Skip to content
File your LLC paperwork with confidence.
Your checklist · Washington

2 Best LLC Services in Washington (2026) and What to Check

In Washington for 2026, compare WA Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), ranked best first. Expect the state fee of $200 plus $397 to $597 in service fees over three years.
Written by the Simple Filing Guide editorial team

Four facts to know

Formation fee
$200, not recurring
What comes next
$70 on a yearly schedule
Registered agent
Yes, by law
First choices
WA Registered Agent.org then Mainstay Filing

Recommended in Washington

The scoring is laid out on this page.

#1 First recommendation

1. WA Registered Agent.org: best for a lean launch

$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year

Start with WA Registered Agent.org in Washington: year one is $199 and every later year is $99.

Its three-year total is below Mainstay Filing, which puts it first for a company that stays in one state.

The annual report is not in the price, so add it to your own checklist.

Checklist: what is included
  • The LLC, filed for you
  • Year-one agent service
What works
  • A modest renewal of $99
  • $199 to get started
  • No agent charge in year one
Gaps
  • Remember to file the annual report yourself
  • Add $99 for EIN help
Open WA Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
#2 National coverage

2. Mainstay Filing: best for knowing next year's bill early

$199 a year, with the $200 state fee added

Why Mainstay Filing second? Because none of the others files the annual report for you, and here it comes with $199 a year.

A $200 three-year difference to WA Registered Agent.org explains the lower rank.

It takes care of each annual report, adding only the $70 the state sets.

Checklist: what is included
  • The formation filing, done
  • Registered agent for twelve months
  • Annual report filed on time
  • EIN application
  • State fees passed through at cost
What works
  • No extra fee to get your EIN
  • Everything above is included in $199
  • No jump at renewal ($199)
Gaps
  • WA Registered Agent.org undercuts its renewal by $100
Open Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The table

#PickFirst-year priceYearly afterThree-year costIncluded
1 WA Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397The LLC, filed for you; Year-one agent service Open WA Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing $199$199/yr$597the formation filing, done; registered agent for twelve months; annual report filed on time Open Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

These are service fees only, taken from each company's prices on November 13, 2026. State fees stay the same with every pick.

Questions to settle

How much money do I need to set aside?

$200 goes to the state, and a service adds $199.

Counting the recurring report, the state's own fees reach $340 by year three. official source sos.wa.gov (October 2026) to check

What exactly do I submit?

Submit the Certificate of Formation - Limited Liability Company to the Washington Secretary of State and wait for approval.

Legal basis: RCW 25.15.071. official source sos.wa.gov (October 2026) to check

Does this state require a registered agent?

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.

official source app.leg.wa.gov (October 2026) to check

What do I owe in later years?

Set aside $70 each year for the annual report. Write down the state's date, last day of the entity's anniversary month.

Late filers pay $25.

official source sos.wa.gov (October 2026) to check

Is it possible to do this without a service?

Nothing stops you from filing yourself. Then your three-year cost is $340 in state fees.

The $397 to $597 that services charge over three years pays for the paperwork and the agent role.

What decided the ranking?

Total for three years (37% of the score) is where WA Registered Agent.org does best.

The two heavy checks are total for three years (37%) and filing jobs included (27%); three lighter checks follow.

$397 for three years at WA Registered Agent.org is $200 under Mainstay Filing.

Read the method

What Washington requires to form an LLC

StepDetailsOfficial source
Fee to file the LLC $200official source sos.wa.gov (October 2026) to check
Registered agent Yes, by lawofficial source app.leg.wa.gov (October 2026) to check
Annual report $70 every yearofficial source sos.wa.gov (October 2026) to check
State total, years one to three $340The rows above, totaled

Every amount above links to its official source. The last row is our own total of the filing, two reports and any minimum tax, without variable costs like publication.

Quick answers

Do they apply for the EIN?

With Mainstay Filing there is nothing extra. WA Registered Agent.org charges $99.

Is there a late fee?

The state charges $25 if you are late.

What do the picks cost over three years?

WA Registered Agent.org $397; Mainstay Filing $597 for the services alone.

What sources do you use?

For state costs we use Washington's published fee schedules and forms. For service costs we use each company's price page.

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.

Which one do you recommend in Washington?

WA Registered Agent.org, because forming costs $199, the agent is covered in year one, and then $99 a year. Then Mainstay Filing.

Verify these facts

  1. August 2026 check of Washington Secretary of State, Corporations, via ccfs.sos.wa.gov
  2. August 2026 check of Washington Secretary of State, Corporations, via sos.wa.gov
  3. October 2026 check of Washington yearly filing: Annual report, via sos.wa.gov
  4. August 2026 check of Washington report due date, via app.leg.wa.gov
  5. October 2026 check of Washington formation fee: Filing fee, via sos.wa.gov
  6. October 2026 check of Washington formation fee: Filing fee, via sos.wa.gov
  7. October 2026 check of Washington registered agent statute, via app.leg.wa.gov
  8. Pricing from the WA Registered Agent.org pricing page, November 13, 2026
  9. Pricing from the Mainstay Filing Washington service page, November 13, 2026