Form a Washington LLC: Secretary of State Steps and Fees
A Washington LLC exists once the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division accepts your Certificate of Formation. Note the document name. Washington does not use "Articles of Organization" for LLCs; RCW 25.15.071 calls the charter document a Certificate of Formation, and that is the title printed on the state's own form.
The state filing fee is $180, set by WAC 434-112-085(7)(a). Filing online through the CCFS portal (ccfs.sos.wa.gov) adds a portal processing surcharge on top of the $180. The Secretary of State does not publish the surcharge amount, so treat $180 as the filing fee and expect an online checkout total slightly above it. Optional expedited service adds $100.
The Certificate of Formation
The Secretary of State publishes the Certificate of Formation as an unnumbered fillable PDF, identified by its title and revision date rather than a form number. It asks for your LLC name, the registered agent designation with the agent's consent, a principal office address, and an authorized signature. You can submit it on paper at the $180 base fee or through CCFS with the processing surcharge added.
Seven Steps to a Washington LLC
- Pick a name the state will accept. The name must carry an LLC designator and be distinguishable from every entity already registered with the Secretary of State. Run it through the CCFS business search before you print anything.
- Designate a registered agent. Every Washington LLC must maintain one (RCW 23.95.405). You can appoint a commercial registered agent listed with the state, a noncommercial agent with a Washington street address, or the holder of a named office or position within the LLC itself. Whoever you choose must give prior consent in a record. Details on the registered agent page.
- File the Certificate of Formation. Submit it through CCFS or by mail with the $180 fee. Add $100 if you want expedited handling.
- File the Initial Report within 120 days. Washington requires a one-time Initial Report from new domestic LLCs (RCW 23.95.255). It is $0 when submitted together with the Certificate of Formation and $10 if filed separately, so file both at once and skip the second trip.
- Adopt an operating agreement. Washington does not ask for it, but your bank will, and without one the default rules of the state LLC Act decide questions you would rather decide yourself.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. Free, immediate, and done directly at IRS.gov. Nobody needs to charge you for this.
- Calendar the annual report. It is due by the last day of your anniversary month every year, with a $70 state fee. The annual requirements page covers the schedule.
Washington Filing Fees at a Glance
Ready to get started?
Get Started- Certificate of Formation: $180 (CCFS online filings add the unpublished portal surcharge)
- Expedited service: $100, optional
- Initial Report: $0 with the certificate, $10 filed separately
- Annual report: $70 per year, plus $25 if late
Have Us File It
Our formation service is $199 flat. That covers preparing and filing your Certificate of Formation and includes your first year of registered agent service; the agent seat renews at $99 per year afterward. State fees are paid to the Secretary of State on top.