Washington State Registered Agent

Your Washington registered agent maintains a physical address in Washington and accepts important legal documents on your business’s behalf during normal business hours.

In other words, your registered agent’s address acts as the official place where any service of process and official mail for your Washington LLC, Washington corporation or Washington nonprofit will be sent.

However, the right registered agent service can do much more. At Northwest, we go above and beyond the minimum to ensure top speed, security, privacy and support.

Whether you are just forming your new Washington business, or if your business is already formed, you can be your own registered agent in Washington State. If this sounds like the path for your business, here’s how:

How to initially become your own registered agent in Washington State:

When you file your business’s formation documents with the Washington secretary of state, there is a space available on the form for you fill out your registered agent’s information. Since you will be acting as your own registered agent, you will fill out your name and physical street address. This is the address where documents will be sent. Remember, if you act as your own registered agent, you must be a resident of the state of Washington with a physical street address where official documents and service of process can be delivered. You must also maintain regular business hours at that address. You need to print your name as well as sign in order to officially consent to being the registered agent for the company listed on the formation document. Once the formation documents are approved by the state, you are officially your business’s registered agent.

Once you list yourself as your registered agent, know that your name and address will become public information, searchable by anyone on public record.

How to become your own registered agent for an already-existing business:

The process to become your own registered agent for your pre-existing Washington business is fairly simple. You just need to file a Statement of Change form to change your Washington registered agent. You will need to have the name of your entity, the name and address of your current registered agent as well as the name and address of your new registered agent. Remember, this must be a physical address, as opposed to a PO Box. If available, you will also need your Unified Business Identifier (UBI Number). The filing is free. If you choose to file via mail, it will take the state about three and a half weeks to process your filing. If you file via the online process, then your change of agent request should update with the state within the next business day.

Being your own registered agent is an all-around painless process in Washington State. It’s not uncommon for a Washington LLC or Washington corporation to appoint an owner as registered agent. If you will hold regular business hours at a physical Washington street address, it could be the choice for you and your business, as long as you are comfortable with having your personal contact information displayed online.

There are two ways to change your registered agent in Washington.

1. Hire us and we’ll complete the change of agent form for you for free.
2. Do it yourself and file a Statement of Change for Registered Agent form with the Washington Secretary of State. There is no fee to file this form.

At Northwest, we do business the right way. We’re dedicated to getting you your docs fast, protecting your privacy and offering you support. Here’s how:

• Same-Day Scans, Instant Notifications: We accept and scan your docs at our local office the same day. We notify you instantly and reach out to you if your essential mail goes unread.
• Privacy by Default®: We automatically minimize the exposure of and access to your personal data. If we can put our address on a public doc instead of yours, we do. If we don’t have to list your personal info, we don’t. We have tough privacy policies to keep your data safe and private. And we never sell your data.
• Free Limited Mail Forwarding: Of course we’ll get you your state and legal mail. That’s our job. But what if we get some of your regular business mail? It happens a lot—clients and businesses trying to connect with you via your registered agent. We scan 10 documents per year for FREE. We can also scan additional mail at a per document rate of $15. 
• Unlimited Mail Forwarding: Expecting much more business mail? For $20 a month, we also offer unlimited Washington mail forwarding. Our unlimited option includes a Washington business address with a unique suite number—great for listing on your website, establishing a business presence, or giving a home or online business a more professional appearance. We even accept Amazon Verification Cards, but we can not be your Amazon return address since our offices aren’t equip to hold anything beyond regular sized mail.
• Corporate Guides®: Have questions? We have answers. Our guides are business experts whose sole job is to provide phone and email support for all your toughest business questions.