{"id":2559,"date":"2015-08-17T15:29:51","date_gmt":"2015-08-17T22:29:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/evergreensmallbusiness.com\/?page_id=2559"},"modified":"2021-08-09T11:17:55","modified_gmt":"2021-08-09T18:17:55","slug":"forming-a-washington-state-limited-liability-company","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/evergreensmallbusiness.com\/all-states-real-estate-investor-llc-formation-kit\/forming-a-washington-state-limited-liability-company\/","title":{"rendered":"Forming a Washington State limited liability company"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/evergreensmallbusiness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/washington.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-2166 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/evergreensmallbusiness.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/washington.jpg\" alt=\"Picture of Washington S Corporation Kit Bundle\" width=\"200\" height=\"258\" \/><\/a>If you looking into forming your own LLC in Washington state, you came to the right place.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got a free, downloadable \u201cdo it yourself\u201d kit you can use. In other words, the price you pay to purchase equals \u201czero.\u201d That kit provides more information about LLCs and includes a couple of free LLC operating agreements. (We used to sell the kit but since the Covid-19 pandemic have simply given the kit away.).<\/p>\n<form action=\"https:\/\/www.e-junkie.com\/ecom\/gb.php?c=cart&amp;i=WALLCEO&amp;cl=23704&amp;ejc=2\" method=\"post\"><button type=\"submit\">Purchase and Download<\/button><\/form>\n<p><a title=\"View Cart\" href=\"https:\/\/www.e-junkie.com\/ecom\/gb.php?c=cart&amp;cl=23704&amp;ejc=2\">View Cart<\/a><\/p>\n<p>If you don&#8217;t need all those bells and whistles but just need some help getting the proper documents filed, continue reading below (These instructions are up-to-date as of July 27, 2020):<\/p>\n<h2>1. Check if the LLC name you want is available<\/h2>\n<p>Your first step in setting up an LLC is to check if the name you want to use is even available. To do this, you can use the Washington Secretary of State\u2019s corporations search form at:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sos.wa.gov\/corps\/\">http:\/\/www.sos.wa.gov\/corps\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>By entering the name you want to use in the search form, you\u2019ll be able to see if there\u2019s another business already using the name that you want. You can\u2019t use a name, by the way, that\u2019s the same or deceptively similar to another existing LLC\u2019s name.<\/p>\n<h2>2. Download the Limited Liability Company Certificate of Formation form from the Washington Secretary of State\u2019s website, and then print this form<\/h2>\n<p>The URL, or web page address, for this form is as shown below.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sos.wa.gov\/corps\/limitedliabilitycompaniesllconlineandpaperregistrations.aspx\">https:\/\/www.sos.wa.gov\/corps\/limitedliabilitycompaniesllconlineandpaperregistrations.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Note: You can also file online, which is also available at the Secretary of State\u2019s website at:<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ccfs.sos.wa.gov\/#\/\">https:\/\/ccfs.sos.wa.gov\/#\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The online form looks and works in basically the same way as the paper form. All online applications are treated in an expedited fashion and are charged an additional $20 fee (total fees $200).<\/p>\n<h2>3. Indicate if you want regular or expedited service<\/h2>\n<p>After you download and print the LLC application form, you\u2019re ready to fill the form out.<\/p>\n<p>If you are electing to file your application with the paper form, you can see boxes at the top to check if you want your filing to be processed with normal service at $180 or expedited service for an additional $50, totaling $230. Expedited service requests sent by mail will be processed within 2 working days. (Write \u201cexpedite\u201d in bold letters on the outside of the envelope.) Requests for expedited service hand delivered to the Corporations Division office will be processed the same day.<\/p>\n<h2>4. Identify the name you want to use for your new LLC<\/h2>\n<p>Enter your business or investment name into box labeled, \u201cName of Limited Liability Company.\u201d As this box\u2019s label indicates, the name must include one of the phrases or acronyms, \u201cLimited Liability Company,\u201d \u201cLimited Liability Co.,\u201d \u201cLLC,\u201d or \u201cL.L.C.\u201d For example, all of the following names should be acceptable:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Evergreen\u00a0Explosives Limited Liability Company<\/li>\n<li>Evergreen\u00a0Explosives Limited Liability Co.<\/li>\n<li>Evergreen\u00a0Explosives LLC<\/li>\n<li>Evergreen\u00a0Explosives L.L.C.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>5. Give the LLC\u2019s street address<\/h2>\n<p>In the \u201cAddress of the Principal Place of Business\u201d box, enter the street address and, if appropriate, the mailing address of the LLC.