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Biz Formation Academy

A plain textbook on LLC paperwork, one state per chapter.

Textbook chapter 2 · Washington

Washington Registered Agent Chapter (2026): 6 Sections and the 2 Best Agents

In 2026 the services this chapter recommends for appointing a registered agent in Washington are WA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), best first. This chapter's 6 sections explain what Washington demands of a registered agent, who may serve, which address qualifies and how the appointment is recorded.
Written by the Biz Formation Academy editorial board

Key facts for this chapter

The requirement Yes See app.leg.wa.gov; page last consulted October 2026
Yearly cost of the recommended agents $99 to $149 a year Published prices
Annual report $70 a year See sos.wa.gov; page last consulted October 2026
Sections in this chapter 6 Taken one at a time

What this chapter teaches

  • What Washington requires of a registered agent
  • Who can act as agent
  • Naming the agent in a filing
  • Which agents are recommended and why

If you want someone else to file

Ranked by the grading page: three-year cost (34%), paperwork completed (30%), second-year price, fit with Washington rules and clarity of the price list.

1. WA Registered Agent.org: best for LLCs based only in Washington

Read this one first
Year one $99; renewal $99

WA Registered Agent.org comes first. $99 yearly, with scans of served papers placed in an online account.

Over three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, and three-year cost counts for 34% of the ranking.

Price covers

  • An office address within the state
  • Served papers are scanned into an account

Advantages

  • Less per year than Mainstay Filing
  • A flat $99 annually

Limitations

  • Washington only, so each additional state means one more agent
  • The annual report gets no assistance
Visit WA Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. Mainstay Filing: best for LLCs that may expand to other states

Handles the most paperwork
Year one $149; renewal $149

Second place is held by Mainstay Filing, since a single yearly charge of $149 follows the company if it registers in a second state.

Across three years it trails WA Registered Agent.org by $150.

Price covers

  • A physical street address in the state
  • Any papers served on the company get scanned for you at no cost
  • Three government mailings a year are scanned at no cost to you
  • Also serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs

Advantages

  • A flat $149 annually
  • One price in all fifty states

Limitations

  • WA Registered Agent.org is $50 a year lower
  • This plan does not file reports
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The Washington rankings compared

#ServiceAnnual priceRenewal priceThree-year total
1 WA Registered Agent.org $99$99/yr$297 Visit WA Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing $149$149/yr$447 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices come from each company's own site, consulted November 13, 2026. Changing agents does not alter what the state charges.

Appointing a Washington registered agent, section by section

  1. Section 1

    What Washington requires of an agent

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

    Reference: See app.leg.wa.gov; page last consulted October 2026

  2. Section 2

    Who qualifies as an agent

    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. See RCW 23.95.415.

  3. Section 3

    The address rule

    The address has to be a physical street address in Washington. P.O. boxes and private mailboxes are not accepted.

    The public record shows the service's address.

  4. Section 4

    Self-service compared with a professional agent

    An owner who meets the tests above may serve; hiring one of the recommended agents costs $99 to $149 a year.

  5. Section 5

    File the appointment

    the Washington Secretary of State receives the filing that identifies the agent, and also any later change.

    Reference: See sos.wa.gov; page last consulted October 2026

  6. Section 6

    Watch for changes

    File the annual report on time ($70, last day of the entity's anniversary month) so the agent record remains correct.

    Reference: See sos.wa.gov; page last consulted October 2026

The price list

ItemPayeePrice
Hiring an agent The provider$99 to $149 a year
Each later year The provider$99 to $149 a year
Annual report Filing office$70 every year

The filing fee, two later reports and any minimum tax make up the state's three-year total; the bibliography shows where each figure came from.

How the Washington recommendations were ranked

On tuition over three years (34% of the ranking) came first, with next.

By year three WA Registered Agent.org has cost $297, a saving of $150 next to Mainstay Filing.

What readers ask

Does Washington law call for a registered agent?

Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Can I be my own registered agent?

Yes, if the eligibility and address tests in sections 2 and 3 are met.

Can I change my registered agent later?

Yes. A replacement requires a change filing at the Washington Secretary of State (section 5).

What does a registered agent cost in Washington?

Budget $99 to $149 annually for an agent from the list.

What does the LLC pay the state each year?

The annual report is the recurring cost: $70, every year.

Which registered agent would you choose?

WA Registered Agent.org ranks first and Mainstay Filing follow; WA Registered Agent.org leads on tuition over three years.

Related chapters

Bibliography and primary texts

  1. Cited for Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division: ccfs.sos.wa.gov, edition of August 2026.
  2. Cited for Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division: sos.wa.gov, edition of August 2026.
  3. Cited for Washington yearly filing: Annual report, official source: sos.wa.gov, edition of October 2026.
  4. Cited for Washington report due date: app.leg.wa.gov, edition of August 2026.
  5. Cited for Washington formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sos.wa.gov, edition of October 2026.
  6. Cited for Washington formation fee: Filing fee, official source: sos.wa.gov, edition of October 2026.
  7. Cited for Washington registered agent statute: app.leg.wa.gov, edition of October 2026.
  8. November 13, 2026: WA Registered Agent.org's pricing page was consulted for the price tables
  9. November 13, 2026: Mainstay Filing's Washington service page was consulted for the price tables