Washington Corporation

You can get an EIN directly from the IRS. The application is free, and most businesses can apply online. However, if you don’t have a social security number, you’ll need to submit a paper application form. Can’t bear to fill out yet another application? Hire Northwest to get your EIN for you. Just add on EIN service during checkout when you sign up for our incorporation service.

Corporate bylaws cover basic policies and procedures for issues such as company finances and management. Bylaws should cover a range of topics, answering key questions like those below:

• Meetings: When and where will meetings for shareholders and directors be held? How many attendees are required to transact business? What are the procedures for voting or proxy voting? How do you call a special meeting? What actions can be taken without a meeting?

• Stock: How are stock certificates issued and transferred? How is voting affected by issues such as corporate stock owners or fractional shares?

• Directors and officers: How many directors must there be? Which officer positions are required? What powers do they have? How do you fill a vacancy or remove a director or officer?

• Finances: What are the procedures for retaining profits, issuing dividends, and paying bills? Who can withdraw money from the corporate bank account or sign checks?

• Records: Where is the corporate book to be kept? What information will be maintained? How are requests for review or access honored? Can records or copies be kept or distributed digitally?

• Amendments and emergencies: Who can amend bylaws and how? Can emergency bylaws be adopted in the case of disaster?

Washington also has a specific requirement for including the number of directors in your bylaws. Per WA Rev Code § 23B.02.060 (2019), either your bylaws or articles must specify how many directors there will be (or the process by which the number of directors will be fixed). Your bylaws can make other provisions as well, assuming additions are in accordance with state law.

Creating bylaws can be overwhelming—where do you start? Northwest can help. We give you free corporate bylaws when you hire us to form your Washington corporation. We know what kinds of topics and questions corporations need to address, and we’ve spent years refining and improving our forms. We offer many other free corporate forms as well, including templates for resolutions and meeting minutes.

The Washington Annual Report is a required form you file with the Secretary of State each year to confirm or update your ownership and contact information.

The fee is $60, whether you file a paper report or you file online. However, if you’d like your paper report expedited, it will cost you another $50.

The filing is due at the end of your anniversary month (the month you first registered your business in the state). For example, if you formed your business on June 12th, you’re required to file by June 30th each year. If you forget or file late, you’re stuck with a $25 late fee.

These filings can be easy to forget—which is why we send our clients automatic reminders. Or better yet, let us file for you. With our business renewal service, we can complete and submit your annual report for you for $100 plus the state fee.

Many businesses are excited to learn that they don’t have to pay corporate net income tax or personal net income tax in Washington, but this isn’t to say that Washington is tax free.

The state does have the Business and Occupations (B&O) tax. It’s a tax on gross receipts and the rates vary depending on the type of business activity being taxed. For example, the rate for retailing is 0.47%, but the rates for other services can vary from 0.15% to 2%, depending on what those services are and how much your corporation makes. While the tax can be a bit confusing, Washington businesses tend to pay a low tax rate overall.

The state sales tax rate is 6.5%. City, county, and specialty rates can also be added, so total sales tax rates can top 10%. To get an idea of what customers actually pay in the store, below are the total sales tax rates in Washington’s 5 largest cities:

Seattle: 10.1%
Spokane: 8.9%
Tacoma: 10.2%
Vancouver: 8.4%
Bellevue: 10.1%

Yes, domestic corporations in Washington are required to register with the Washington Department of Revenue. Completing a Business License Application allows you to register or apply for licenses with several state agencies, including the DOR, using a single form. You can do this via MyDOR or by filing a paper Business License Application with the Department of Revenue. You’ll need your EIN before you can register.

Paper filings cost $180 to process ($280 expedited). Filing online costs $200.

Hire us for a one-time fee of $425. This includes state filing fees, Initial Report filing, a full year of registered agent service, and all the forms and tools you need to get your business started.

*NOTICE: Washington Secretary of State is temporarily closed to the public, so walk-in filings are unavailable. This includes our 1-day filing option. Online filings, including our 3-day option, are still in service.

For fastest processing, expedite in person. Of course, that means driving to Olympia, finding parking, and waiting in line. If you file online or expedite your mailed filing, it’ll take around 3 days to process. If you mail your filing without expediting, you’ll get your approval in anywhere from 1-4 weeks. At least you’ll finally have time for that central Washington winery tour vacay.

*NOTICE: The Washington Secretary of State Office is temporarily closed to the public due to COVID-19, so in-person filings are currently unavailable.

Yes, all Washington businesses need a business license. You can apply online or download a paper form here. To apply, you’ll need your UBI number (which you’ll get once your articles are approved), your EIN, and general business information, including corporate owners.

A basic license is $19 and takes about two weeks to arrive in the mail. However, if you are opening the first location of a new business or re-opening a business, it will cost $90.

For some license applications you may need an EIN or a certified copy of your Articles of Incorporation. At Northwest, we can streamline the process and get these for you—simply add on these items during checkout.

A corporation formed outside of Washington—but which conducts business in the state—is considered a foreign Washington corporation. For example, if you incorporated in Idaho but decide to open a storefront in Washington, you would be a foreign Washington corporation. This also means you would need to register with the state by filing a Certificate of Authority with the Washington Secretary of State. Foreign corporations are required to file the Washington Annual Report each year s well.

Absolutely! We’re happy to start a nonprofit corporation for you. Note that incorporating an Washington nonprofit requires a different form. The filing fee is lower as well. Most Washington nonprofits are still required to pay the Business and Occupations (B&O) tax (like any other Washington business) and must also file an annual renewal each year ($10).

There are a lot of reasons why a business owner may need mail forwarding: Maybe you need a professional address for the business you run from home. Maybe you don’t want any personal documents, like bank statements, delivered to an office where anyone can open them. Maybe you just want to keep your personal information off public record. At Northwest, we include limited mail forwarding with our registered agent and formation services. Are your mail forwarding needs a little more robust? We also offer unlimited mail forwarding with a unique suite number as part of our premium Washington mail forwarding service. While you can use our address, we unfortunately do not have the capabilities to act as your return address for online or Amazon sellers.

It’s a conundrum: you need a local number to display on your website and give to customers, but you don’t want to make your personal number quite so…public. We get it. And we’ve got you covered with Northwest Phone Service. We can provide you with a virtual phone number in any state—plus unlimited call forwarding and tons of easy-to-use features. You can try Phone Service free for 60 days when you hire us to form your corporation, and maintaining service is just $9 monthly after that. No contract required.