5 Best Washington LLC Services for 2025 (Formation & Help)

Forming a business may sound easy to many, but it is full of obstructions and stopovers. Hiring a professional formation service is a must if you plan to launch your LLC in Washington. Forming an LLC does not need a complicated process. However, professional help makes it much easier.

On this page, LLCBuddy editors shared the names of the industry-best companies. Most leading companies do not charge a penny to form your LLC. Their packages start from $0 (+ state filing fee). Check out and explore the best LLC formation service in Washington in this article. If you’re not a reading type of person, you can watch this video before you make your purchase.

Best LLC Service in Washington

Best LLC Formation Services in Washington

Here is the list of the best LLC services available in Washington. The best thing about these services is starting your LLC for free. Some of the following services are offering LLC formation in Washington at $0. Other than the state fees and charges, you do not have to pay any charges to the service provider. You will get the basic formation package for free. Now, let’s check out the list of best LLC formation service providers in Washington-

LLC Service	Our Rating & Pricing	Top Features	Learn More
#1 TOP PICK	5/5 $0 + State Fees	Fast 1 business day processing 4.8/5.0 Trustpilot 700k+ new businesses formed	Start LLC Now
	4.5/5 $39 + State Fees	In-house corporate guides Standalone RA service DIY packages	Learn More

Below is the list of the best LLC formation services we picked for you in Washington.

ZenBusiness – Known for its affordable packages and efficient service, ZenBusiness has become a favorite among new entrepreneurs.
Northwest Registered Agent – Praised for its top-notch customer service, Northwest ensures personalized assistance and detailed compliance guidance.
LegalZoom – With years of industry experience, LegalZoom offers comprehensive services and a vast array of legal resources.
Swyft Filings – Best for small business formation, Swyft Filings offers incredible customer support.
BetterLegal – Speed is BetterLegal’s forte, promising the fastest LLC formation process in the market.

Our Editorial Team selects these companies through thorough research and market study. It is recommended that you cross-check all the factors before choosing the right one for your business.

1. ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness is a Texas-based company that provides services from formation to annual compliance to an LLC. It offers three plans, Starter, Pro, and Premium. The Starter plan starts from $0. That means you can form your LLC for free in Washington, though you must pay the state filing fee of $200 (online and $180 by mail) to the Washington Secretary of State. But, the company charges nothing to form your business in the state.

ZenBusiness Plans

Starter Plan at $0 + state filing fee
Pro Plan at $199/year + state filing fee
Premium Plan at $299/year + state filing fee

ZenBusiness Pros and Cons

Why You Must Get ZenBusiness	Why You Should Not Get ZenBusiness
100% accuracy rate	Does not form Washington nonprofit
Free LLC formation in Washington	Additional cost for EIN
User friendly
Standalone Registered Agent services in Washington

ZenBusiness Overview

ZenBusiness is one of those top-rated companies that provide business formation in Washington at a minimum cost (currently at $0). There is no charge to be paid to the company for forming your LLC in Washington. The state filing fee and other necessary fees must be paid, including the registered agent fee.

ZenBusiness offers three plans, among which the Pro plan is recommended. The Pro plan has everything you need to start an LLC in Washington. Obtaining EIN, operating agreement drafting, name search, and all other services are available with the rush filing feature.

Form LLC in Washington with ZenBusiness

2. Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent is a family-owned business based in Spoken, Washington state. The company offers LLC formation, registered agent service, annual compliances, and other business-related services in all 50 states, including Washington. It offers LLC formation at $39 + state fees and registered agent service at $125 yearly.

Northwest Plans

Northwest does not have conventional packages. It offers Core, Business maintenance, and business development services. Under these categories, various services are available at a flat rate. Some of the services offered by Northwest in Washington are listed below-

LLC formation in Washington at $39 + state filing fee
Registered Agent at $125 yearly
Annual report filing at $100 + state filing fee
Obtaining EIN at $50
Northwest offers National Agent Service. If you operate your LLC Registered Agent in 5 or more states, you can pay $100 + state fees (if applicable) to get a single agent for all states.

Northwest Registered Agent Pros and Cons

Why You Must Get Northwest	Why You Should Not Get Northwest
DIY Packages for your LLC in Washington	Not BBB accredited
No plans, flat rate for all services	You must form Washington LLC to purchase only the service you need.
You must form Washington LLC to purchase only the service you need.	The operating agreement draft is not included in the Core services
Northwest offers a standalone Registered Agent service in Washington

Northwest Registered Agent Overview

Northwest is one of those service providers that offer DIY packages. Northwest is not for you if you want a wholesome formation package in Washington. It does not have conventional LLC formation packages. It is simply like a departmental store for you. You don’t need to buy everything, but the only thing you need.

