How to File Washington's Certificate of Formation
Washington calls its articles of organization a Certificate of Formation. What goes on it, what is filed with it and what it costs, read from Washington government sources.
The short answer. To form an LLC in Washington, you file the Certificate of Formation with the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division. The state charges $200 to file online and $180 by mail. Of the 15 items this page tracks, the form requires 6, asks for 1 only in some cases, makes 3 optional and leaves out 5.
The Washington Certificate of Formation at a Glance
| What Washington calls it | Certificate of Formation |
| State filing fee | $200 online, $180 by mail |
| Processing time | Within 15 business days (paper) |
| Where to file | Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division |
| File online | Yes, online, open the filing portal |
| Blank form | Download it from the state |
| Law that sets its contents | RCW 25.15.071 |
| Filed with it or right after | 1 filing, listed below |
Read from a Washington government source, last checked September 23, 2026. The filing fee and processing time come from our Washington cost record. See the sources.
What Goes on Washington's Certificate of Formation
Each row is one of the 15 items this page tracks, with what Washington's Certificate of Formation asks for. "Not on the form" means we checked and found no place for it on the Certificate of Formation. "Not checked" means we have not confirmed it either way.
| Item | On the form |
|---|---|
| LLC name | Required |
| Registered agent's name | Required |
| Registered office address | Only when the agent is a noncommercial registered agent. A commercial registered agent already has its address on file with the state. |
| Principal office address | Required |
| Mailing address | Optional |
| Organizer's name | Required |
| Members' names | Not on the form |
| Managers' names | Not on the form |
| Member-managed or manager-managed | Not on the form |
| Business purpose | Not on the form |
| Duration | Optional |
| Effective date | Optional |
| County | Not on the form |
| Email address | Required |
| Registered agent's consent | Required |
These entries are confirmed public record: LLC name, registered agent's name, registered office address, principal office address, mailing address, organizer's name, duration, effective date, email address and registered agent's consent.
The registered agent rows are covered in more depth in Washington's registered agent requirements, and the steps before and after this filing are in how to start an LLC in Washington.
What the LLC's Name Must Include
The LLC's name must include one of these: "Limited Liability Company", "Limited Liability Co.", "L.L.C." or "LLC".
Rule: RCW 23.95.305(5)(a).
File These With It or Right After
Washington has one more filing that goes with it or follows it.
| Filing | Required? | When |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Report | Required | Due within 120 days of formation. It can be filed together with the Certificate of Formation at no extra charge. |
Draft Your Certificate of Formation
The generator below starts with Washington selected and drafts the document from what you enter. Compare the draft with the state's current form before you file.
MyStateLLC.com is not a law firm, not an attorney, and not a document preparation service. This is a self-service tool: it formats information you enter into a state template, and no one at MyStateLLC reviews, corrects, or files it for you. This tool and the document it generates are informational and are not legal, financial, or tax advice, and are not a substitute for the advice or services of an attorney. MyStateLLC cannot give legal advice, does not prepare or file documents itself, and communications with MyStateLLC are not privileged. Using this tool does not create an attorney-client relationship. LLC laws vary by state and this document is not reviewed by anyone before you file it. Consult a licensed attorney or CPA in your state before you sign or file it.
Where are you forming your LLC?
After It Is Approved
| Certified copy of the filed Certificate of Formation | $20 |
| Changing it later (Amended Certificate of Formation) | $30 |
Where these fees come from: the sources.
Professional LLCs in Washington
In Washington, a professional LLC files a separate form, the Certificate of Formation of a Professional Limited Liability Company, instead of the Certificate of Formation. Your profession's licensing board may have requirements of its own, so check with it before you file.
Worth Knowing in Washington
Washington calls this document a Certificate of Formation, and the person who signs it is called the executor. The registered agent must sign a consent printed on the form itself. The members and managers are not listed on this document; they go on the Initial Report instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-12/6.2025%20-%20Certificate%20of%20Formation%20-%20LLC%20%28Fillable%20Form%29.pdfCertificate of Formation - Limited Liability Company (Revised 6.2025)
- app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=25.15.071RCW 25.15.071 Certificate of formation
- app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=23.95.305RCW 23.95.305 Permitted names
- app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=23.95.415RCW 23.95.415 Registered agent filing
- app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=23.95.255RCW 23.95.255 Initial and annual reports
- app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=25.15.046RCW 25.15.046 Professional limited liability companies
- app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=434-112-085WAC 434-112-085 Fees
- sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/business-entities/limited-liability-company-llc-professional-llc-pllc-filing-resource-pageWA SOS: LLC and PLLC Filing Resource Page
- ccfs.sos.wa.govCorporations and Charities Filing System
- sos.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-12/6.2025%20-%20Certificate%20of%20Formation%20-%20PLLC%20%28Fillable%20Form%29.pdfCertificate of Formation - Professional Limited Liability Company (Revised 6.2025)
- sos.wa.gov/corporations-charities/frequently-asked-questions-faqs/fee-scheduleexpedited-serviceBehind the state filing fee on this page
The rows and fees on this page were read from the Washington government sources above, not from a formation service, and anything we could not confirm there is marked Not checked. See our editorial policy for how these are verified and corrected.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It reports what each state's filing office publishes about the document that forms an LLC, with the sources this page cites. It cannot tell you what your own filing needs: fees and forms change between our reviews, several occupations cannot use an ordinary LLC at all and must use a professional entity or a separate professional form, and your city or county may require a registration of its own. Confirm the current fee and form with the filing office named on this page before you send anything.
Edmond Hui · Founder, MyStateLLC
Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.