Comparison of the top registered agent services for Washington LLCs and corporations · Updated 2026-04-30
Choosing a registered agent in Washington comes down to weighing privacy, price, and reliability. The statute (R.C.W. §25.15.021) requires a physical Washington address staffed during business hours, with the agent’s information filed publicly with the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division. Below, we rank the four registered agent services we evaluated for Washington-based LLCs and corporations in 2026.
Northwest Registered Agent
Physical-address-only operations; mail forwarding; same-day filing.
ZenBusiness
Pairs RA with LLC formation packages.
LegalZoom
Largest brand; phone-based support; bundled legal services.
Mid-tier pricing with full feature parity; suitable for businesses focused on cost-efficiency.
Washington-specific option: Washington Registered Agent operates exclusively in Washington and specializes in same-state filings. Best for businesses that want a state-focused provider with local-only operations.
| Filing | Cost | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation | $200 online / $180 paper | annually by the end of formation anniversary month |
| Annual Report | $60 | annually by the end of formation anniversary month |
| DBA / Fictitious Name | $5 | Every 5 years |
| Change of Registered Agent | $20 | — |
Source: Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division · Statute reference R.C.W. §25.15.021
For most Washington LLCs, Northwest Registered Agent ranks first on privacy and Mainstay Filing offers the best value at $99/year. State-specific options like Washington Registered Agent specialize in same-state filings.
Commercial services range $50–$250 per year. Mainstay Filing is $99/yr; Northwest is $125/yr; ZenBusiness is $199/yr; LegalZoom is $249/yr.
Yes. File a Statement of Change of Registered Agent with the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division for $20. Most commercial services handle the change paperwork for you.
National services like Mainstay Filing and Northwest operate across all 50 states with consistent pricing and online dashboards. State-specific providers (like Washington Registered Agent) focus exclusively on one state and often handle same-state-only filings faster.
Yes — under R.C.W. §25.15.021, every Washington LLC must designate and maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in Washington.
RA Ratings independently reviews registered agent services. We may earn a commission from sponsored links; this does not affect rankings or editorial selection. Verify all filing fees with the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division before submitting paperwork.