Home Registering in another state Washington Lesson 3 · Washington
How to Register a Foreign LLC in Washington (2026): 5 Steps and the 2 Best Services
Lesson answer for Washington in 2026: if you want help with registering a foreign LLC, use WA Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), in that order. Registering takes 5 steps below, with $180 paid to the state.
The Founder Classroom teaching team · Updated November 12, 2026
Disclosure Founder Classroom is reader-supported. We may earn money when you buy through links on this page, and the companies we rank are our partners. Prices come from each company's own pages and official state sources.
Lesson map Picks The steps What it costs Check your understanding References Quick facts for this lesson Fee to register $180 As listed on sos.wa.gov in October 2026
Home-state certificate 60 days How recent it must be
Annual filing $70 Annual report
State fees, first three years $320 Excludes service fees
Steps 5 One at a time What you will learn When registration is required What to file and what it costs The recurring filing The services we recommend
Teacher's pick
Washington: our recommended services Graded with our
rubric : three-year cost 30%, lesson steps handled 35%, then renewal, state fit and clear pricing.
Our pick
1. WA Registered Agent.org: best for a budget registration
Service fee $199 · renewal $99 a year
First on our list, WA Registered Agent.org: $199 plus the state fee, first agent year included, then $99 a year.
Lower three-year cost than Mainstay Filing puts it first; cost carries 30% of the rubric.
What you get Filing with the state A year of agent service What we like $199 over the state fee Low $99 renewal Free first agent year
Bundled upkeep
2. Mainstay Filing: best for companies adding a state
Service fee $199 · renewal $149 a year
Number 2 is Mainstay Filing: $199 on top of the state fee, with the registered agent free for year one and $149 a year after.
Over three years it costs $100 more than WA Registered Agent.org, and cost carries 30% of our grade.
After the free first year the agent is $149 a year in any state.
What you get Filing with the state Registered agent free for year one Fifty-state service What we like $199 to register Same fee in every state Registered agent free in year one Watch out for Higher agent renewal ($149)
Our Washington picks compared
# Service First year From year two Three-year total
1 WA Registered Agent.org $199 $99/yr $397 Visit WA Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy. 2 Mainstay Filing $199 $149/yr $497 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Each company's listed price on November 12, 2026. The $180 state fee is extra in every row.
The steps
Step 1
Step 1: See if your LLC must register in WashingtonFormed somewhere else but doing business in Washington? Then the LLC registers there as a foreign LLC.
Official source: As listed on sos.wa.gov in October 2026
Step 2
Step 2: Get the home-state certificateThe filing needs certificate of existence (good standing) or similar document, not more than 60 days.
Tip Time the order so the certificate is fresh at filing.
Step 3
Step 3: Appoint a registered agent in WashingtonEvery LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a physical street address in Washington. P.O. boxes and private mailboxes are not accepted.
Tip The services in our picks provide this.
Official source: As listed on app.leg.wa.gov in October 2026
Step 4
Step 4: Complete the Foreign Registration StatementPay $180 and file the Foreign Registration Statement with the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division.
Official source: As listed on sos.wa.gov in October 2026
Step 5
Step 5: Stay registeredExpect the annual report and its $70 fee (last day of your registration month).
Washington costs by step
Item Payee Cost
Registering the LLC The state $180 Annual report The state $70 A service, if you use one The service $199 to start State fees for three years The state $320
Official state fees, cited under References. Three-year state total = filing + reports in years two and three + any minimum tax.
How the grade worked out WA Registered Agent.org beat Mainstay Filing on three-year cost, our 30% criterion.
Three years of WA Registered Agent.org cost $397, which leaves $100 in your pocket compared with Mainstay Filing.
Check your understanding
What does it cost to register a foreign LLC in Washington? $180 as the official fee. A service adds $199.
Which form do I file to register? The registration form is the Foreign Registration Statement (submitted to the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division).
Do I need a certificate from my home state? Yes: certificate of existence (good standing) or similar document, issued within 60 days of filing.
What is due after registering? Keep the registration alive with the annual report; the fee is $70.
Which services are in this lesson? We graded WA Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing for this lesson.
Which service should handle the registration? WA Registered Agent.org: it files the Washington registration for $199 with a year of agent service and renews at $99. After it, Mainstay Filing.
Lesson sources Confirmed August 2026: Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division, ccfs.sos.wa.gov Confirmed August 2026: Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division, sos.wa.gov Confirmed October 2026: Washington yearly filing: Annual report, official source, sos.wa.gov Confirmed August 2026: Washington report due date, app.leg.wa.gov Confirmed October 2026: Washington formation fee: Filing fee, official source, sos.wa.gov Confirmed October 2026: Washington formation fee: Filing fee, official source, sos.wa.gov Confirmed October 2026: Washington registered agent statute, app.leg.wa.gov Confirmed October 2026: Washington SOS, register a foreign LLC online, sos.wa.gov Confirmed October 2026: Washington SOS, fee schedules and priority services, sos.wa.gov Confirmed October 2026: RCW 23.95.520, activities that are not doing business, app.leg.wa.gov Confirmed October 2026: RCW 23.95.505, consequences of not registering, app.leg.wa.gov Confirmed October 2026: RCW 23.95.510, foreign registration statement, app.leg.wa.gov Confirmed October 2026: Washington SOS, registered agents, sos.wa.gov WA Registered Agent.org pricing page: prices as shown November 12, 2026 Mainstay Filing Washington service page: prices as shown November 12, 2026