Whether you’re preparing to launch a small business in Washington or already have an established business, taking the time to form your business structure could work to your advantage by potentially limiting your personal liability and affording you significant tax benefits.
Before you start the process of filing for a limited liability company (LLC) in Washington, though, it’s important to understand that Washington has its own specific laws and requirements that you’ll need to follow. For this reason, many business owners opt to use an experienced LLC service to handle the process on their behalf.
Before you get the ball rolling on choosing an LLC service, it can be helpful to understand what an LLC is and what this unique type of business structure entails.
With an LLC, the assets and debts of a business are distinctly separated from the owners’ personal assets.
There are many reasons as to why a small business owner may decide to form an LLC aside from the liability protection, including the ability to take advantage of pass-through taxation. This setup can save business owners a great deal of money.
Combine all of this with the simple fact that incorporating can provide businesses with a better reputation to potential clients/customers, and it’s easy to see why this is a popular choice among many owners of small businesses.
What does it take to form an LLC in Washington? According to the Secretary of State website, it is possible to file for an LLC in Washington using a certificate of formation and by paying a fee. For filings made online directly through the Secretary of State website, the fee is $200 (as of July 2025), and filing by mail is slightly cheaper at $180. It is also worth noting that businesses filing for an LLC in Washington are required to have a current business license and file an initial annual report within the first 120 days of LLC formation.
Looking for the best LLC services in Washington? We’ve hand-picked a few options for you to consider.
Disclaimer: the rates and offerings below are subjected to changes made by the service providers.
At Tailor Brands, we’ve already served more than 30 million users with their business formation needs. With a wide range of resources and tools to help you through every step of the process, we can provide comprehensive LLC formation services in all 50 states.
While LLC formation is one of our most popular services, it’s far from all we do. In fact, we are proud to offer a number of other dedicated services to make the lives of small business owners (and aspiring business owners) a bit easier, such as:
Whether you’re still in the early stages of planning your brand’s launch or are looking to take your business to the next level, Tailor Brands has the services you need to set yourself up for success.
Tailor Brands offers LLC formation services for as low as $0 state filing fees, when choosing our “Lite” plan which includes the basic LLC formation service. Our “Essential” plan costs $199 + state filing fees, and it includes expedited processing, annual compliance services, and drafting an operating agreement. Our “Elite” plan costs $249 state filing fees, and it adds additional business tools and services such as a 1-year domain name, a website builder, and free logo design.
Tailor Brands is a great choice for business owners who are looking to incorporate in Washington without having to handle the process on their own. Tailor Brands can take care of all the paperwork and other steps related to LLC formation in Washington, saving business owners valuable time that they can use to accomplish other tasks.
Meanwhile, Tailor Brands customer reviews have a 4.5/5-star average, with a reputation for excellent customer service and reasonable pricing.
LegalZoom is another well known LLC formation business that has been serving business owners for more than 20 years. From providing legal help to handling business structure filings, LegalZoom’s website claims that it has served more than four million customers as of 2025.
In addition to LLC formation services available in all 50 states, LegalZoom offers a number of legal services for individuals and business owners alike. Some examples of LegalZoom’s most popular offerings include:
LegalZoom, like many other LLC services, advertises a free LLC starting at $0 before state filing fees. However, there are many different packages available for business owners to choose from based on their unique needs, including a “Basic” package that includes articles of organization, a customized business website, and a name-checking service.
For $299 plus applicable state filing fees, users can enjoy a “Premium” package that includes dedicated legal guidance from experienced business attorneys and a written operating agreement.
With more than 3,900 reviews on TrustPilot, LegalZoom boasts a 4.4 out of 5-star rating, with many clients noting that they had an excellent experience with the brand’s customer service team.
If you’re looking to form an LLC in Washington and need a business expert to help you, Northwest Registered Agent offers quick and simple services to take the burden off your plate.
Northwest Registered Agent’s offerings are tailored towards small business owners, with their most popular services including:
Unlike other LLC formation services that advertise free LLC filing, Northwest Registered Agent charges a flat $39 fee (in addition to state fees). However, that fee covers not just the filing and documents associated with it, but free expedited service and a Washington state business address/phone number for brands operating in another state.
Despite the slightly larger price tag, Northwest Registered Agent does include a lot of services for the price and has a respectable 4.7 out of five-star rating on its Google business page. This business is also located in Washington, so it could be a great choice for those looking for a local service.
For years, ZenBusiness has been serving business owners with LLC formation services and more in a user-friendly platform that’s easy to navigate.
In addition to LLC formation services available in all 50 states, ZenBusiness boasts these relevant offerings for small business owners:
Filing an LLC in Washington through ZenBusiness starts at $0 plus state filing fees and includes a 100% accuracy guarantee, though the process can take a few weeks.
Those needing an LLC formed more quickly should opt for either the “Pro” or “Premium” package (ranging from $199 to $349 per year) for filing in a matter of days (plus additional services included).
ZenBusiness has great reviews on TrustPilot, with an average 4.8-star rating based on more than 16,000 real customer reviews. However, unless you want to potentially wait several weeks to form your LLC, you may need to spend a bit more for an upgraded package.
Last but not least, there’s Swyft Filings, an LLC formation service that boasts the ability to “launch your LLC in minutes!” This service can file in all 50 states and claims it has registered more than 300,000 businesses since it opened its doors in 2015.
In addition to LLC formation, Swyft Filings also offers:
The cost to form an LLC through Swyft Filings starts at $0 (plus state fees) and includes up to $1,300 in business benefits. Meanwhile, a $199 package offers additional services in the form of custom bylaws, organizational minutes, and more.
Swyft Filings has a 4.7 out of five-star rating based on more than 6,700 reviews on TrustPilot and is also listed as one of America’s fastest-growing private businesses. Plus, with a 100% accuracy guarantee, Swyft Filings could help you avoid errors when compared to filing by yourself.
One of the most common questions business owners have when it comes to forming an LLC is whether it’s something they can do on their own without bringing in a third-party service. Ultimately, it is possible to create an LLC on your own in Washington—but doing so does require an extensive understanding of the state’s specific requirements.
Because of this, in addition to filing the proper paperwork and paying applicable fees, can create a lot of unnecessary stress for business owners looking to form an LLC in Washington. Rather than going through this hassle alone, many savvy business owners decide to hire an LLC service to help them with all these steps.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of handling LLC formation in Washington alone, then it may be time to turn to an LLC formation service to assist you. From there, you can save yourself the stress, time, and hassle while ensuring that your LLC formation is handled accurately.
Before you decide on any of the above options, be sure to take your time and explore customer reviews and service offerings. This will help you make the right decision for your specific needs.
This portion of our website is for informational purposes only. Tailor Brands is not a law firm, and none of the information on this website constitutes or is intended to convey legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, Tailor Brands is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness. It also does not indicate any affiliation between Tailor Brands and any other brands, services or logos.
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