3 years to enforce an oral contract (vs. 6 years for a written one). We prioritize these accounts to recover funds before they legally expire.
A Modern Financial Tool for Vancouver Businesses
We don’t view collections as “chasing bad guys.” We view it as Accounts Receivable Optimization.
Our model replaces the outdated “50% contingency fee” with a fixed-fee structure that puts you in control of your margins.
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Step 1 & 2 (The Retention Layer): For a flat $15 fee, we send official third-party demands. This isn’t just a letter; it’s a professional notice that separates “slow payers” from “non-payers” without burning the relationship. You keep 100% of the recovered funds.
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Step 3 (The Escalation Layer): If—and only if—the account remains unpaid, we move to a specialized contingency team (40%). No recovery, no fee.
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Step 4 (The Legal Layer): For substantial debts where assets are verified, we manage the litigation process through our vetted Washington legal network.
Case Study: The Construction Supply Bottleneck
A fast-growing building material supplier near Orchards was facing a cash crunch. They had $120,000 in overdue invoices from small sub-contractors who were overleveraged on new housing developments. The supplier couldn’t afford to sue these subs—they needed them for future projects.
The Strategy: We implemented our Step 2 (Third-Party Demand) service. We sent a formal, specific demand that validated the debt without using aggressive “collector” language. The Result: The supplier recovered $88,000 in 60 days. The Economics: Because they avoided the standard 40% agency fee, they saved over $35,000 in commissions, effectively adding that straight to their bottom line.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My debtors work in Portland but live in Vancouver. Which laws apply?
A: This is the most common question in the metro area. Generally, debt collection laws follow the consumer’s location. If they live in Vancouver (WA), we must follow Washington’s strict rules (like the 3-call-per-week limit), even if they work in Oregon. We manage this cross-border complexity automatically.
Q: How do you collect medical debt if you can’t report it to credit bureaus?
A: We focus on the relationship. Most patients want to pay but are confused by billing. Our “Step 1” service acts as a patient advocacy outreach, clarifying the balance and offering payment options. We find that clarity collects more cash than credit threats ever did.
Q: Do you handle high-tech B2B debts?
A: Yes. We work with IT consultants and software firms in the Camas and East Vancouver corridor. We understand that a B2B dispute is often about a deliverable, not a lack of funds. Our team is trained to mediate these disputes to unblock the payment.
Q: Are you licensed in both WA and OR?
A: Yes. We are a national agency licensed in all 50 states. We can seamlessly collect from a debtor who moves from Fisher’s Landing to Beaverton without missing a beat.
Stop Gambling with Regulatory Risk
Your business is building the future of Southwest Washington. Don’t let your A/R process remain stuck in the past.