<\/p>\n<h2>6. Specify the effective formation date<\/h2>\n<p>Use the \u201cEffective Date of Formation\u201d box to specify whether the LLC should be formed on some future date or when the Secretary of State files the LLC application. Usually, you just want to form the LLC as soon as possible and so mark the \u201cUpon Filing by the Secretary of State\u201d box.<\/p>\n<h2>7. Define the desired tenure<\/h2>\n<p>Tell the state if you want your new LLC to be an ongoing entity (\u201cPerpetual existence\u201d) or if you plan for it to exist for only a limited time (\u201cSpecific term of existence\u201d).<\/p>\n<h2>8. Indicate how your LLC will be managed<\/h2>\n<p>LLCs can be managed either by all of their owners, called \u201cmembers.\u201d Or they can be managed by only one or some of their members, who are in this case called managers or manager-members. To indicate how your LLC will be managed, mark the appropriate checkbox in box labeled \u201cThe Limited Liability Company is Managed By.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Note: If you have multiple members or managers, ideally you\u2019ll want to have an attorney draft an operating agreement. This operating agreement should describe who the manager is or who the managers are if you\u2019re setting up a manager-managed LLC. If you\u2019re a single-member LLC, you should probably also have an operating agreement because having an operating agreement and honoring its terms improves your liability protection. This kit provides excellent example operating agreements for you to consider when drafting your own.<\/p>\n<h2>9. Identify the registered agent<\/h2>\n<p>Washington State wants to know the name and contact information for a real person within the state of Washington that the state can contact if it has questions or concerns about an LLC\u2019s operation. You can pay someone else to be this registered agent, but it\u2019s really easiest and cheapest to just be your own registered agent.<\/p>\n<p>Accordingly, enter your name and address information into boxes labeled \u201cName and Address of Washington State Registered Agent.\u201d Then sign on the line labeled \u201cSignature of Registered Agent.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Note: If you are mailing your application, your confirmation or any questions regarding your application will be sent to your registered agent. If you are filing online, questions and confirmation will be directed to the \u201ccontact person.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>10. Identify the people forming the LLC<\/h2>\n<p>Washington State also wants to know the names and contact information for the person or people organizing the LLC. To provide this information, enter the names and addresses of the organizer or organizers into the boxes labeled, \u201cNames Address, and Signature of Each Executor.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;d like to double-check your work, our downloadable kit will\u00a0show an example, completed Washington State LLC application.<\/p>\n<h2>11. Mail in the LLC application<\/h2>\n<p>After you complete the Limited Liability Company Certificate of Formation, mail the completed form and a check for $180 (or $230, if you have chosen an expedited delivery) to:<\/p>\n<p>Secretary of State<br \/>\nCorporation Division<br \/>\n801 Capitol Way S<br \/>\nPO Box 40234<br \/>\nOlympia WA 98504-0234<\/p>\n<p>Processing lead times vary, but in general, it takes several weeks to get your LLC certificate back from the Secretary of State\u2019s office.<\/p>\n<h2>Other Resources You Might Find Useful<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/evergreensmallbusiness.com\/small-business-faq\/applying-for-a-new-ein\/\">Steps to apply for an employer identification number<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/evergreensmallbusiness.com\/steps-to-elect-sub-s-status-for-wa-llc-or-corp\/\">How to complete a 2553 \u201cS Election\u201d form<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you looking into forming your own LLC in Washington state, you came to the right place.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got a free, downloadable \u201cdo it yourself\u201d kit you can use. In other words, the price you pay to purchase equals \u201czero.\u201d That kit provides more information about LLCs and includes a couple of free LLC operating [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":2060,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-2559","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Forming a Washington State limited liability company - Evergreen Small Business<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/evergreensmallbusiness.com\/all-states-real-estate-investor-llc-formation-kit\/forming-a-washington-state-limited-liability-company\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Forming a Washington State limited liability company\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you looking into forming your own LLC in Washington state, you came to the right place.\u00a0 We\u2019ve got a free, downloadable \u201cdo it yourself\u201d kit you can use. 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