Northwest has in-house corporate guides to guide you through the formation process. It offers LLC formation at $39 plus the state filing fee ($125). If you have already formed your LLC in Washington and are willing to appoint a Registered Agent only, then Northwest can provide a standalone registered agent service at $125 per year.

Northwest offers single flat rates for all services in Washington and other states. The best part about the company is it does not outsource any of its services. Northwest offers corporate guides to help you through the steps of LLC formation.

Form LLC in Washington with Northwest Registered Agent

3. LegalZoom

LegalZoom is one of the service providers in Washington that offers free LLC formation services. If you want to avoid spending money to form your LLC, then LegalZoom is for you. It offers various formation packages that include all types of LLC services. Aside from LLC formation, LegalZoom offers C and S Corp formation. With over thousands of customers, the company offers basic LLC formation services at $0.

LegalZoom Plans

Basic Package- $0 + State Filing Fees (Tax deduction may be applicable)
Pro Package – $249 + State Filing Fees (Tax deductible may be applicable)
Premium Package – $279 + State Filing Fees (Tax deduction may be applicable)

Apart from these packages, LegalZoom offers a bunch of add-on services as well. Add-on services include the following-

Registered Agent – $299 per year. Available as an add-on and not included in any packages
Trademark registration: Assisting with the US trademark application process
Copyright registration: Guidance on registering copyrights for creative works
Patent services: Support in obtaining utility, design, and plant patents
Estate planning: Offering personalized wills, trusts, and power of attorney documents
Legal advice: Access to a network of lawyers for consultations and legal guidance
Expedited Filing: With an additional $99, you can speed up your filing process.

LegalZoom Pros and Cons

Why You Must Get LegalZoom	Why You Shouldn’t Get LegalZoom
Free LLC formation	Expensive add-ons, such as Registered Agent
Trustworthy and established reputation	Higher pricing compared to some competitors
Quick turnaround time	Fewer add-on options
Access to legal professionals	Some additional fees not included in plan prices
Customer support is available through phone or chat	Mixed customer reviews

LegalZoom Overview

LegalZoom is one of the oldest companies in the USA. This company is a service provider offering LLC formation at $0. It offers three broad packages, Basic, Pro, and Premium. The Basic package costs $0. However, you must pay the Washington filing fee while filing the Articles of Organization with the Washington Secretary of State. The filing fee depends on which method, mail, online, or any other method you choose.

LegalZoom offers vast add-ones like others. Hence, the chances of getting diverse services are comparatively high. The best part about the company is that it has access to legal documents and legal consultations. The registered agent service is a bit expensive. If you want to hire a Registered Agent from LegalZoom, you must purchase that service separately; it does not come with any formation plans.

Form LLC in Washington with LegalZoom

4. Swyft Filings

An online business formation service, Swyft Filings, is popular among budding entrepreneurs for its customer support and quick document processing. The company offers three types of formation plans for diverse benefits. Swyft Filings, like other close competitors, offers LLC formation at $0. Swyft Filings is an appropriate service for small businesses in Washington.

Swyft Filings Plans

Basic Plan at $0 + State filing fee
Standard Plan at $199 + State filing fee
Premium Plan at $299 + State filing fee

Swyft Filings Pros and Cons

Why to Choose Swyft Filings	Why Not to Choose Swyft Filings
Free LLC Formation ($0 + state filing fee)	Non-transparent cost, expensive add-ons
Quick processing time	Registered Agent is not included in any plans
Smooth customer support
Good for small business

Swyft Filings Overview

Swyft Filings is one of the services that are known best for a small business. It offers LLC formation at $0 and a 10-day processing and expedited option. However, they don’t include registered agent service with any of its packages. Besides, once you proceed to check out after selecting your package, many add-ons appear, leading to a bigger amount.

Swyft Filings offers three broad packages, Basic, Standard, and Premium, along with many expensive add-ons. Compared to other competitors, Swyft Filings’ add-ons are a bit expensive. If you want to start a small business (LLC, S-Corp, Corporation, Nonprofit, etc), Swyft Filings has everything you need.

Form an LLC in Washington with Swyft Filings

5. BetterLegal

BetterLegal is a comparatively new company compared to other competitors. However, this company has successfully grabbed a large portion of the market in the United States. Serving in 51 states, BetterLegal has been in business since 2016. Unlike other experienced companies, it does not have a list of packages and plans for LLC formation.

BetterLegal Plans

BetterLegal offers one single plan at a flat $299 + state filing fees. It has a list of add-on services as well. BetterLegal is an online service that started off with a very small team. However, even after being in the business for so long, they didn’t increase their team size much. They have transparent pricing, and no hidden charge exists for any services they provide.

