If you operate an LLC or corporation in Washington, you need to designate a registered agent to accept document deliveries from the state. You have a few options regarding who should provide this vital service, our favorite of which is hiring a registered agent service.
These companies will serve as your registered agent in exchange for an annual fee, keeping your business in compliance with state law by receiving documents like service of process, tax documents, reminders to renew your business license, prompts to file your Annual Report, and more.
In Washington, there are quite a few reputable companies offering registered agent service, which can make it difficult to determine which company is your best choice. That’s why we took a deep dive into all of your options to create this list of the best Washington registered agent services. Which one should you use?
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An Overview of Washington Registered Agent Services
Before we dig too deeply into any of these companies, we will also share a quick overview of the best options. After all, we know how busy you are, and you might just want to identify the best company and move on.
At ZenBusiness, we have a highly affordable offer that appeals to a wide variety of entrepreneurs. For just $99 for the first year ($199 after that), ZenBusiness will serve as your registered agent in Washington, providing reliable service at a fair price. ZenBusiness has thousands of positive reviews, we’re a socially conscious company, and we offer solid customer support. What’s not to like?
However, it’s not all about ZenBusiness. Some of our competitors also have intriguing offers for Washington registered agent service, including Northwest Registered Agent and Incfile. Is one of them a better fit for your business? Or is hiring ZenBusiness the right call? Read on to find out!
What Does Washington Law Say About Registered Agents?
Each state has its own rules and regulations surrounding registered agents. For the most part, these laws are fairly similar, but it’s always worth taking a look to see what Washington requires.
In Washington, we’ll need to take a look at The Uniform Business Corporations Code, which says:
- Every entity that files with the Secretary of State (both domestic and foreign) must appoint a commercial or noncommercial registered agent
- The commercial registered agent has registered to be included on the state database, usually offering services for profit
- A noncommercial agent may be an individual resident of the state OR an individual within the business itself that will accept service of process
- The agent must commit to the appointment
- An agent must be continuously maintained
All of the companies we’re about to discuss meet these regulations and are great options for Washington registered agent service. When you’ve made your choice, you can indicate your registered agent’s name and address on your Certificate of Formation.
The Best Washington Registered Agent Services
ZenBusiness ($99 for the first year, then $199)
At ZenBusiness, we pride ourselves on providing convenient, easy-to-leverage business services that leave you more time to actually run your business. When it comes to ongoing registered agent service, ZenBusiness has a great $99 rate for the first year and a competitive $199 rate for subsequent years.
If you haven’t yet formed your LLC or corporation, we offer an outstanding bargain. We will form your new business for free — all you have to do is cover the required state filing fee.
Let’s take a look at some of our advantages and disadvantages compared to our top competitors.
Pros:
- Low $99 price point for the first year
- Great customer feedback
- Strong customer service
- Gives back to socially disadvantaged entrepreneurs
Cons:
- Not the absolute cheapest option available
There are more than 10,000 reviews of ZenBusiness online, and nearly all of them are positive, giving us one of the best customer satisfaction reputations in the industry. We also have a helpful and knowledgeable customer support department that can answer your tough questions.
Northwest Registered Agent ($125)
Next up is Northwest Registered Agent, a company that offers personalized customer support. Northwest no longer provides free mail forwarding service with its registered agent offering, which used to be a cornerstone of its service. However, it still has plenty of advantages.
How does Northwest Registered Agent stack up to the competition?
Pros:
- Personalized customer support
- Volume discounts available
- Free registered agent service with business formation
Cons:
- Expensive business formation service
- Not many other services offered
Northwest Registered Agent’s calling card is its personalized customer support. Instead of outsourcing its support network to a generic call center with questionably trained representatives, Northwest keeps its support team in-house. Everyone who answers the phone for Northwest is a professional who knows their stuff.
Northwest offers a year of registered agent service in Washington with any business formation service purchase. However, at $225, the price point for this package is higher than most competitors.
We appreciate Northwest’s volume discounts for registered agent service, as they’ll slash your rate from $125 to $100 annually if you require service in at least five states. In addition, they receive strong customer reviews and offer free ongoing compliance reminders.
Overall, if you prioritize personalized customer support, Northwest’s advantages likely outweigh its disadvantages.
Incfile ($119)
Like ZenBusiness, Incfile offers a free business formation service. With Incfile, this includes a year of registered agent service as well. As a standalone service, Incfile provides registered agent service at an annual rate of $119, which is a solidly competitive price point.
Pros:
- Free business formation service with registered agent service
- Good customer feedback
Cons:
- Lots of upsells
With more than 30,000 reviews available online, Incfile maintains high average rating scores, making them an impressive pick for registered agent service in Washington.
