Quick guide
What you pay the state
$180
Certificate of good standing?
Required (60 days old at the most)
Afterward
$70, annual report
Our shortlist
WA Registered Agent.org then Mainstay Filing
Where to start in Washington
Ranked best first using the checks described on the method page .
#1
Start here
1. WA Registered Agent.org: best for one extra state
Service $199 plus $180 to the state; agent renewal $99
Rank WA Registered Agent.org first, as the fee is $199 with the first year of agent service included, then $99 annually.
Over three years you pay less here than at Mainstay Filing, and cost counts most in our ranking.
Checklist: what is included
Application sent for you First-year agent
What works
Agent included for the first year Service fee of $199 $99 a year from year two
Gaps
Your home state needs a separate agent
#2
All fifty states
2. Mainstay Filing: best for registering in many states
Service $199 plus $180 to the state; agent renewal $149
Next, consider Mainstay Filing: the fee is $199 in every state, and the registered agent is included for the first year.
WA Registered Agent.org is $100 lower across three years, which is enough to rank above it.
From the second year you pay $149 a year for the registered agent.
Checklist: what is included
Application prepared and sent Registered agent, covered in year one Priced identically in any state
What works
$199 to file the registration No registered agent fee in year one Fifty states covered
Gaps
Pay $50 more a year for the agent
Compare the picks
We read these prices on November 13, 2026, and three years means year one plus two renewals.
What to know before you file
Does my LLC from another state have to register?
Do the registration first and the business second when an LLC from elsewhere enters Washington.
sos.wa.gov , last confirmed October 2026 for this guide
How much should I budget to register?
$180 to the state, $199 to a service.
Add three years of state fees, registration included, and you get $320. sos.wa.gov , last confirmed October 2026 for this guide
What do I do after the LLC registers?
Add the annual report to your calendar ($70).
Check the due date: last day of your registration month.
Why is the list in this order?
WA Registered Agent.org wins on total for three years, a 37% check.
Total for three years is worth 37% and filing jobs included 27%, with three smaller checks breaking ties.
On cost, WA Registered Agent.org wins at $397, a saving of $100 against Mainstay Filing.
See the scoring
Washington checklist, with sources
To check the three-year number, add the formation filing, the next two reports and any minimum tax; costs with no fixed price are not counted.
Words used on this page
Foreign LLC An LLC operating in a state other than the one where it was formed. The word means out of state, not out of the country.
Also asked
Does the home state need its own agent?
Yes. Your home state keeps its own agent rule, and Mainstay Filing can serve both states from one account.
What is the three-year cost of each?
WA Registered Agent.org adds up to $397, Mainstay Filing adds up to $497, with state fees on top.
Where do these figures come from?
Every state fee links to its official page, and every service price is read from the company's own site.
Do I have to use a service?
No. You can file with the state yourself; a service saves time and can act as your agent, but nothing makes you hire one.
Can I hire someone to register?
Yes, filing is part of what these companies sell, and the state fee does not move.
What is the best foreign registration service for Washington?
WA Registered Agent.org, because its service fees come to $397 across three years. Then Mainstay Filing.
References
ccfs.sos.wa.gov (Washington Secretary of State, Corporations), verified August 2026sos.wa.gov (Washington Secretary of State, Corporations), verified August 2026sos.wa.gov (Washington yearly filing: Annual report), verified October 2026app.leg.wa.gov (Washington report due date), verified August 2026sos.wa.gov (Washington formation fee: Filing fee), verified October 2026sos.wa.gov (Washington formation fee: Filing fee), verified October 2026app.leg.wa.gov (Washington registered agent statute), verified October 2026sos.wa.gov (Washington SOS, register a foreign), verified October 2026sos.wa.gov (Washington SOS, fee schedules and), verified October 2026app.leg.wa.gov (RCW 23.95.520, activities that are), verified October 2026app.leg.wa.gov (RCW 23.95.505, consequences of not), verified October 2026app.leg.wa.gov (RCW 23.95.510, foreign registration statement), verified October 2026sos.wa.gov (Washington SOS, registered agents), verified October 2026Prices read November 13, 2026 from the WA Registered Agent.org pricing page
Prices read November 13, 2026 from the Mainstay Filing Washington service page