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LLC UnpackedEvery filing, unpacked: the fee, the form, the catch.

What is inside · Washington

2 Best LLC Services in Washington (2026): Unpacked

Opened up for 2026, the LLC formation services in Washington rank WA Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), best on top. Whichever you open, the state's filing fee is $200, and services total $397 to $597 over three years.
Unpacked by the LLC Unpacked editorial team

Top layer

Fee to the state
$200, paid once
Every year after
$70 each year
Registered agent
Required, yes
Top of the stack
WA Registered Agent.org then Mainstay Filing

The Washington stack, best on top

Curious about the order? The method is here.
Ranked first

1. WA Registered Agent.org: best for owners who plan to stay local

$199 to form; renewal $99

WA Registered Agent.org sits on top in Washington because forming costs $199, and the agent is covered in year one, then $99 a year.

Its three-year cost is below Mainstay Filing's, and cost is the heaviest layer.

You still file the annual report yourself.

Inside the price

  • Washington formation filing
  • Agent included in year one

Inside, the good

  • Opens at $199 over the state fee
  • A renewal of $99
  • No agent charge in year one

Inside, the catch

  • The annual report sits outside the box
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
All fifty states

2. Mainstay Filing: best for one price for setup and upkeep

Annual price $199, renewal price $199, state fee extra

Mainstay Filing sits second because $199 a year packs in formation, the registered agent and every annual report.

Why not higher? Three years cost $200 more than WA Registered Agent.org, and cost is the heaviest layer.

The annual report is packed in, and the only extra is the state's $70.

Inside the price

  • The formation filing, packed in
  • Registered agent for all twelve months
  • Annual report filed on your behalf
  • EIN application
  • State fees at cost

Inside, the good

  • Stays at $199
  • The EIN step is packed in
  • $199 a year covers filing, agent and report

Inside, the catch

  • $100 a year above WA Registered Agent.org after year one

Inside each price

#CompanyOpening priceRenewalThree-year totalCovers
1WA Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397washington formation filing; agent included in year oneLook inside WA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597the formation filing, packed in; registered agent for all twelve months; annual report filed on your behalfLook inside Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices as of November 13, 2026. The state's own fees are in the checklist below.

Layer by layer

What is inside the cost of forming an LLC here?

Your bill has two parts: $200 for the filing and, optionally, $199 for first-year help.

Across three years the state collects $340, filing fee included. sos.wa.gov holds the original, confirmed October 2026

What do I actually send the state?

The Certificate of Formation - Limited Liability Company is the filing, and the Washington Secretary of State is where it goes. Approval creates the LLC.

Statute: RCW 25.15.071. sos.wa.gov holds the original, confirmed October 2026

Is a registered agent required?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

A commercial registered agent listed with the Secretary of State, a noncommercial agent (any person or business with a Washington address), or the holder of a named position in the company. The agent consents in advance.

app.leg.wa.gov holds the original, confirmed October 2026

What comes after the LLC is formed?

Underneath it all, one filing repeats: the annual report, every year, at $70 each time. The state phrases its deadline like this: last day of the entity's anniversary month.

Miss the deadline and you owe an extra $25.

sos.wa.gov holds the original, confirmed October 2026

Do I have to pay a service at all?

Nothing stops you. Without a service, your three-year bill is the state's $340.

Choose help and your three-year total rises by $397 to $597.

What put number one on top?

WA Registered Agent.org is strongest on total across three years, a layer worth 34% of the score.

63% of the score comes from total across three years and what is inside the price.

Three years at WA Registered Agent.org cost $397, which is $200 below Mainstay Filing.

How we open it up

Washington formation, unpacked

RequirementWhat is insideOfficial source
Fee to form$200sos.wa.gov holds the original, confirmed October 2026
Registered agentRequired, yesapp.leg.wa.gov holds the original, confirmed October 2026
Annual report$70 every yearsos.wa.gov holds the original, confirmed October 2026
What the state collects in three years$340Our total of the rows above
To check the total yourself, add the filing fee, the next two reports and any minimum tax. Costs without a set amount are left out.

Also worth asking

Who applies for the EIN?

Mainstay Filing includes the EIN application, and the others add it as an extra: WA Registered Agent.org $99.

Is there a late fee?

Expect a $25 late fee.

What do the picks cost over three years?

WA Registered Agent.org stacks up to $397, Mainstay Filing stacks up to $597, with state fees on top.

What do these numbers rest on?

Official Washington paperwork stands behind every state fee here, and every service price traces back to the company's own pricing.

Does the law require one?

No. Owners can file with the state directly. A service saves time and can act as agent, but nothing makes you hire one.

What is the best LLC service for Washington?

Open WA Registered Agent.org first, then compare Mainstay Filing.

What the page rests on

  1. Unpacking Washington Secretary of State, Corporations led us to ccfs.sos.wa.gov, confirmed August 2026, which you can open yourself
  2. Unpacking Washington Secretary of State, Corporations led us to sos.wa.gov, confirmed August 2026, which you can open yourself
  3. Unpacking Washington yearly filing: Annual report led us to sos.wa.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  4. Unpacking Washington report due date led us to app.leg.wa.gov, confirmed August 2026, which you can open yourself
  5. Unpacking Washington formation fee: Filing fee led us to sos.wa.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  6. Unpacking Washington formation fee: Filing fee led us to sos.wa.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  7. Unpacking Washington registered agent statute led us to app.leg.wa.gov, confirmed October 2026, which you can open yourself
  8. The WA Registered Agent.org pricing page, opened November 13, 2026
  9. The Mainstay Filing Washington service page, opened November 13, 2026