A Washington registered agent is a person or business entity supplying standardized correspondence management services. To be a registered agent, individuals or businesses must have a civic mailing address and normal business hour availability.
Registered agents are beneficial to Washington businesses because they minimize time waste and amplify security and privacy. In this guide, we’ll discuss the best registered agents in Washington, what they do, and how they might benefit your company.
N.W. Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is the best overall due to its numerous pros and a minimal number of cons. Perfect for all sorts of registered agent work.
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is the ideal choice if you're interested in starting and growing your business with all sorts of registered agent services right at your fingertips.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority provides highly efficient registered agent services while being very affordable for all sorts of businesses and entrepreneurs.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is an excellent choice for entrepreneurs who want to do all of their legal correspondence themselves with certain helpful features.
Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance is the best registered agent in Washington for monitoring compliance. All documents are processed the same day; perfect if you're in a rush.
What Is the Best Registered Agent Service in Washington?
There are more than 657,529 small businesses registered in Washington state. With the market continuing to expand, it’s more important than ever to grab a top registered agent service while you can. Let’s take a look at the best registered agent services in the state.
1. Northwest Registered Agent
Best Overall Registered Agent in Washington ($125/year)
Northwest Registered Agent is the best registered agent in Washington overall. They lead the competition in terms of price, services, and support offerings. Discreet handling of important and private documents makes them a hit among local Washington business owners.
Northwest Registered Agent deals with everything from legal documents to government tax forms. Someone is always on-site at your registered agent office to sign for packages or receive official Washington Secretary of State correspondence.
Every time you receive a new document, the Northwest Registered Agent sends a notification. This keeps you informed and better able to manage correspondence as it comes in.
Pros
- Privacy by Default® guarantee: No sharing, selling, or losing of personal data.
- Corporate Guides®: Local Washington business guide. For newcomers, this is essential.
- Pre-filled forms: Pre-filled forms add your business and registered agent data so you don’t have to.
Cons
- Pay after 5 forwards: Only the first 5 mail forwards are free. After this, you pay for a monthly package, or individual forwards.
- Registration cost: Northwest Registered Agent charges $100 to register your LLC. Many will do this for free.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($125/year): Pay $125 annually for regular registered agent services. You also receive your first year of registered agent services free. Extra features to pay for include:
- $20 a month for premium mail forwarding
- $499 for legal trademarking services
- $9 a month for on-call legal assistance
2. Zen Business
Best Registered Agent in Washington for Startups and Small Businesses ($0-$299/year)
Zen Business is a local favorite registered agent service for new business owners. Register your LLC through Zen Business and receive your first year of registered agent services free. Along with these standard services, you can count on Zen Business to meet your budget needs.
Zen Business operates under three different plans. A starter, professional, and premium package lets businesses of all shapes and sizes find a registered agent service.
Along with these standard document management services, choose additional support options, including:
- Domain name registration
- Website design
- Business bank account management
- LLC formation
- EIN registration
Keep private documents private with Zen Business registered agent services.
Pros
- 100% accuracy: Every document is accounted for with Zen Business’ 100% accuracy guarantee.
- Free first year: Get your first year of registered agent services free from Zen Business.
- Different packages: Think outside the box with three unique registered agent business packages, including starter, pro, and premium services.
Cons
- No compliance reminders: No compliance reminders or filing alerts.
- Premium services are expensive: The premium Zen business package is $299 a year. That’s the most any registered agent service charges in Washington.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($0 to $299/year): Choose between three unique packages with Zen Business, including:
- Starter: $0
- Pro: $199 annually
- Premium: $299 annually
3. Inc Authority
Best Registered Agent in Washington for Affordability ($99/year)
Inc. Authority believes in U.S. businesses supporting U.S. citizens. All Inc Authority customer service reps are U.S.-based employees. This is great for newcomers to the Washington business market. You can count on Inc Authority to understand the fine print in state business law for compliance purposes.
Inc Authority offers long-term digital storage, business credit services, and tax planning. Enhance your business through many reputable services, or rely simply on registered agent support.
Pros
- Fast uploads: Get access to all your business documents within 24 hours.
- Add-ons: Choose from a variety of add-on services, from funding analysis and tax planning to credit services.
- U.S. support: U.S.-based support provides customer service from local Washington reps who understand city and state business laws.
Cons
- No reports: No compliance or filing reminders/reports.
- Need to form an entity: You can’t use Inc Authority’s registered agent services unless you form your LLC through Inc Authority.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($99/year): Inc Authority gives all new customers one full year of free registered agent services. Pay only $99 per year after your first year.
