Object Codes

Reminder: Object 50, Intergovernmental Services and Payments is invalid for reports starting year 2019 and thereafter. The listing below contains new definitions for Objects 30 and 40 which are applicable to coding of your 2019 expenditures. Please review the definitions to ensure their proper application.

1 Charts of Accounts

1.4 Object Codes

00 Depreciation, Amortization, Other Decreases in Fund Resources and Transfers-Out

Use this category of object only with the accounts 501, 581, 582, 585, 586, 588, 589, and 597

10 Salaries and Wages

Amounts paid for personal services rendered by employees in accordance with the rates, hours, terms and conditions authorized by law or stated in employment contracts. This category also includes overtime, hazardous duty or other compensation construed to be salaries and wages. Subdivide this account as necessary for local purposes (i.e., regular pay, overtime pay, sick pay (employee related), sick pay (non-employee related), vacation pay, shift differential, and other taxable compensation).

Personal services do not include fees and out-of-pocket expenditures for professional or consultant services performed on assignments. Such services are properly classified as Services.

20 Personnel Benefits

Those benefits paid by the employer as part of the conditions of current or past employment. Subdivide as needed for local purposes. Example: insurance, unemployment compensation, OASI (FICA) – employer-paid portion, uniforms, pension, and workers' compensation. Payments by self-insurance and trust funds to retired or disabled employees or their beneficiaries, employer payments to pension systems and to state agencies for unemployment and disability insurance. Use object 40 for payments from self-insurance funds for property and liability claims.

30 Supplies for Consumption and Resale

Include:

  • items purchased for consumption (e.g., office supplies, forms, agricultural supplies, chemicals, laboratory supplies, cleaning supplies, clothing, construction materials, drugs, electrical supplies, feed for animals, household supplies, lubricants, medicines, painting and plumbing supplies, books, publications, etc.);
  • items purchased for resale (e.g., automotive repair parts, grave markers and liners, central store merchandise, maps, code books, concession supplies, fuel, trees, books and other literary materials, office supplies, forms, agricultural supplies, chemicals, laboratory supplies, cleaning supplies, clothing, construction materials, drugs, electrical supplies, feed for animals, household supplies, lubricants, medicines, painting and plumbing supplies, books, publications, etc.); also power, gas, water and waste disposal services purchased for resale only – if purchased for the governments’ own consumption, use object 40;
  • fuel used to generate power, heating, and operate engines and vehicles (e.g., coal, diesel fuel, gasoline, oil, propane gas, wood, etc.);
  • small tools and minor equipment.

40 Services and Pass-Through Payments

Use this object for governmental type and other professional and technical services provided by other governments (federal, state, local), other funds, or by private entities.

Include:

  • professional services (e.g., accounting, auditing, advertising, computer services, medical, dental and hospital, management consulting, custodial, messenger, testing, monitoring, cleaning, engineering, architectural, legal, investment services, etc.);
  • communication (e.g., postage, internet, telephone, facsimile, shipping, etc.);
  • travel (e.g., mileage, lodging, meals, etc.);
  • taxes (e.g., sales and use, B&O tax, etc.) and operating assessments (i.e., payments to other governments or funds based on levies against property or income of the government or a fund);
  • permits, licenses, accreditation, certification and other fees which are necessary for operations paid to the federal, state or local governments (e.g., survey fees, laboratory accreditation fees, disposal fees, discharge permits, biosolid permits, FERC licenses, etc.);
  • operating rentals and leases (GAAP entities should use object 60 for capital leases; cash basis entities should use object 70 for the principal payments and object 80 for interest payments on capital leases);
  • insurance (e.g., liability, theft, bonds, casualty, etc.; however use object 20 for insurance applicable to personnel benefits);
  • utility services (e.g., water, sewer, gas, electricity, waste disposal, television, etc.; however use object 30 for power, gas or water purchased for resale);
  • contracted repairs and maintenance (use object 60 for construction contracts);
  • other (e.g., court costs, investigation, judgments, damages, dues, subscriptions, memberships, registrations, information and credit services, laundry and sanitation services, filing, recording, witness fees, printing, binding, tuition, etc.).

Also include eligible intergovernmental pass-through payments, contributions and grants from federal, state, and own or other local resources to other governments or nongovernmental entities.

60 Capital Outlays

Expenditures related to purchase or construction of assets considered capital according to the government capitalization threshold policy. This object should be used only with accounts 594 and 595.

Include expenditures related to acquisition of, rights to, or additions to capital assets, including incidental costs such as legal, appraisal and brokerage fees, land preparation and demolishing buildings, fixtures and delivery costs. This category of object includes purchases and construction of major capital assets which are purchased or constructed by the external party. Those constructed or fabricated by the municipality should be classified under other object classes; i.e., wages under Salaries and Wages, materials under Supplies, etc. Exclude small tools and minor equipment (use object 30).

Include land, land and other improvements (e.g., easements, site improvements such as excavation, fill, grading, utility installation, removal, relocation or reconstruction of property, retaining walls, fencing, landscaping, land acquisition costs and related expenditures, intangible rights to land, etc.); acquisition, construction and improvements of buildings (e.g., administrative and office buildings, garage, shops, firehouses, jails, libraries, zoos, park buildings, coastal and riverine structures, alleys, athletic fields, water/sewer systems, fuel depots, dikes, levees, signs and signals, landscape and vegetation, etc.); machinery and equipment (e.g., police dogs and horses, computer software/hardware, artwork, etc.); assets acquired under executory conditional sales contracts (RCW 39.30.010), lease-purchase agreements, installment purchase agreements, and similar arrangements that defer payment for capital outlays over a period of time (GAAP only; cash basis governments should use 594PP70 (principal) and 594PP80 (interest) for capital lease payments.

70 Debt Service – Principal

Use with codes 591, 593, 594 (cash basis only), 596 and 599. Include general obligation, revenue, special assessment bonds, capital leases, installment purchases, anticipation and other notes, anticipation warrants, contracts, intergovernmental loans, other debt, LOCAL program payments, etc.

80 Debt Service – Interest and Issuance Costs

Use with codes 592, 593, 594 (cash basis only) and 599. Include interest on short and long-term external debt, interest on interfund debt, interests on debt to joint ventures and affiliates, LID assessments, interest on intergovernmental debt, leases, interest paid on overdue taxes (RCW 84.69.070), debt issuance and other debt service costs.