BetterLegal offers a list of add-on services. Following are the additional services they offer-

Registered Agent service – $10/month or $90/year
State Annual compliance services – $10/month or $90/year
Permit & License Search Service – $125
Amendment & document research – Free with the core formation service package

BetterLegal Pros and Cons

Why You Must Get BetterLegal	Why You Shouldn’t Get BetterLegal
No refund; all sales are final	The basic package does not include a registered agent service
Quick Turnaround time	Additional charge for EIN
A+ BBB Accredited	The basic package does not include a registered agent service
Single plan for all incorporation

BetterLegal Overview

Even though the company is called BetterLegal, no attorneys or legal services are available. The company offers a single plan for all types of business formation. Hence, if you are planning to form a corporation, you can pay $299 + incorporation fee ($180 for online and by mail filing in Washington). It offers comparatively better turnaround time at a reasonable price than other companies. You can file your LLC within 10 minutes with BetterLegal.

It offers a resource center for new entrepreneurs. They provide guidance to make things easier when it comes to filing your business. Their small team sometimes fails to cater to their customers on time. Reaching out to their customer support team is very difficult. Another disadvantage is it does not have a refund policy. All sales with BetterLegal are final, and at any stage, no refund is made upon cancelation. However, basic LLC formation and registered agent services are much cheaper in BetterLegal than in other close competitors.

Form LLC in Washington with BetterLegal

How to Form an LLC in Washington

Forming an LLC in Washington takes a few steps. The first step is to get a clear idea about doing business in Washington. Before jumping into the pool of paperwork, make sure you have a thorough knowledge of taxes and the costs of starting any business in Washington.

In general, Washington, popularly known as The Evergreen State, is a business-friendly state with a population of 7,999,503. The state has the nominal GDP is 731,691 (in millions). Hence, you can start any small or medium-sized business in Washington based on your budget. Forming an LLC in Washington can be a good option as it is less complicated than other forms of business. If you choose the state capital, Olympia, to start your LLC, you might get more tax and other benefits.

There are five most important steps to follow when you establish an LLC in Washington:

Step 1: Give a name to the LLC: Make sure the name is available to use in Washington. You can also get a DBA.
Step 2: Get a Registered Agent in Washington. The person will be responsible for all communications between your LLC and the State.
Step 3: File the Washington Articles of Organization.
Step 4: Draft an LLC operating agreement in Washington.
Step 5: Get an EIN in Washington

Now, these steps seem to be easy. But unfortunately, it is not that simple. Each business has to file different documents based on local licenses and permits. From January 1, 2024, all the LLCs and Corporations have to file the BOI Report with the FinCEN. If you start an LLC, you must file the BOI Report in Washington.

You can do that on your own. However, getting a professional on board is always recommended to guide you through the process. These steps are crucial and sensitive. You must complete everything to avoid canceling your formation process. Hence, having a professional LLC formation service for your LLC is better.

How to Choose the Best LLC Formation Service in Washington

It is important to choose the best service for your business carefully. Before you select the best one, make sure you thoroughly research the following points-

Reputation: Look for a company with a good reputation. Check reviews and ratings from previous clients to see how they feel about the services offered.
Experience: Choose a company with years of LLC formation experience. This ensures that they have knowledge of the process and can provide quality services.
Cost: Compare prices between different companies. Choose a company that offers affordable pricing for the services you need.
Customer Service: Ensure that the company has good customer service. They should be responsive, helpful, and willing to answer any questions.
Services Offered: Look for a company that offers a range of services, including entity formation, registered agent services, and ongoing compliance support to ensure your LLC remains in good standing.
Ease of Use: Choose a company with a user-friendly website and easy-to-use online platform. This makes the process of forming an LLC simple and straightforward.
Guarantees: Check if the company offers a satisfaction guarantee or a refund policy. This gives you peace of mind that you are getting the best possible service.

FAQs

What are the advantages of forming an LLC in Washington?

Some advantages of forming an LLC in Washington include limited liability protection, tax flexibility, and streamlined business operations.

How much does it cost to form an LLC in Washington?

The cost of forming an LLC in Washington can vary, but typically ranges from $200 to $250 for filing fees with the Secretary of State.

Do I need an attorney to form an LLC in Washington?

While it is not required to hire an attorney to form an LLC in Washington, seeking legal advice can help ensure that all legal requirements are met.

What is the process of forming an LLC in Washington?

The process of forming an LLC in Washington involves choosing a name, filing Articles of Organization, creating an operating agreement, and obtaining any necessary licenses or permits.

Can I choose any name for my LLC in Washington?

No, the name of your LLC in Washington must be unique and comply with the state’s naming guidelines, which can be checked with the Secretary of State’s office.

Are there publication requirements for LLCs in Washington?

