How to Start an LLC in Washington (2026)

Full transcript

0:00 The short answer

Dan To start an LLC in Washington, you file a Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State, online in CCFS, and pay $200 in all.

Maya Two hundred. Is that the whole state fee?

Dan Yes. It's a $180 filing fee plus a $20 online processing fee.

Maya This is The Business Formation Podcast. Today, Washington for 2026, in six steps, with what it all costs and the two best ways to have it filed for you. Where do we start?

0:30 Step 1: Choose a name

Dan The name needs Limited Liability Company, Limited Liability Co., L.L.C., or LLC. It also has to be distinguishable from names already on record.

Maya Anything off limits?

Dan Yes. Bank, trust, and cooperative aren't allowed in the name.

Maya How do I see if mine is taken?

Dan Use the free Corporation Search in CCFS. To hold a name while you get ready, a reservation is $30 for 180 days.

1:00 Step 2: Name a registered agent

Maya Who can be my registered agent in Washington?

Dan A commercial registered agent, or a person or business with a physical Washington street address who agrees in a record to serve.

Maya What about a mailbox service?

Dan No P.O. boxes and no private mailboxes. It has to be a street address.

Maya Is that address public?

Dan The agent's name and address are, yes. That's why many owners hire a commercial agent. And changing agents later costs nothing.

1:30 Step 3: File a Certificate of Formation

Maya Where do I file?

Dan Online in CCFS, the Secretary of State's system. You pay the $180 filing fee plus a $20 processing fee.

Maya Do I file anything else with it?

Dan Your initial report. Filed with the Certificate, it's free. Otherwise, it's due within 120 days of formation.

Maya What's in it?

Dan Your principal office and the people who govern the LLC.

Maya I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan.

Dan Good to meet you, Maya. Standard processing takes 7 to 10 business days. Expedited service is $100 more, and takes about three working days.

2:07 Step 4: Write an operating agreement

Maya Does the state keep a copy of my operating agreement?

Dan No. The Secretary of State doesn't record it, and there's no fee. You keep it with your records.

Maya Does it even have to be written?

Dan Washington counts oral and implied agreements, too. That's the reason to write yours down. Who owns what, how profits are split, who decides, and what happens if a member leaves.

2:30 Step 5: Get a free EIN

Maya Now the federal side.

Dan Apply for your EIN free with the IRS at IRS.gov, after the Secretary of State files your Certificate.

Maya How fast is it?

Dan If the online application is approved, the number comes right away. Keep the Social Security number or ITIN of the person in charge handy.

Maya Anything at the state level?

Dan Possibly a business license from the Department of Revenue. That's when your gross income reaches $12,000 a year, you hire employees, or you collect sales tax.

Maya And the beneficial ownership report?

Dan You can skip it. FinCEN no longer requires it from U.S. companies.

3:10 Step 6: File the $70 annual report

Maya What keeps the LLC in good standing?

Dan An annual report in CCFS, by the last day of the month you formed, every year. The fee is $70.

Maya Every year, starting the first?

Dan Yes, once a year, on the same month as your formation.

Maya What if I'm late?

Dan It's $95 then, with a $25 delinquency fee on top of the $70.

Maya And if I ignore it for good?

Dan After a notice, the state can administratively dissolve the LLC. Reinstating is $140, plus every report you missed.

3:43 What it costs

Maya Give me the do-it-yourself math.

Dan $200 to form, online. Then $70 a year for the annual report.

Maya And the initial report?

Dan Free, filed with the Certificate. The EIN is free too.

Maya What about the optional extras?

Dan A name reservation is $30. Expedited service is $100. Same-day in-person service is $150.

Maya So what's a fair first-year number?

Dan $200 for most people. With a reservation and the expedite, $330.

4:16 The late math

Maya Let me test the annual report. Say I forget for a month.

Dan Then you owe $95 instead of $70. That's $25 extra for the delinquency fee.

Maya That doesn't sound terrible.

Dan It isn't, by itself. The real cost is ignoring the notice. Dissolution means paying $140 to reinstate, plus the reports you skipped.

Maya So the cheap fix is a calendar reminder.

Dan Yes. Put the last day of your formation month on it, and you'll never pay the $25.

4:49 Picking your registered agent

Maya Let me take the agent question again. Could I just be my own agent?

Dan You can, if you have a physical Washington street address and you agree to serve in a record.

Maya What if I move?

Dan Then you name someone new. There's no fee to change agents, so it's a small job.

Maya And if I travel a lot?

Dan That's the case for a commercial agent. The agent's name and address are on the public record, and a commercial agent is built for that role.

Maya Is a friend's address okay?

Dan Only if it's a real street address and the friend agrees to serve. Many owners prefer not to ask.

5:23 Expedite or wait

Maya Is the expedite worth $100?

Dan It depends on the deadline. Standard is 7 to 10 business days. Expedited is about three working days.

Maya Is there anything faster?

Dan Same-day in-person service is $150.

Maya So who should pay?

Dan Anyone who needs a bank account or a contract signed quickly. If you have time, standard processing costs nothing extra.

5:48 First-year checklist

Maya Give me the order of operations.

Dan Search your name. Choose your agent at a Washington street address. File the Certificate online, with your initial report. Then get your EIN, and write your operating agreement.

Maya And the calendar?

Dan Mark the last day of your formation month. That's your annual report deadline, every year.

Maya And the money to keep in mind?

Dan $70 a year, plus the state license from the Department of Revenue if you cross the thresholds.

6:15 The 2 best ways to file in Washington

Maya What if I want someone else to file it?

Dan Here are the two best ways to file in Washington. Number one, our pick, is Mainstay Filing, $199 a year plus the state fee. With the $200 state fee, checkout comes to $399.

Maya What does that cover?

Dan Your Certificate filed, your EIN application, and your registered agent every year. It renews at the same $199.

Maya And the annual report?

Dan In Washington, Mainstay prepares and files it on time. You pay only the $70 state fee.

Maya Number two?

Dan WA Registered Agent.org. It prepares and files your Certificate for $199 plus the state fee, which is also $399 at checkout. Your first year of agent service is free, and after that it's $99 a year.

Maya How do I pick?

Dan If you'll file your own annual report, number two costs less from year two, at $99 a year for the agent alone. The $70 state fee is the same either way. If you want the report filed for you at one steady price, that's Mainstay.

7:28 Three years of service fees

Maya Three-year number?

Dan Mainstay is $199 a year, so $597. Number two is $199 in year one, then $99 in each of the next two years, for $397.

Maya A $200 difference.

Dan Yes, and in Washington, that gap pays for having your annual report filed on time.

7:51 Recap

Maya One more time through it?

Dan Choose a name with LLC in it, name an agent at a Washington street address, file your Certificate online for $200 with your initial report, write an operating agreement, get your free EIN, and file your $70 annual report every year.

Maya The links to both services and every official source are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast, and good luck with your new Washington LLC.