How to Form an LLC in Washington State (2026 Guide)

Step 1Choose a name Washington will accept

Your LLC’s name must end with “Limited Liability Company,” “Limited Liability Co.,” “L.L.C.” or “LLC.” If you leave the designator off the paper form, the state adds “LLC” for you, but it is better to choose the exact wording yourself.

Check availability with the Secretary of State’s Corporations & Charities Filing System search. Keep in mind that a name showing as available is still subject to staff review, and the search does not account for filings that are still pending. If you are not ready to form yet, you can reserve a name for $30. A reservation lasts 180 days and cannot be renewed.

Step 2Name a registered agent

Every Washington LLC must have a registered agent: the person or business that accepts legal papers and official mail on the LLC’s behalf. The agent must keep a physical street address in Washington (PO boxes and private mailboxes are not allowed) and must consent to serve. The filing also asks for the agent’s email address.

Washington distinguishes two kinds of agents. A noncommercial agent can be you, a friend, or any business with a Washington address that agrees to take the role. A commercial agent is a company that has filed a listing with the state and appears on a public list in the filing system. If your LLC has no physical address in Washington, a commercial agent is the usual route.

Step 3File the Certificate of Formation

The Certificate of Formation is short. It asks for:

• the LLC’s name and, if you already have one, its 9-digit UBI number (one is issued after filing if you do not);
• your registered agent’s name, Washington address and email;
• a principal office address and email. This must be a physical address, but it does not have to be in Washington;
• the duration (perpetual unless you choose a set term or end date);
• an effective date, either the filing date or a future date up to 90 days out;
• the name, address and signature of at least one executor (the person forming the LLC).

Online or paper. Online filing goes through the Corporations & Charities Filing System and costs $200. A paper filing costs $180 and is mailed with a check or money order payable to “Secretary of State”; paper filings are handled in the order received. Filing fees are non-refundable.

Faster processing. Expedited service adds $100 and is generally completed within three business days. Online you select it at checkout; on paper you check the expedite box on the form.

The Initial Report. Washington also requires an Initial Report listing your principal office and governors (the people who manage the LLC). It is free if you file it together with the Certificate of Formation. If you defer it, it is due within 120 days of formation and costs $10.

Do not upload your operating agreement or ownership details: the Secretary of State does not record internal governance documents and removes them from the filing.

Step 4Keep up with the annual report

Each year your LLC files an annual report with the Secretary of State to confirm or update its information. The fee is $70, and the report is due by the last day of the month in which the business was originally formed or registered. You can file up to 180 days early without changing that date. The state sends a courtesy reminder by mail and email about 60 days before the deadline, but not receiving it does not excuse a late filing.

Missing the deadline puts the LLC into delinquent status and adds a $25 delinquency fee. A delinquent LLC can be administratively dissolved: under state law, the Secretary of State serves a notice and the LLC has 60 days to fix the problem. Bringing a dissolved LLC back requires reinstatement, which costs a $140 penalty plus every annual report fee you missed.