Today, Washington is considered as a state with a stable economy and great prospects for a start-up business entity. The key businesses or industries thriving in the state include tourism, design and manufacturing of jet aircrafts (Boeing), online retailers like Amazon, Expedia, Inc., biotechnology, computer software development (Microsoft, Valve Corporation, Nintendo of America), lumber, aluminium production, electronics, wood products (Weyerhaeuser), and mining. You can also form a Washington business today and become a part of the growing economy!

You are probably wondering what the process for LLC formation or incorporation is. This is where we can be of help! We as one of the top Washington registered agents can assist you with the successful registration of your business entity in the state.

Washington LLC Registration and Formation

LLC company formation in Washington is governed by 2011 Washington Code, Title 47 CORPORATIONS, Chapter 34A of the Uniform Limited Liability Company Act. The procedure for registration and formation of LLC is as follows:

Step#1: Maintain a registered agent

If you are planning to form a Limited Liability Company in Washington then you will be required to continuously maintain a registered agent in the state pursuant to RCW 25.15.021. This law is applicable to domestic limited liability companies as well as foreign limited liability companies.

We would take this opportunity to share with you the fact that we are one of the top registered agents in the state and have been responsible for over 11,494 businesses set up in Washington. We can assist you to form a Washington business LLC.

Step#2: LLC Name Reservation

One of the foremost steps towards company formation in Washington is identifying a name for your business entity. The process is as follows:

1. Identify a unique name for your business entity
2. According to RCW 25.15.011 and RCW 23.95.305, the name should contain the phrase or words “limited liability Company” or the abbreviations “L.L.C.”, or “LLC”.
3. The chosen name should be distinguishable and should not be deceptively similar to the name of any limited partnership, corporation, or limited liability company
4. Apply for reservation of name pursuant to the provisions of RCW 25.15.016 and RCW 23.95.310
5. Submit the form though mail or online with the Office of the Secretary of State, Corporation Division along with the applicable fee. An LLC can reserve its name for a period of 180 days.

Step#3: Certificate of Formation and Application for Registration

If you are planning to form a Washington business LLC then the most important step is to prepare and file the proper documents for a Limited Liability Company. The steps are:

• If you want to register a domestic LLC then you will be required to file “Certificate of Formation” governed by RCW 25.15.071.
• If your business entity is a foreign LLC then you will be required to file “Application for Registration” pursuant to RCW 25.15.321 and RCW 23.95.505.
• The Certificate of Formation and Application for Registration of domestic and foreign LLC can be filed with the office of the Secretary of State, Corporation Division through mail or by hand.

We can file the form on your behalf as your registered agent in the state and provide you with certified copies of the LLC registration.

In case, you have any questions regarding how to form a Washington business, feel free to call us on 702-871-8678.

Washington Corporation Registration and Formation

If you are planning to form a Corporation in Washington then the procedure for registration and formation is as follows:

Step#1: Maintain a Registered Agent

If you are planning to form a business or professional corporation in Washington then you will be required to continuously maintain a registered agent in the state pursuant to WA Rev Code § 23B.05.010 (2012). This law is applicable to domestic as well as foreign corporations.

We would take this opportunity to share with you the fact that we are one of the top registered agents in the state and have been responsible for over 11,494 businesses set up in Washington. We can assist you to form a Washington business as we are in compliance with all regulations in the State of Washington.

Step#2: Corporate Name Reservation

In order to form a corporation in Washington, one of the key steps is identifying a name for your business entity. The process is as follows:

1. Identify a name for your business entity
2. According to WA Rev Code § 23B.04.010 (2012), a corporate name should contain the phrase or words “corporation”, “company”, “incorporated”, or the abbreviations “Corp.”, or “Inc.”
3. The chosen name should be distinguishable and should not be deceptively similar to the name of any limited liability company, limited partnership, or any other corporation
4. Apply for reservation of name pursuant to WA Rev Code § 23B.04.020 (2012).
5. Submit the form though mail with the Secretary of State of Washington, Corporation Division along with the applicable fee. A business corporation can reserve its name for a period of 180 days.

