Form a Business in Washington
Filing fees, deadlines, registered agent rules, and tax structure for Washington, verified against the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations Division on Jun 11, 2026.
Washington at a glance
LLC Formation
$200
Corp Formation
$180
Nonprofit Formation
$30
Annual Report: LLC
$60
Annual Report: Corp
$60
Registered Agent
Street address
What makes Washington different
- Washington has NO state income tax. Personal or corporate. One of 9 US states with this. Major draw for residents and businesses. Constitutional prohibition on graduated income tax (1933 Supreme Court ruling).
- Business & Occupation Tax (B&O Tax) replaces corporate income tax. UNIQUE WA structure: gross-receipts tax on revenue, no deductions for cost of goods or operating expenses. Rates by classification: - Retail: 0.471% - Wholesale:…
- 2021 Capital Gains Tax (7% on long-term gains over $250K) added by SB 5096. In effect since Jan 1, 2022. Survived state Supreme Court challenge (2023). Filed with DOR.
- Annual Report fee $70 for LLCs, profit Corps, LPs, LLPs, and most for-profit entities.
- Annual Report due last day of formation-anniversary month. Calendar-fixed to each entity's anniversary.
- Delinquency fee $25. Total cost when late = $70 + $25 = $95.
- Formation fee $180 standard. Plus online processing fee (typically $0-$20). Plus optional $100 expedite (3 working days vs standard ~5-7 days).
- Nonprofit Corp formation fee TIERED by revenue. $80 standard, $40 if gross revenue < $500,000 (small nonprofit discount).
Washington tax structure
Sales tax 6.5%.
For detailed tax planning, see the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations Division and the Washington Department of Revenue. File.Business is not a tax preparer, consult a CPA for personalized advice.
Ready to file in Washington?
We handle Articles of Organization, registered agent service, annual report monitoring, and ongoing compliance, backed by our canonical Washington ruleset (re-verified quarterly against Washington Secretary of State, Corporations Division).
Filing portal: https://ccfs.sos.wa.gov/
At a glance
- What is it
- Form a business in washington is a regulated business process governed by federal or state agencies. File.Business handles the paperwork, filings, and tracking for you.
- Why it matters
- Doing this correctly the first time avoids penalties, late fees, and personal liability exposure for owners.
- Who needs it
- Any US business that has triggered the relevant requirement - usually based on entity type, state, or business activity.
- When it is due
- Deadlines vary by agency and state. We track your specific dates and remind you ahead of any filing window.
- How it works
- Tell us what you need, review the prepared filing, and we submit through the agency's official channel.
- What it costs
- Pricing is shown on this page with state and federal fees disclosed separately from our service fee.
- Risks of skipping
- Penalties, administrative dissolution, loss of liability shield, blocked transactions, or audit triggers depending on the filing.
- Alternatives
- File directly with the agency yourself, hire a law firm, or use a competing service. File.Business is the fastest premium option.