4. Legal Zoom
Best Registered Agent for DIY Entrepreneurs ($0 to $299/year)
Legal Zoom is Washington’s secret weapon in the registered agent game. A triple threat, Legal Zoom offers registered agent services, legal aid, and business services all in one.
Choose your package, based on individual business needs. Packages start at $0 and go up to $299 with a starter, pro, and premium plan to choose between. Filing speeds advance as packages increase in price.
One of the best benefits of Legal Zoom is its “Ask a Lawyer” service. In a pinch, it’s nice to know your registered agent can help in the legal department as well.
Pros
- Chat support
- Business document storage
- Tracking important deadlines
- Renewing licenses
- Compliance alerts
Cons
- Can be expensive for some startups
- Relatively weak free features
Pricing
The registered agent service provided by LegalZoom includes acceptance of business correspondence, along with reminders of tax and annual reporting requirements for $299/year. Although the service is more costly than others, the annual fee includes the cost of Washington state filing fees.
5. Harbor Compliance
Best Registered Agent in Washington for Compliance Monitoring ($99/year)
Harbor Compliance holds nothing back. No hidden fees, no fine print, and no undisclosed red tape. Everything you need to know about your registered agent is upfront and in plain black and white in your contract.
All documents are quickly filed within 24 hours of being received by a Harbor Compliance agent. They are available between the hours of 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday, keeping with the local state requirements for registered agents.
Pros
- Annual reminders: Free filing, compliance, and delivery alerts.
- Same-day uploads: All your mail is promptly uploaded within 24 hours of receipt.
- Compliance software: Proprietary compliance software makes Harbor Compliance an ace in your pocket to avoid business penalties.
Cons
- Zeo refunds: No money back. Ever. Harbor compliance doesn’t believe in refunds.
- Filing fees: You’ll pay filing fees and state fees if you file through Harbor Compliance.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($99/year): With Harbor Compliance you pay $99 per year. Get a discount when you sign a multi-year contract, and pay 5% to 10% less.
6. Rocket Lawyer
Best Registered Agent in Washington for Penalty-Free Services ($149.99/year)
Rocket Lawyer puts a strong focus on state business law and compliance. Like Harbor Compliance, you can count on Rocket Lawyer to keep you away from any potential business penalties, at least where correspondence and filing are concerned.
Receive filing and compliance reminders, along with upload alerts for every new document in your digital portfolio. Rocket Lawyer adds a touch of law to the mix as well with its “Ash a Lawyer” service.
Customers of Rocket Lawyer pay $149 annually. There are also a variety of business add-on services at varying price points to consider.
7. IncFile
Best Registered Agent in Washington For Bilingual Support ($119/year)
Inc File is ahead of the competition with full-on bilingual customer support. For businesses that speak and write in both Spanish and English, this streamlines the mail organization system immensely. You can also count on a customer service agent to chat in your native tongue.
Inc File is a great registered agent service for new business owners. They provide a variety of business services and offer newcomers a whole free year of registered agent support.
Keep private documents private, and receive the support you need with Inc File.
Pros
- Bilingual support: Choose between English and Spanish customer care.
- Add-ons: Enjoy a variety of add-on services from tax services and foreign qualifications to certificates of good standing.
Cons
- Bilingual on weekdays: You can only depend on over-the-phone and in-person bilingual care during normal business hours.
Pricing
Registered Agent Service ($119): Get your first year of registered agent services completely free. Pay $119 for each year afterward.
8. InCorp
Best Registered Agent in Washington For Advanced Security ($129/year)
InCorp has a proprietary EntityWatch® software to monitor business compliance and security. With InCorp, there’s never a concern that your data will be shared, sold, or stolen. You can also count on discretion when uploading or forwarding sensitive documents.
InCorp is a professional registered agent service. They take their role as your correspondence liaison seriously. They scan, upload, and organize all your documents so you can save, delete, or forward them as necessary.
Pay $129 per year for InCorp registered agent services. Save money by signing a multi-year contract and paying only $87.
9. Rapid Registered Agent
Best Registered Agent in Washington For no Hidden Fees ($100/year)
Rapid Registered Agent provides stress-free registered agent services to businesses in Washington state. No hidden fees, fine print, or hidden meanings reside in your contract. What you see is what you get, and what you get is straightforward registered agent services.
A unique customer portal to log in and view mail, document forwarding services, and alerts for new uploads are all included. Rapid Registered Agent also puts no cap on mail forwarding. Forward as many documents to as many recipients as you need.
Pay only $100 per year for Rapid Registered Agent services.
