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LLC SchoolhousePlain LLC lessons, one state at a time.

Lesson 1 · Washington

How to Start an LLC in Washington (2026): a 7-Step Lesson and the 2 Best LLC Services

Here is who we would send a new founder to for setting up an LLC in Washington in 2026: Mainstay Filing ($199) and WA Registered Agent.org ($199), in grade order. Work through 7 steps below; the state's own fee is $200, plus $70 for the annual report.

Taught by the LLC Schoolhouse editors

This lesson at a glance

What the state charges$200Class notes: sos.wa.gov (October 2026)
Annual report$70 a yearDue date on the state calendar: last day of the entity's anniversary month
Three years of state fees$340Formation, reports and any minimum tax
Steps in this lesson7From start to finish

You will be able to

  • Where to file in Washington and what the fee is
  • What the registered agent rule asks of you
  • What comes after formation
  • Our graded picks and the reasoning

If you would like help with the filing

The order follows five published criteria; read how we grade for the details.
Best grade

1. Mainstay Filing: best for a hands-off first year

$199 a year, with $399 covering the state fee

Mainstay Filing earns the highest mark because three chores, the filing, the registered agent and the annual report, are folded into a single $199 annual price.

Three years here cost $200 more than WA Registered Agent.org, in return for doing more of the work.

It also files the annual report for you, and Washington's $70 fee is billed at cost.

What the price covers

  • Your formation filing is prepared and submitted
  • Registered agent for twelve months
  • Annual report prepared and filed
  • The EIN application
  • Official fee, at cost

Marks in its favor

  • $199 a year pays for filing and agent and report
  • It files the EIN application for you
  • Renews at $199

Where it loses points

  • $100 a year more than WA Registered Agent.org's renewal
Washington focus

2. WA Registered Agent.org: best for a small first bill

$199 plus fees, $99 yearly after

WA Registered Agent.org lands in second place, and the reason is clear: a $199 formation fee, then $99 a year to keep the agent.

Set aside time for the annual report every year, since the price does not include it.

What the price covers

  • The formation filing
  • The first year of agent service

Marks in its favor

  • Agent covered for year one
  • Then $99 a year
  • $199 above the state fee

Where it loses points

  • There is no annual report service
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra

Our Washington picks side by side

#ServiceFirst yearFrom year twoThree-year total
1Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2WA Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit WA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Taken from each company's pricing on November 13, 2026. No row includes the $200 state fee.

Starting an LLC in Washington, one step at a time

  1. Step
    1

    Pick a name and make sure it is free

    Your first task is a name search in the records kept by the Washington Secretary of State, because a taken name in Washington can get your filing returned.

    Keep a second choice in your pocket.

  2. Step
    2

    Name a registered agent

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, a noncommercial agent (any person or business with a Washington address), or the holder of a named position in the company. The agent consents in advance.

    The address has to be a physical street address in Washington. P.O. boxes and private mailboxes are not accepted.

    Each of the picks above is able to act as your registered agent.

    Where this comes from: Class notes: app.leg.wa.gov (October 2026)

  3. Step
    3

    Choose between DIY and a service

    Doing it yourself means $200 to the state and nothing else. One of our picks charges $199 on top and takes over the paperwork.

  4. Step
    4

    Fill out and file the Certificate of Formation - Limited Liability Company

    Your formation filing is the Certificate of Formation - Limited Liability Company; take it, plus $200, to the Washington Secretary of State (RCW 25.15.071).

    Where this comes from: Class notes: sos.wa.gov (October 2026)

  5. Step
    5

    Obtain an EIN

    Once approved, the LLC can get a federal tax ID, the EIN, from the IRS. A business bank account will need it. If you hire Mainstay Filing, it files the EIN application for you.

  6. Step
    6

    Sign an operating agreement

    An operating agreement spells out who owns the Washington LLC and how decisions are made. You keep it with your records, and the state never sees it.

  7. Step
    7

    Put the yearly deadlines on your calendar

    Once a year the LLC files the annual report and pays $70; the due date is last day of the entity's anniversary month. A late filing costs $25 more.

    Where this comes from: Class notes: sos.wa.gov (October 2026)

What you will pay

Cost itemPaid toPrice
Forming the LLCThe state$200
Annual reportThe state$70 every year
Missing the deadlineThe state$25
Optional serviceThe service$199 for year one
Three years of state feesThe state$340
The three-year state figure is the filing, the reports due in years two and three and any yearly minimum tax; service fees are separate.

How the grade worked out

edged ahead of on homework the price handles, which counts for 33%.

Washington wants the annual report every year, so a price that files it beat a lower price that leaves the job to you.

Test yourself on Washington

What will I pay to set up an LLC with Washington?

Washington charges $200. Service fees among our picks run $199.

Which form creates the LLC?

Step 4 of this lesson shows how to complete the Certificate of Formation - Limited Liability Company and where to send it: the Washington Secretary of State.

Is a registered agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

What does Washington require each year?

Washington asks for the annual report every year. The fee is $70, and the due date is last day of the entity's anniversary month.

Can I form the LLC without a service?

It is allowed. Do the filing on your own for $200 and line up a registered agent as well.

Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?

By grade: Mainstay Filing and WA Registered Agent.org. Mainstay Filing is first because $199 a year hands off the formation, the registered agent role and the annual report to someone else.

Related lessons

Class references

  1. Class reference on Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division: ccfs.sos.wa.gov (the state's own page), reread in August 2026 for this lesson.
  2. Class reference on Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division: sos.wa.gov (the state's own page), reread in August 2026 for this lesson.
  3. Class reference on Washington yearly filing: Annual report, official source: sos.wa.gov (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
  4. Class reference on Washington report due date: app.leg.wa.gov (the state's own page), reread in August 2026 for this lesson.
  5. Class reference on Washington formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sos.wa.gov (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
  6. Class reference on Washington formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sos.wa.gov (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
  7. Class reference on Washington registered agent statute: app.leg.wa.gov (the state's own page), reread in October 2026 for this lesson.
  8. November 13, 2026: the Washington service page for Mainstay Filing
  9. November 13, 2026: the pricing page for WA Registered Agent.org