No, Washington does not have any publication requirements for LLCs as part of the formation process.

What is the annual report requirement for LLCs in Washington?

LLCs in Washington are required to file an annual report with the Secretary of State each year to maintain their good standing.

Can I form a single-member LLC in Washington?

Yes, Washington allows for the formation of single-member LLCs, which provide limited liability protection for the owner.

Does Washington offer expedited processing for LLC formations?

Yes, Washington offers expedited processing for LLC formations for an additional fee, which can expedite the overall formation process.

Can a foreign LLC do business in Washington?

Yes, a foreign LLC can do business in Washington by registering as a foreign entity with the Secretary of State and complying with state laws.

How long does it take to form an LLC in Washington?

The processing time to form an LLC in Washington typically takes around 1 to 2 weeks, but this can vary depending on the workload of the Secretary of State’s office.

Are registered agents required for LLCs in Washington?

Yes, LLCs in Washington are required to designate a registered agent who is responsible for receiving legal documents and notices on behalf of the LLC.

Can I change the name of my LLC in Washington after it is formed?

Yes, the name of an LLC in Washington can be changed after it is formed by filing an amendment to the Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State.

Can I convert my existing business into an LLC in Washington?

Yes, it is possible to convert an existing business, such as a sole proprietorship or partnership, into an LLC in Washington by filing the necessary documents with the Secretary of State.

Are there any restrictions on business activities for LLCs in Washington?

While LLCs in Washington have operational flexibility, there may be restrictions on certain business activities based on industry regulations and local ordinances.

What is the role of the Department of Revenue in LLC formation in Washington?

The Department of Revenue oversees tax-related matters for businesses in Washington, including sales tax, business tax, and other compliance requirements for LLCs.

Can an LLC in Washington be taxed as an S Corporation?

Yes, an LLC in Washington can elect to be taxed as an S Corporation by filing Form 2553 with the IRS and meeting certain eligibility requirements.

What is the minimum age requirement to form an LLC in Washington?

In Washington, the minimum age requirement to form an LLC is 18 years old, which is the legal age for entering into binding contracts.

Are there any ongoing fees for maintaining an LLC in Washington?

Yes, LLCs in Washington are required to pay an annual renewal fee to the Secretary of State, along with any applicable taxes and business licenses.

Can an LLC be formed online in Washington?

Yes, the formation of an LLC in Washington can be done online through the Secretary of State’s website, which offers a streamlined process for submitting documents and fees.

Are there naming restrictions for LLCs in Washington?

Yes, there are naming restrictions for LLCs in Washington, including the requirement to include the words “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or similar abbreviations in the name.

Can I form an LLC in Washington if I am not a resident of the state?

Yes, non-residents can form an LLC in Washington as long as they appoint a registered agent with a physical address in the state for service of process.

Is there a publication requirement for LLCs in Washington?

No, Washington does not have a publication requirement for LLCs, meaning there is no need to publish notice of the LLC formation in a local newspaper.

Can I amend the Articles of Organization for my LLC in Washington?

Yes, the Articles of Organization for an LLC in Washington can be amended by filing an amendment with the Secretary of State to update information.

Does Washington have a franchise tax for LLCs?

No, Washington does not have a franchise tax for LLCs, but businesses may be subject to other taxes, such as the Business & Occupation tax.

Can I dissolve my LLC in Washington if I no longer wish to operate?

Yes, an LLC in Washington can be dissolved by filing Articles of Dissolution with the Secretary of State and settling any outstanding debts and obligations.

Can I change the ownership structure of my LLC in Washington?

Yes, the ownership structure of an LLC in Washington can be changed by amending the operating agreement and updating the members’ ownership interests with the Secretary of State.

Are there annual reporting requirements for LLCs in Washington?

Yes, LLCs in Washington are required to file an annual report with the Secretary of State, which includes updated information about the business and its members.

What is the best LLC formation service in Washington?

Some popular LLC formation services in Washington include Northwest Registered Agent, Incfile, and ZenBusiness.

How much does it cost to use an LLC formation service in Washington?

The cost of using an LLC formation service in Washington varies, but it typically ranges from $50 to $300.

Conclusion

Starting a business in Washington is a big step. It’s really helpful to have experts on your side. When you use a professional LLC service, you’re making sure everything is done right without any headaches. We’ve given you a list of the top choices in this article. Take your time to look at each one. Check their prices, see what they offer, and think about what’s best for your business.

Remember, picking the right Washington LLC service can make things smoother and better for your business as it grows. If you want the best for your business, check out ZenBusiness. They’re our number one recommendation for their compelling offer of $0 + state fee for LLC formation, combined with an impressive array of 5-star Trustpilot reviews. Seize this exceptional opportunity for your business!