However, one drawback of using Incfile is how they can be rather relentless with upsell attempts. Incfile has plenty of add-on features available, and it will certainly remind you of that fact several times as you work your way through their order form.
Overall, Incfile is a rock-solid option for registered agent service, albeit without some of the bells and whistles you’ll find with some competitors.
Rocket Lawyer ($149.99)
Rocket Lawyer is one of the industry’s biggest names, with millions of customers served and a robust advertising budget that gets its name out. Rocket Lawyer’s pricing is a bit high, but if you’re looking for an experienced option, look no further.
Pros:
- Tons of experience
- Solid customer satisfaction reputation
- Strong customer support
Cons:
- Somewhat high price points
- Very few features
Rocket Lawyer has a few thousand reviews available, with mostly positive scores. While its registered agent pricing doesn’t jump off the page, subscribers to Rocket Lawyer’s $39.99/month legal services program receive 25% off registered agent service, free business formation service for new members, and more.
We are always impressed with Rocket Lawyer’s support network, as its representatives are responsive and helpful. Rocket Lawyer offers extended support availability from 9 am to 9 pm every weekday. If you’re willing to spend a bit more in exchange for a company with tons of experience, or if you’re interested in Rocket Lawyer’s legal services subscription, give them a look.
LegalZoom ($299)
LegalZoom is similar to Rocket Lawyer in that it’s a company with millions of customers served and offers advanced legal services. However, LegalZoom has an unfortunately high price point for Washington registered agent service. You can get your first year for $249 if you add it to a business formation package, but even that isn’t a great deal.
Pros:
- Millions of customers served
- Industry’s longest support hours
- 100% satisfaction guaranteed
Cons:
- High prices
- Few features in formation packages
We are impressed by LegalZoom’s 100% satisfaction guarantee, which is nearly identical to the ZenBusiness refund policy. Also, they have the longest customer support hours in this industry, with 14 hours per day of weekday availability and nine hours on weekends too.
That said, LegalZoom’s high price tag for registered agent service is a problem. Seeing as this company also excludes valuable features from its business formation packages, the other options in this guide all have better value propositions than LegalZoom.
Frequently Asked Questions About Washington Registered Agent Services
Who can serve as a registered agent in Washington?
In Washington, there aren’t many complicated requirements for registered agent eligibility. Any individual or business entity located within the state can serve as your company’s registered agent. The only requirements are that they have a permanent address in Washington and that your company itself can not serve as its own registered agent (although you or one of your co-owners may assume this role individually).
Washington is a bit unique because they maintain a system of commercial and noncommercial registered agents. But let’s clear things up: both types of agents fulfill the state’s statutory requirement, and they both accomplish the exact same tasks. A commercial agent simply registers with the state to be included on the state database of agents, essentially advertising their services as a business venture. Noncommercial agents, however, are appointed on a private basis.
Must my registered agent be located in Washington?
Yes. If your registered agent is an individual, that person must live in Washington. If your agent is a business entity, that company must either be a domestic Washington business or one with the authority to conduct business in the state.
How can I change my registered agent in Washington?
Washington actually gives you two methods to change your registered agent. If you have not yet filed your Annual Report and the time frame is still open, you can simply make the change on your Annual Report filing. At all other times of year, you can file the Statement of Change/Designation of Agent form online or by mail. Neither method incurs an additional fee (the Statement of Change is free, and there is nothing added to the $60 Annual Report fee if you change your agent that way). For more information on how to change your registered agent in Washington, look here.
How does the Washington registered agent resignation process work?
If your registered agent chooses to resign and no longer serves as your agent, they will notify you and the Secretary of State by filing a Statement of Resignation. This form does not become effective until the 31st day after filing it, which gives you time to find a replacement agent and avoid any lapses in your agent coverage.
How much does it cost to change my Washington registered agent?
As long as you file your paperwork in a timely fashion and don’t allow any lapses in your registered agent coverage, you won’t incur any additional penalties or fees. That keeps your filing fee at zero for the Statement of Change and $60 for the full Annual Report.
What are my options if I don’t want to hire a Washington registered agent service?
One common option is to serve as your company’s own registered agent or enlist the assistance of a trusted friend or family member. The other route is to hire an attorney or accountant to handle this role. Maybe you prefer the added professionalism these people can provide, maybe you have an existing relationship with an attorney or accountant you trust, etc.
If you’re interested in hiring an attorney but don’t know where to start, we recommend taking a look on Avvo. We also dug through the top-rated lawyers on Avvo to create our own list of the top five business attorneys you could contact regarding registered agent service: