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Formation Scorecard

LLC service scorecard · Washington

2 Best LLC Services in Washington (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for LLC services in Washington the order reads WA Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199). WA Registered Agent.org posts the top score: Washington formation for $199 beyond the state's fee, with a free first agent year, and $99 a year to keep the agent.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Best here

1. WA Registered Agent.org: best for a Washington LLC that stays small

9.2 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

WA Registered Agent.org leads the card: $199 to form on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

Its prices leave out the annual report, so you send that filing to Washington yourself every year.

Over three years it is the cheaper option next to Mainstay Filing, and cost carries top weight.

What you get

  • Formation prepared and filed
  • Year-one registered agent service included

Strengths

  • Registered agent service for year one is in the price
  • $99 per year for the agent after the first
  • Forms the LLC for $199 plus the filing fee

Watch for

  • Leaves the annual report with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit WA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. WA Registered Agent.org: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best all-in yearly price

2. Mainstay Filing: best for a bundle of formation, agent and annual report

8.9 Editor score out of 10
$199 a year plus the state's fee, $399 due at checkout

Mainstay Filing takes second spot: one $199 charge each year bundles the Washington formation, the registered agent and the annual report.

Each renewal includes Mainstay's filing of the annual report. Washington bills $70 every year for it, due last day of the entity's anniversary month, and missing the date costs $25; Mainstay passes the state's fee along at cost.

WA Registered Agent.org undercuts Mainstay Filing by $200 over three years, and that gap costs Mainstay points on cost.

What you get

  • Your formation paperwork, filed
  • A year-round registered agent
  • The annual report, filed for you each time
  • EIN application included

Strengths

  • Washington's state fee is added at cost
  • One $199 yearly price that also files the annual report
  • Renews at $199 with nothing added
  • EIN application bundled in

Watch for

  • Its agent renews $100 a year above WA Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up

The 2 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Service fee Year two Best for Go
1 WA Registered Agent.org 9.2 $199 $99/yr A Washington-only LLC on a tight budget Visit WA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 8.9 $199 $199/yr Formation, agent and annual report together Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Every number out of 10 is an editorial mark from Formation Scorecard, produced with the criteria on How we rank, not a customer rating.

Washington LLC service cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Annual report included
WA Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397 No
Mainstay Filing $199 $199 $199 $597 Yes

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Add Washington's $200 filing fee to each row; the tally above leaves it out.

Reading the order

Formation Scorecard scores cost across three years and coverage of the price at 25% each. Renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity account for the other 50%. In Washington the tie was broken by cost across three years.

WA Registered Agent.org tallies $397 across three years, $200 below Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would add the annual report filing, but an owner can file it alone for just the state fee, so the lower price took the points.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

Washington LLC formation: the official fee and form

The Certificate of Formation - Limited Liability Company carries a $200 fee at the Washington Secretary of State. Every service here passes that fee through at cost, on top of its own price.

Keeping the Washington LLC current

The annual report arrives every year and is due last day of the entity's anniversary month. It carries a $70 fee. Late filings add $25. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Washington LLC service: quick questions

How much will an LLC in Washington cost to set up?

Expect $200 for the state plus $199 for the service.

What is the name of the formation form?

It is the Certificate of Formation - Limited Liability Company, and the Washington Secretary of State receives it.

Must a Washington LLC appoint a registered agent when it forms?

Yes. A registered agent with a street address in Washington has to be on file from the start.

What does a Washington LLC have to file after formation?

One item, the annual report, due every year (last day of the entity's anniversary month) with a $70 fee.

Is the EIN application part of the price?

Mainstay Filing folds it into the yearly price. WA Registered Agent.org adds $99 for it. Applying for an EIN costs nothing at the IRS itself.

Which LLC service tops the card for Washington?

WA Registered Agent.org, since $199 plus the Washington filing fee, first-year registered agent service included, then $99 yearly.

Read next

Where the figures come from

  1. Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division, as of August 2026
  2. Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division, as of August 2026
  3. Washington yearly filing: Annual report, official source, as of October 2026
  4. Washington report due date, as of August 2026
  5. Washington formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  6. Washington formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  7. Washington registered agent statute, as of October 2026
  8. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for WA Registered Agent.org
  9. Read on November 12, 2026: Washington service page for Mainstay Filing