Filing a Washington Corporation
Those who elect to register their company as a Washington Corporation tend to do so because of the benefits it offers. Not only does it provide tax advantages to owners, but it also provides instant credibility with customers and clients. Prospective owners, however, must be diligent when creating the company to ensure they remain compliant and in good standing.
Steps To Filing a Corporation
Choose A Name
The first thing that those looking to form a business need to do is choose a name for their new entity. The state of Washington requires companies to include an indicator in their name. In this case, owners will want to add something to their name like, “Corporation,” “Incorporated,” “Limited,” or “Company.” Additionally, owners also have the option to add an appropriate abbreviation, such as “Inc.”
Also, owners should ensure that the name they select is unique. Washington does not allow two Corporations to have the same name. To prevent this from happenings, owners can take advantage of the DoMyLLC Name Availability Check Page.
Choose An Agent For Service Of Process
After choosing a name, owners will then need to select a registered agent. The registered agent is responsible for accepting all legal correspondence on behalf of the company. As you can imagine, an agent’s role is integral to the success of a new Washington Corporation. Because of this, many new business owners elect to hire a professional third-party company, such as DoMyLLC, to serve in the role.
File Articles Of Incorporation & Pay Filing Fees
After choosing a name and registered agent, owners will need to file Articles of Incorporation with the Corporations’ Division of the Secretary of State’s office. It costs $180 to register this form by mail or in-person, and $200 to submit it online. There is also a $50 expedite fee. Information that owners must provide on this form includes:
- UBI number, if any
- The name of the company and reservation number (if reserved)
- Period of duration
- Effective date
- Name, address, and signature of the registered agent
- Name, address, and signature of an incorporator
- Number of authorized shares and whether it is common stock or preferred stock
- Number of authorized shares and whether it is common stock or preferred stock
File Initial Report
Owners will also need to file an Initial Report. The state should mail the form to your registered agent after you’ve submitted the Articles of Incorporation. The Initial Report should be submitted within 120 days of incorporation. There is a $10 application fee and a $20 online filing fee.
Create Corporate Bylaws, Appoint Directors And Hold Meetings
While waiting for the Initial Report, owners can go ahead and hold an initial corporate meeting. Those who filed Articles of Incorporation are responsible for overseeing the initial meeting. Incorporators should appoint individuals to the board of directors at this meeting and record this information in the corporate records. Directors will serve on the board until the next annual meeting of the shareholders, where they will be up for re-election.
Once the board is in place, directors can define corporate roles while electing officers. Directors can also draft corporate bylaws. Bylaws act as an internal operating manual. A Washington Corporation cannot exist or conduct business until the board of directors has adopted bylaws. Bylaws are never made public, although many banks and insurers wish to see them before working with a Corporation.
Issue Stock
While at the initial corporate meeting, the board of directors should also issue stock. The amount of stock that they can release was defined previously in the Articles of Incorporation. The board is the only entity with authority to issue stock, and they are responsible for doing so throughout the life cycle of the Washington Corporation. The board should also maintain a ledger to promote transparency and protect the corporate veil.
Obtain Employer Identification Number
The Washington Corporation will also need to secure an Employer Identification Numbers to file taxes, hire new employees, and open a business bank account.
File Washington Required Annual Reports
Each year, officers must submit an Annual Report. The cost to do so is $60. The report is due by the end of the registration anniversary month. For instance, if a company’s incorporation date is December 19, the Annual Report is due by December 31 each year. Learn more at our Washington Annual Report page.
Ongoing Maintenance
The Washington Corporation will also need to file state and federal taxes and renew all licenses and certificates each year.
How DoMyLLC Can Assist With Streamlining The Process
At DoMyLLC, we care about helping new business owners in Washington achieve their goals. Our services include:
- Name availability check
- Prepare Articles of Incorporation
- File Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of Washington’s office
- Provide sample bylaws, meeting notices and minutes for meetings
- Dedicated account manager
- Unlimited customer support
Contact us today to learn more about how allowing us to handle your administrative needs can help your company.