Washington Resident Agent Service

Why Washington requires a resident agent

RCW 23.95, art. 4, the Uniform Business Organizations Code hub chapter, governs every resident agent, and RCW 23B.05.010 and the LLC act cross-reference it. Domestic and registered foreign entities must keep a resident agent (RCW 23.95.405): a noncommercial resident agent, meaning an individual or entity (domestic or foreign) serving in Washington, a commercial resident agent, or a holder of a designated office or position (RCW 23.95.415(1)(b)(ii)). Required addresses are Washington street addresses (RCW 23.95.410), with no residency or authorized-to-transact-business limit beyond that. RCW 23.95.405; 23.95.105(22); 23.95.410; 23.95.415(1)

What happens if you lapse

• Any domestic entity other than a domestic LLP (RCW 23.95.600) that goes 30 consecutive days with no resident agent faces administrative dissolution after notice and a 60-day cure window, and once dissolved it may only wind up. RCW 23.95.605(3); procedure and effect at RCW 23.95.610
• A registered foreign entity can lose its registration to termination by the secretary of state when it lacks the required resident agent, or does not file a statement of change after its agent's name or address changes, with a 60-day cure window after notice. RCW 23.95.550(1)(c)-(d)
• Reinstatement is available for up to five years after administrative dissolution and requires paying every annual license or renewal fee that would have been assessed while dissolved, a penalty fee that the secretary of state fixes by rule, and the fee for the reinstatement year; the statute states no dollar amount. RCW 23.95.615(2)
• A foreign entity doing business in Washington cannot keep up an action or proceeding there until it both registers and pays every fee and penalty for the period it was unregistered. RCW 23.95.505(2)
• A foreign entity that transacts business without registering owes the state every fee it would have been charged as if it had registered and filed every report, together with all penalties for not paying those fees. RCW 23.95.505(5)

Switching to us

We prepare and file the change of resident agent for you. Washington charges no fee for an LLC WAC 434-112-085(7)(u) 'Designation or statement of change of... and no fee for a corporation WAC 434-112-085(7)(u).

Official Washington links

• Washington Secretary of State - 360.725.0377
• Business entity search
• Statutes
• Forms
• Annual report filing

Frequently asked

Do I need a resident agent in Washington?

Almost every state does, and the Washington rule is set out above with its citation. Where the law leaves a choice, a resident agent is still the practical way to make sure service of process reaches you.

How much does Washington resident agent service cost?

$129 a year, with no setup fee, the same price in all 50 states plus DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Service of process is received and scanned the same business day.

Can I switch my Washington resident agent to ResidentAgents.com?

Yes. Order online and we prepare the change of agent filing for you; the state's filing fee is shown on this page.