10. Swyft Filings
Best Registered Agent in Washington For Fast Response ($199/year)
Swyft Filings is quick in customer service. For businesses looking for a little extra support, Swyft Filings gets back to you within 24 hours, every time. You can also count on Swyft Filings for regular updates when new documents are uploaded or forwarded to you.
Customers of Swyft Filings pay $199 per year. You can also form your LLC with Swyft Filings for $99, and the required state filing fee.
Additional services offered by Swyft Filings include business name changes, registered agent changes, annual reporting, foreign qualification, and more.
11. Washington Registered Agent
Best Registered Agent in Washington For Affordable Services ($59/year)
Washington Registered Agent is the best deal in Washington for price. Pay only $59 a year for standard registered agent services, including a digital customer profile, mail forwarding, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekday customer service.
This is a great registered agent for small businesses not looking for any bells and whistles. What you see is what you get, and Washington Registered Agent provides all the necessary services to meet state requirements for compliance.
Work with 365 days of mail forwarding a year, and receive alerts every time a new document is uploaded.
12. Resident Agent LLC
Best Registered Agent in Washington For Form Library Access ($75/year)
Resident Agent LLC is best known for its extensive form library. This is a registered agent that puts clients first. With pre-filled documents, a variety of templates, and standard business forms available, Resident Agent LLC has you covered.
Along with the library assortment of forms, you can count on this registered agent for standard services. Pay $75 annually for access to a local Washington business address and someone to sign for deliveries within normal business hours.
All documents are uploaded to a bespoke customer dashboard within 24 hours of receipt. Sort through, organize, delete, or print any documents you need.
13. CSC Global
Best Registered Agent in Washington For Global Business Help ($299/year)
Washington business owners hoping to branch out into the global marketplace should consider CSC Global. CSC Global has more than 120 years in the registered agent industry. They work with companies around the world.
Some of the benefits offered through CSC Global include:
- UUC search
- UUC filing
- Corporate filing
- Entity management
- Corporate filings
CSC Global also uses a proprietary software system in its CSC Navigator platform with SOC 2 software. For registered agent services, combined with additional business expertise, you pay $299 annually.
What Is a Washington Registered Agent?
A Washington registered agent is a person or business entity providing correspondence management services. To qualify as a registered agent the person or business must have a civic mailing address in Washington. They must also be available to sign for mail from 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday.
How Can a Washington Registered Agent Help Your Business?
The biggest advantage of a Washington registered agent service is the time you save. No more pouring over letters, trying to decide which are important and which aren’t. No time spent sweeping sensitive mail into a hidden Filofax somewhere. Instead, you can spend your time managing your company.
Here are some other common benefits of working with a Washington registered agent.
No Junk Mail
Registered agents remove all junk mail, coupons, and flyers from your business correspondence. No need to sort through unwanted mail before getting to the important business documents.
Reminders and Notifications
Washington registered agent services offer alerts whenever a new letter is uploaded to your customer portal. You can also register for filing and compliance reminders (if offered by your registered agent).
Privacy and Security
Washington registered agents provide advanced security measures for your correspondence. You can also count on them for the highest level of discretion. No prying eyes ever see your business mail.
Is a Registered Agent Legally Required in Washington?
All Washington domestic and foreign registered entities require a commercial registered agent according to the Washington Secretary of State.
Washington Registered Agent Q&A
In this guide, we discussed the best registered agents in Washington state. We also talked about how a registered agent benefits the businesses they work with. Here are some other frequently asked questions about Washington registered agents.
How Much Does a Washington Registered Agent Cost?
Registered agent services in Washington vary in price. Many providers offer a first year free, or reduced rates for multi-year contracts. You can expect to pay somewhere between $49 and $299 annually.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in Washington?
Yes. Anyone can be their registered agent in Washington. You simply require a civic mailing address and normal business hour availability.
Can a Company in Washington Change Its Registered Agent?
To change your registered agent, simply file a Statement of Change with the Office of the Secretary of State. Your new registered agent may also be able to make the change for you.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Washington Registered Agent?
Your online customer portal and new business address should become available within 24 hours. It might take up to 2 weeks for all official documents to start arriving at your new registered agent office.
N.W. Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is the best overall due to its numerous pros and a minimal number of cons. Perfect for all sorts of registered agent work.
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is the ideal choice if you're interested in starting and growing your business with all sorts of registered agent services right at your fingertips.
Inc Authority
Inc Authority provides highly efficient registered agent services while being very affordable for all sorts of businesses and entrepreneurs.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom is an excellent choice for entrepreneurs who want to do all of their legal correspondence themselves with certain helpful features.
Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance is the best registered agent in Washington for monitoring compliance. All documents are processed the same day; perfect if you're in a rush.