How to pass PayPal verification with a Washington LLC
What PayPal asks for at signup, and which Washington LLC documents satisfy each requirement.
By Edmond Hui · Last updated: August 4, 2026
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.
PayPal verifies business accounts under US financial regulations before allowing full payment capabilities. For a Washington LLC, PayPal requires documentation confirming the business entity name and EIN, proof of business existence (your Certificate of Formation on file with Washington, or a Certificate of Good Standing), identity verification for the business owner, and address proof. PayPal first checks national databases; documents are only requested when automatic verification fails.
In Washington the entity behind that check is an LLC created by filing a Certificate of Formation, which costs $200. Washington publishes a turnaround of within 15 business days (paper). Because Washington names a member or manager on a routine public filing, the owner name PayPal asks you to confirm is already a matter of public record.
What PayPal requires, and how a Washington LLC meets each
| Requirement | How your Washington LLC satisfies it |
|---|---|
| EIN / Tax Identification Number | Provide your federal EIN (free from the IRS; non-US founders without an SSN must apply via Form SS-4 by fax or phone rather than the online tool) — independent of Washington. |
| Business name consistency | Use the exact LLC name as Washington recorded it on your Certificate of Formation; it must match your bank account holder name. |
| Proof of business existence | Upload the Certificate of Formation Washington returned to you, stamped and approved. |
| Owner identity document | Provide a government ID for each beneficial owner named in your Washington filings. Washington names a member or manager on a routine public filing, so at least one name already matches state records. |
| Business address proof | Use a US street address registered to the LLC in Washington (your Washington registered-agent or virtual business address), since a PO box is usually rejected. |
Washington-specific things to watch
- Washington names a member or manager on a routine public filing, so PayPal's beneficial-owner check will line up with public state records — you still upload a government ID for each owner. (Washington's report records the LLC's governors (members/managers) on the public record.)
- Washington issues a Certificate of Formation rather than "Articles of Organization." When PayPal asks for "formation documents," upload your Certificate of Formation.
- Budget for Washington's ongoing LLC costs before projecting your PayPal margins: Washington imposes the Business & Occupation (B&O) tax on gross receipts.
Washington sales tax & nexus rules for PayPal sellers
Washington charges a 6.5% state sales-tax rate. Payments through PayPal are not covered by marketplace-facilitator laws — you collect and remit yourself. Registration is required before your first taxable sale if you have physical presence in Washington (an in-state location, inventory, or employees), or once you cross Washington's remote-seller economic-nexus threshold of $100,000 in sales in the previous or current calendar year.
Washington has no transaction count threshold. Washington's combined state and local rates range from 7.5% to 10.4% depending on location — Seattle is at 10.25%. Washington broadly taxes digital products, streaming services, and SaaS. The state also has a Business & Occupation (B&O) tax on gross receipts which is separate from sales tax. Register through the Washington Department of Revenue.
Register for Washington sales tax directly with the state: dor.wa.gov/taxes-rates/sales-use-tax/remote-sales-washington.
How to verify your Washington LLC on PayPal
- EIN / Tax Identification Number. Provide your federal EIN (free from the IRS; non-US founders without an SSN must apply via Form SS-4 by fax or phone rather than the online tool) — independent of Washington.
- Business name consistency. Use the exact LLC name as Washington recorded it on your Certificate of Formation; it must match your bank account holder name.
- Proof of business existence. Upload the Certificate of Formation Washington returned to you, stamped and approved.
- Owner identity document. Provide a government ID for each beneficial owner named in your Washington filings. Washington names a member or manager on a routine public filing, so at least one name already matches state records.
- Business address proof. Use a US street address registered to the LLC in Washington (your Washington registered-agent or virtual business address), since a PO box is usually rejected.
Non-US founders with Washington LLCs
Non-US founders can open a PayPal US business account for a Washington LLC, but PayPal may ask for additional identity documentation beyond the Certificate of Formation. Pairing the Washington registration with a US business address and an EIN is the standard path. A US bank account is still needed to withdraw funds to a US account.