Step 1: Choose a name Washington will accept
The name has to end with “Limited Liability Company”, “Limited Liability Co.”, “L.L.C.” or another form the state accepts. It also has to differ from the names already on the Washington Secretary of State's records, and some words need another agency's approval. Check an LLC name in Washington against those rules and the registered names we hold, then confirm it on the official search.
Washington doesn't reserve names, so the name is yours only when the Certificate of Formation is accepted.
Step 2: Appoint a registered agent
The Certificate of Formation names a registered agent: a person or company with a street address in Washington who receives lawsuits and official notices for the LLC during business hours. You can usually serve yourself if you live in the state, or pay a commercial agent a yearly fee.
Our sister site lists the registered agents Washington companies use most, with how many companies each one serves.
Step 3: File the Certificate of Formation
File it with the Washington Secretary of State. The fee is $200 online ($180 by mail). File online, or on paper. The LLC exists once the state accepts the filing.
How long it takes. Faster service: $100 for about three business days; at the counter, same day for that fee if received by 3:30 p.m. (The office's page.)
Step 4: Write an operating agreement
Washington doesn't require one (RCW 25.15.018(1)-(2)), but without it the state's default rules decide how the LLC is run and how profits and votes are shared. It stays in the company's records; it isn't filed.
Make a free Washington LLC operating agreement and download it as a Word file.
Step 5: Get an EIN
An EIN (employer identification number) is the LLC's federal tax ID: banks ask for it to open a business account, and the LLC needs one to hire. The IRS issues it free; apply online at irs.gov once Washington has accepted the Certificate of Formation.
Step 6: File the Washington LLC annual report
Fee: $70 (no online processing fee applies to annual reports); $95 with the $25 delinquency fee if received after the due date. The fee rose from $60 (plus a business licensing services fee when applicable) to $70 under WSR 23-18-053, effective October 1, 2023. Due: Each year by the entity's expiration date: the last day of the month in which the LLC was formed; may be filed up to 180 days early. (Source: Fee schedules priority services, sos.wa.gov.)
| After formation | Washington |
|---|---|
| Recurring report | $70 each year (due by the end of the month the LLC was formed) |
| State tax or fee on LLCs | Business and occupation tax on gross receipts; none due under $125,000 a year of gross income for a business that doesn't collect retail sales tax |
| Proof of good standing | Certificate of Existence, $20 |
Missing the recurring filing is the most common way an LLC loses its good standing, and in time its existence. On our sister site, look up an LLC's status or see how to get a Washington certificate of good standing.
What it costs to start an LLC in Washington
| State fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Formation filing (online) | $200 |
| First year, state fees | $200 |
| Each year after (business and occupation tax: none due under $125,000 a year of gross income without retail sales) | $70 |
Over five years, Washington's state fees come to $480. These are state fees only: a commercial registered agent, a publication notice and income taxes are extra. Compare every state's fees, with the options to reserve the name or file faster.
Sources
Fee schedules priority services, sos.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Limited liability company LLC professional LLC PLLC filing resource page, sos.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-09
Start domestic WA limited liability company LLC online, sos.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Corporations charities filing system tools resources, sos.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Certificates certified copies, sos.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
RCW 23.95.300, app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
RCW 23.95.305, app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
RCW 23.95.310, app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
RCW 23.95.315, app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
WAC 434-112-075, app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
WAC 434-112-080, app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
WAC 434-112-085, app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
WSR 23-18-053, lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
RCW 19.80.010, app.leg.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Register trade names, dor.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Variable business license processing fees, dor.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Apply business license, dor.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Business occupation tax, dor.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-07
Active non reporting, dor.wa.gov, checked 2026-10-09
Apply for an EIN online, irs.gov
How to start an LLC in Washington
- Choose a name Washington will accept and check it against the Washington Secretary of State's records.
- Appoint a registered agent with a street address in Washington.
- File the Certificate of Formation with the Washington Secretary of State (from $180).
- Write an operating agreement.
- Get a free EIN from the IRS.
- Keep up with the recurring filings and fees.
Common questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Washington?
From $180 to file the Certificate of Formation. The state's fees come to $200 in the first year and $70 a year after that; a registered agent service or a newspaper notice costs extra.
How long does it take to start an LLC in Washington?
The Washington Secretary of State doesn't post a standard time. Faster service: $100 for about three business days; at the counter, same day for that fee if received by 3:30 p.m.
Do I need an operating agreement in Washington?
Washington doesn't require one (RCW 25.15.018(1)-(2)), but it's the document that says who owns the LLC and how it's run; banks and partners often ask for it.
Can I start an LLC in Washington online?
Yes. The Washington Secretary of State takes the Certificate of Formation online, for from $180.
When is the Washington LLC annual report due?
Each year by the entity's expiration date: the last day of the month in which the LLC was formed; may be filed up to 180 days early.
Does Washington require an annual report for LLCs?
Yes. Washington's recurring filing: $70 each year (due by the end of the month the LLC was formed).