Step#3: Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Authority

If you are planning to form a corporation in Washington, then the most important step is to prepare and file the proper documents for a business corporation. The steps are:

• If you want to register a domestic corporation then you will be required to file “Articles of Incorporation” pursuant to WA Rev Code § 23B.02.020 (2012).
• If your business entity is a foreign corporation then you will be required to file an “Certificate of Authority” to transact business in the state pursuant to WA Rev Code § 23B.15.030 (2012).
• The application or documentation for registration of a corporation can be filed with the Office of the Secretary of State, Corporation Division – through mail or by hand.

We can file the form on your behalf being your registered agent in the state and provide you with certified copies of the incorporation.

If you have any questions regarding Washington incorporation or LLC formation, you can simply visit the Washington Business formation page.

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The economy of “The Evergreen State” grew 3.7% in 2016, which is almost 2.5 times the national rate and is home to the largest concentration of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) workers in the country. These are just some of the reasons for an increase in incorporation in Washington. This is a state that has been consistently thriving towards upholding the flexibility of regulations that are integral towards laying the foundation for a positive business climate. In fact, businesses in the state have successfully attracted approximately $1.6 billion in venture capital in 2016 making it the 6th highest total in the country.

Why Choose Washington for Incorporation?

If you are planning to set up company in Washington then here’s some good news: the state has no income or corporate income tax! There has also been a rise in small businesses and medium enterprises in a variety of industries like Aerospace, Clean Technology like bio-fuel and biomass technology, Agriculture & Food Manufacturing, Information & Communication Technology, and Tourism among others.

Now let’s take a look at some of the salient benefits that are responsible for fuelling growth of small businesses:

Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Manufacturing Machinery & Equipment (M&E)

This exemption can be availed of by manufacturers and processors who set up companies in Washington. The sales and use tax exemption is governed by RCW 82.08.02565 and 82.12.02565. This exemption is applicable to machinery and equipment that is related to the following:

• Acting upon or interacting with items related to tangible personal property
• Aids in guidance, controlling, measurement, verification, aligning, or regulation of tangible personal property
• Aids in transportation, handling, or temporarily storage of an item of tangible personal property at the manufacturing facility
• Providing physical support or access to tangible personal property within a manufacturing facility
• Producing another item of tangible personal property that will be used in research and development or manufacturing operation

Exemption Certificate

Community Enterprise Zones (CEZ’s)

Community Enterprise Zones also known as community empowerment zone are special zones spread across the state of Washington and have been created to help businesses as well as communities. You can benefit from the incentives offered in this zone only if there is company incorporation in Washington CEZ or the corporate headquarters is in the CEZ. The community empowerment zone includes Rural Counties and High Unemployment Counties where your business can apply for “Sales and Use Tax Deferral” pursuant to 82.82 RCW.

Sample Application

How do you incorporate in Washington?

What is the process of incorporation in Washington? What type of documentation is required? These are some of the common questions that you will be confronted with if you are planning to start a new business in the state. The following steps will enable understanding of the entire process:

Business Type

The first step towards incorporation in Washington is choosing the type of business you want to form. The different types of business structures that you can form in the Evergreen State include Business Corporation (C & S Corporation), Non-profit Corporation, Limited Liability Company (LLC), Limited Partnership (LP), Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), Limited Liability Limited Partnership (LLLP), Sole Proprietorship, and General Partnership.

The type of business entity you want to form can either be a domestic or foreign entity. The forms and fee will be different for each type of entity.

