State of Washington

Registering your LLC
In Washington

With the 14th largest population in the United States, Washington services both large and small businesses. Washington’s major industries include manufacturing, technology, and tourism. Regardless of your industry, we can help you take advantage of Washington’s business services.

The United States LLC is not a partnership or a corporation; it is a distinct business entity that offers an alternative to partnerships and corporations by combining the corporate advantages of limited liability with the partnership advantage of pass-through taxation.

US LLC’s with non-resident members and which conduct no business in the US and which have no US-source income are not subject to US federal income tax and are not required to file a US income tax return.

US LLC’s are popular vehicles for conducting international business.

Forming an LLC in Washington

Each state has its own set of requirements for businesses that plan on forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC) there. If you decide to form an LLC in Washington, TBA will take care of all the details.

We’ll research the availability of your company name and help you prepare and file your Certificate of Formation with the Washington Secretary of State. We can also take care of many of your company’s follow-up needs, including annual report preparation and filing.

Here are some helpful facts about Washington’s LLC requirements

General

Type of Company	LLC
Type of Law	Common
Shelf Company Availability	Yes
Our Time To Establish a New Company	2 Days
Minimium Gorvernment Fees (Excluding Taxation)	Varies
Corporate Taxation	Fiscally Transparent
Double Taxation Treatie Access	Normally No

Share Capital or Equivalent

Standard Currency	Not Applicable
Permitted Currencies	Not Applicable
Minimium Paid Up	Not Applicable
Usual Authorised	Not Applicable

Managers

Minium Number	One
Local Required	No
Publicly Accessible Records	On Formation
Locations of Meeting	Anywhere

Members

Minium Number	One
Publicly Accessible Records	Varies by State
Location of Meetings	Anywhere

Company Secretary

Required	Not Applicable
Local or Qualified	Not Applicable

Accounts

Requirements to Prepare	Yes
Audit Requeriments	No
Requeriments to File Accounts	No
Publicly Accssible Accounts	No

Recurring Government Costs

Annual Return Filing Fee

US$165

Others

Requirement to File Annual Return	Yes
Requirement to File FBAR (Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts)	Yes, if bank account exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year
Change in Domicile Permitted	Yes

How to Register a LLC in Washington

Registration Procedures

Filing of Articles of Organisation or Certificate of Formation with the Secretary of State in the preferred state of formation.

Language of Legalisation and Corporate Documents

English. If any other language is used it must be accompanied by a translation in English.

Registered Office Required

Yes. Must be maintained in state of incorporation/formation at the office of a professional registered agent.

Shelf Companies Available

Yes, for recommended states.

Name Restrictions

Anything identical or similar to an existing company within the state of formation. Additionally, the use of bank, trust, insurance or reinsurance within the name of the LLC is generally prohibited in all 50 states. This is because limited liability companies in most states are simply not allowed to engage in a banking or insurance business.

Language of Name

The name can be in any language. Some recommended states require an English translation.

Suffixes to Denote Corporation

Limited Liability Company and Limited Company or their abbreviations LLC or LC.

Time to Incorporate/Form

Generally 2 days, but must allow an additional 5 – 7 business days for delivery of documentation.

Compliance

US Federal Taxation

US Limited Liability Companies structured for partnership tax treatment with non-resident members and which conduct no business in the US and which have no US-source income are not subject to US federal income tax and are not required to file a US income tax return.However a FBAR form has to be filed each year where the bank account balance exceeds $10,000 at any time.

State Taxation

US limited liability companies that conduct no business in the recommended states of formation with non-resident members are generally not subject to state income tax and are not required to file a state income tax return.

Annual Report and Licence Fees

Tax applicable to Washington LLC’s is US$165

This filing report is filed every two years.

If an LLC is formed prior to June 16 in any given year, it’s first Two-Year Report is due June 16 that same year. It’s next Two-Year Report will not be due for another 2 years. If an LLC is formed after June 16 in a given year, its first Two-Year Report will be due June 16 the following year. Again, its next Two-Year Report will not be due for another 2 years.