Washington Articles of Organization

Articles of organization form your Washington LLC.

Preparing and filing your articles of organization is the first step in starting your limited liability company (LLC). Approval of this document secures your business name and creates the legal entity of the LLC. Only after this approval can you obtain a Federal Tax ID (EIN), open a bank account, sign contracts, and otherwise conduct business.

Benefits

Incorporating provides many important benefits:

  • Limits the liability of the members (owners) and managers
  • Fulfills statutory requirements to register your business name
  • Adds credibility

Fast Facts

Agency:Washington Secretary of State - Corporations Division
Form:

Certificate of Formation - Washington Limited Liability Company

Filing Method:

Mail, in-person, or online.

Agency Fee:

$180 by mail or in-person. $280 expedited by mail or in-person. $200 online.

Turnaround:

~2 months by paper. ~2-3 business days expedited paper or online.

Law:

RCW §25.15 Limited Liability Companies

Notes:
  • The Secretary of State will issue your Unified Business Identifier (UBI) which is your state id across state departments.
  • Professional LLCs have other formation requirements.
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