Every domestic and foreign business entity registered in Washington files an annual report with the Secretary of State by the last day of the month it was formed or registered. For an LLC the fee is $70, or $95 with the delinquency fee, as of October 2026, and you can file up to 180 days before the due date. Missing it makes the business delinquent and can lead to administrative dissolution.
Washington's annual report keeps your company active and your Unified Business Identifier (UBI) in good standing. The rules come from two places: the statute that says what the report contains, RCW 23.95.255, and the Secretary of State's own pages, which set the due date, the fees and the filing window. Here's how they fit together.
Who files a Washington annual report
The Secretary of State says all domestic and foreign business entities must file an annual report every year to keep their active status and their UBI in good standing. That covers LLCs, corporations and other registered entities, whether they were formed in Washington or registered to do business there.
RCW 23.95.255 also asks for an initial report from a new domestic entity within 120 days of its formation documents taking effect. The initial report is a separate filing from the yearly annual report, and our Washington LLC guide covers it in the first-year steps.
What the annual report states
RCW 23.95.255(2) lists what goes on the report:
- the entity's name and the jurisdiction it was formed in
- the name and street and mailing addresses of its registered agent in Washington
- the street and mailing addresses of its principal office
- for a registered foreign entity, the principal office address in its home state or country
- a brief description of the nature of the entity's business
- the entity's Unified Business Identifier number
- for a nonprofit corporation, its federal employer identification number and other details set by statute
The information has to be current as of the date the report is signed. If the report shows a different registered agent from the one on the Secretary of State's records, that difference counts as a statement of change under RCW 23.95.430. So filing your annual report is also a way to update your agent.
When the Washington annual report is due
The due date is personal to your company. The Secretary of State says it's due by the last day of the month in which the business was originally formed or registered. If you formed your LLC in August, your report is due by the end of August each year.
- You can file up to 180 days before the expiration date.
- Filing early doesn't change your expiration date, which stays tied to your original formation month.
- The Secretary of State sends a courtesy notice by mail and email 60 days before the due date, but you're still responsible for filing if you don't receive it.
- Reports submitted on or before the expiration date are honored.
The statute itself says the Secretary of State will send the reminder not less than 30 or more than 90 days before the expiration of the entity's annual renewal.
Washington annual report fees for LLCs
These are the Secretary of State's fees for limited liability companies, as of October 2026:
| Filing | Fee |
|---|---|
| Annual report | $70 |
| Annual report with delinquency fee | $95 |
| Initial or amended annual report | $10 |
| Reinstatement | $140 plus all missed annual report fees |
| Change of registered agent or office | No fee |
| Resignation of registered agent | No fee |
| Copy of an annual report from the records | $10 |
The Secretary of State also offers expedited service for $100 per business entity, generally processed within three working days, and same-day service for $150 per business entity. Other entity types have their own fee tables on the same page.
An amended report doesn't count
This catches people out. The Secretary of State says an amended annual report doesn't meet the annual report requirement. It's for updating details outside the filing window. If your due date is coming up, file the full annual report, not an amendment, or you'll still be late.
There's a second warning on the same page. If you pick a future effective date when filing online, the report won't show on the public record yet, and the system will let you submit again. Fees for those extra submissions aren't refunded, so check before you pay twice.
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What happens if you miss it
Failing to file on or before the expiration date puts the business in delinquent status and may lead to administrative dissolution. To come back from that, the fee table shows reinstatement at $140 plus every annual report fee you missed. If you also hold a Washington business license, keep your entity details consistent across both records.
Annual report or initial report?
The two are easy to mix up. The initial report is a one-off for a new domestic entity, filed within 120 days of formation. The annual report is the yearly filing tied to your formation month. If you've just formed a company, you may need the initial report first and the annual report about a year later, and the fee table lists them separately.
Once this one is done, the Illinois annual report rules covers what often comes next.
A quick routine
- Look up your formation month on your certificate and put it in your calendar every year.
- File in the 180-day window, ideally a month or two early.
- Check your registered agent, principal office and business description before you submit.
- Pick today's date as the effective date unless you have a reason not to.
- Keep a copy of the filed report with your company records.
A plain-English guide to a different filing is waiting in the DBA rules in Colorado.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Washington annual report due?
By the last day of the month in which your business was originally formed or registered in Washington, every year.
How much is the Washington annual report fee for an LLC?
The Secretary of State lists $70 for an LLC annual report, or $95 with the delinquency fee, as of October 2026.
How early can I file a Washington annual report?
Up to 180 days before the expiration date. Filing early doesn't change your expiration date, which stays tied to your formation month.
Does an amended annual report count in Washington?
No. The Secretary of State says an amended annual report doesn't meet the annual report requirement. It's only for updating information outside the filing window.
What happens if I file a Washington annual report late?
The business becomes delinquent and may be administratively dissolved. Reinstatement for an LLC is $140 plus all missed annual report fees, as of October 2026.