The next step is to identify and reserve a name and this can be done as follows:

1. Naming Requirements: According to RCW 25.15.011 for LLC and WA Rev Code § 23B.04.010 (2012) for a corporation, a business name should contain the words “corporation”, “incorporated”, “limited liability company” or abbreviations like “corp.”, “inc.”, “ltd.”, “L.L.C.”, ”Ltd., ” or similar abbreviations.
2. Business name search: You need to search for a business name that is not in use currently. You can conduct a name availability search here.
3. Name Reservation: Once you have identified a business entity name, you will have to reserve the name pursuant to RCW 25.15.016 for LLC and WA Rev Code § 23B.04.020 (2012) for corporations as a part of the incorporation in Washington process. You can reserve the name for a period of 180 days with the office of the Washington Secretary of State.
4. Name Registration: If your business is a foreign entity then name registration is required pursuant to WA Rev Code § 23B.04.030 (2012).

Choose a Registered Agent

Whether you form a corporation or an LLC business entity, in order to transact business in the state of Washington, you will have to maintain a registered agent pursuant to RCW 25.15.021 for an LLC and WA Rev Code § 23B.05.010 (2012) for business corporations.

We are one of the respected registered agents in Washington and will be responsible towards initiating incorporation in Washington through processing of your Certificate of Formation and Application for Registration for LLC and Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Authority for business corporations.

Articles of Incorporation and Certificate of Authority

You will be required to file “Articles of Incorporation” pursuant to WA Rev Code § 23B.02.020 (2012), if your business is a domestic corporation. You will have to file a “Certificate for Authority” pursuant to WA Rev Code § 23B.15.030 (2012), if it is a foreign business entity. In order to streamline the process of incorporation in Washington, we can file documents on your behalf through the online process or through an expedited process.

Date Stamped Copies

As a part of the process of company incorporation in Washington, we will ensure, you receive date-stamped and filed copies that verifies the state has filed as well as formed your corporation.

Costs and Fees associated with Washington Incorporation

What would it cost to set up a company in Washington? Check Fees here!

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Business Information & Rankings

• Washington ranked as the 13th best state with a business-friendly tax system by The Tax Foundation. (2006)
• Washington ranked 6th on the TechNet State Broadband Index (2005)

Cost of living

Crime Rate

Washington has the 48th lowest overall crime ranking in the U.S. (FBI, 2004)

Fees & Taxes

Business Inventory Tax
Exempt.

Corporate Income Tax
Washington’s corporate tax structure consists of no corporate income tax. However, the state does impose a gross receipts tax composed of 20 separate rates ranging from 0.011% to 5.029% depending on the type of business activity.

Personal Income Tax
Washington levies no state personal income taxes, joining Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming as the only other states to do so.

Personal Property Tax
Property tax is collected on both a state and local level. State law requires assessors to appraise property at 100% of its true and fair market value.

Most personal property owned by individuals is exempt from tax; however, personal property tax applies to personal property used when conducting business or to other personal property not exempt by law. Washington does not impose a tax on intangible assets such as bank accounts, stocks or bonds.

State Sales and Use Tax
Base Rate: 6.50%
Machinery Rate: none
Washington provides exemptions for sales to manufacturers of processors of machinery and equipment used directly in a manufacturing operation or in research and development.

Unemployment Insurance
Washington charges new employers 2.07% until qualifications are met.

Once your company is set up, you will need:

1. Tax ID (EIN) – free over the Internet or phone.
2. Yearly Requirements and Fees for West Virginia companies
3. Company Minutes & Stock Certificates  are included in incorporation. You will have access to documents generated on your client account.

West Virginia additional services

• Registered Agent
• Annual Report
• EIN (Tax ID)
• More Additional Services

• Why West Virginia?
• West Virginia Registered Agent
• West Virginia Annual Requirements
• West Virginia Corporation Statutes: West Virginia Code: Chapter 31 (Corporations)

• Why West Virginia?
• West Virginia Registered Agent
• West Virginia Annual Requirements
• West Virginia LLC Statutes: West Virginia Code: Chapter 31B (LLC)