What a Washington LLC has to file, what it pays, and where to look it up. An LLC is a state entity, so the filing requirements on this page are specific to Washington.

Checked against the Washington Secretary of State Corporations and Charities Division and the state tax authority in September 2026.

LLC rules, taxes and details in Washington

Formation

You form a Washington LLC by filing Certificate of Formation with the Washington Secretary of State Corporations and Charities Division. The standard domestic filing cost is $180, plus the $50 online processing fee if filed online. An LLC formed in another state that needs authority to do business in Washington generally files a foreign registration and pays $180, plus the $50 online processing fee if filed online.

The formation filing normally identifies:

• The LLC’s legal name
• The principal office or mailing address requested by the state
• The registered agent and registered office
• The organizer or authorized person submitting the filing
• Any management, duration or professional-service details required by the form

The filing creates the state entity. It does not automatically complete federal tax registration, state tax accounts, payroll registration, local licenses or foreign qualification in another state.

Naming rules

• The name must contain Limited Liability Company, LLC, L.L.C. or another abbreviation accepted by Washington.
• It must be distinguishable from names already held on the state register.
• Words connected with banking, insurance, trusts, universities or licensed professions can require approval from another regulator.

Search the public register before filing, but remember that state name availability is not the same as trade mark clearance or ownership of a matching web domain.

Registered agent

Every Washington LLC must keep a registered agent and registered office on the state record. The agent accepts lawsuits and official notices for the company. The address must normally be a physical address in Washington, not only a PO Box, and the agent must be available during ordinary business hours.

An owner can sometimes act as agent, but using an owner’s home address makes that address part of the public record. A change of agent or office should be filed promptly rather than waiting for the next recurring report.

Annual or recurring filing

• Requirement: Annual Report, $70.
• Deadline: By the last day of the LLC’s anniversary month.
• What it updates: The filing normally confirms the LLC’s address, registered agent and management information.
• If it is missed: Late fees, loss of good standing and administrative dissolution or cancellation can follow.

Key fee schedule

Certificate of Formation, domestic LLC	$180, plus the $50 online processing fee if filed online
Foreign LLC registration	$180, plus the $50 online processing fee if filed online
Recurring state filing	Annual Report, $70

Expedited processing, certified copies, name reservations, amendments, reinstatement and local licenses can add to these amounts. Use the official filing portal for the price that applies on the day you submit.

Two details people get wrong

First: The B&O Tax is measured on gross receipts, so expenses generally do not reduce the tax base in the way they would for an income tax.

Second: A new LLC must complete its initial report on time as well as the later annual reports.

LLC tax information in Washington

An LLC is created by state law, but its federal tax classification depends on the number of members and any election it makes. State filing status and federal tax status are related, but they are not the same thing.

Federal classification

• A single-member LLC is disregarded by default. Its business activity normally appears on the owner’s federal return.
• A multi-member LLC is a partnership by default. It files Form 1065 and gives each member a Schedule K-1.
• An eligible LLC can elect C corporation treatment on Form 8832 or S corporation treatment on Form 2553.
• Payroll tax, information return and estimated payment deadlines can apply regardless of the default classification.

Washington state taxes

• Owner income tax: Washington has no broad state individual income tax, although a separate capital gains excise tax applies to certain long-term gains.
• Entity-level tax: Washington’s Business and Occupation Tax applies to gross receipts, with rates based on business classification.
• Sales or receipts tax: The state sales tax rate is 6.5%, with local rates added.
• Employer accounts: An LLC with employees normally needs state withholding and unemployment insurance registration in addition to its federal EIN.

Tax treatment turns on the LLC’s federal election, its owners, where it operates, what it sells and whether it has employees. Register through the Washington tax authority for the accounts that apply. A Secretary of State filing does not create those accounts automatically.

LLC lookup in Washington

Washington business records are available through the state’s public entity search. The record normally shows the legal name, entity number, formation or registration date, status, registered agent and filing history.

Search the register

Use the official Washington business entity search.

• Search by name to check availability or find the legal entity behind a trading name.
• Search by entity number when you already have the state file number.
• Review status and filing history before relying on a supplier, customer or acquisition target.

Good standing means the entity has met the state’s basic maintenance requirements. It does not prove that every tax return, license or private contract is current.

File and register

• Washington Secretary of State Corporations and Charities Division: Form the LLC, register a foreign LLC, update the registered agent, file the recurring report and request certificates.
• Washington tax authority: Register for income, sales or receipts tax, withholding and other accounts that apply.
• IRS: Apply for an EIN and make any federal classification election.
• Local government: Check city and county business licenses, zoning, professional permits and local taxes.

Getting help with a Washington LLC

indinero handles the accounting, tax and CFO work behind Washington LLCs. If you would rather keep formation records, tax registrations, recurring filings and financial reporting connected, talk to an expert.

Fees and rules were checked against the Washington Secretary of State Corporations and Charities Division and the Washington tax authority in September 2026. They change. This page is general information, not tax or legal advice for your situation.

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