FAQ - How to Start a Business | WA Secretary of State

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Corporations & Charities Filing System (CCFS)

Please review the definitions below before selecting the applicable button.

A Domestic Business means your business will be a Washington Business and has filed origination documents with Washington State Office of the Secretary of State.

Steps to Register a "domestic" business

A Foreign Business means your business is governed by the law of a jurisdiction other than the state of Washington, and is registered in a different state, territory or country.

Steps to Register a "foreign" business

Domestic Business Registration Steps

Step one:
Confirm what business entity structure your business will be. This can be a Limited Liability Company, Profit Corporation, Nonprofit Corporation, or several other business entity types. You can review different business entity structures here or review the small business handbook located at business.wa.gov

Step two:
Once you confirm your business entity structure you may submit the origination documents required through the following ways:

Through the online filing system Corporations and Charities Filing System “CCFS”.
- Generally processed within 5 business days upon submission.
Mail in documents, either using a form provided by our office OR the drafted document that have been prepared by you for the business.
- Standard processing: generally, within 10 business days upon receipt.
- Expedited processing: generally, within 3 business days upon receipt.
In-person services by coming to our office. The same day service fee applies and is in addition to the required filing fees.
- You will leave our office with your documents filed and the UBI issued to the business.

Step three:
Once your formation or incorporation has been filed and the UBI has been issued your next step is to complete a Business License Application with the Department of Revenue

Step four:
File a Beneficial Ownership Information Report with the U.S. Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) within 30 days of registering your business.

What is a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report?
Where do I file my BOI report?
BOI FAQs
Questions about the BOI report?
Additional Resources

*Please note, the BOI report is not filed with the Secretary of State

Step five:
Apply for an Employer Identification Number “EIN”. The IRS requires business entities to receive an “EIN”. See the IRS website for additional details on how to apply for an EIN through their online portal at https://www.irs.gov

Foreign Business Registration Steps

Has the business previously been registered with the Office of the Secretary of State?

· Yes: See our Administratively Dissolved/Terminated page here.

· No: Continue to the steps below.

Has the business been issued a UBI through the Department of Revenue?

· Yes: Provide the UBI when submitting the required document to register with our office.

· No: A new UBI will be issued by our office upon completion of the registration. The UBI issued will then be used when the business registers with the Department of Revenue.

Step one:
Obtain a Certificate of Existence/Good Standing from the business entity’s home jurisdiction. This is a document issued from the office that registered your business and will reflect that the business is in good standing. You may review where to receive the document depending on your home jurisdiction here.

Step two:
Once the Certificate of Existence/Good Standing is received the business entity will need to submit a Foreign Registration Statement and select the correct business entity type. There are three separate forms: one for for-profit business entity types, one for nonprofit corporations, and one for banks/credit unions. You can submit the Foreign Registration Statement through the following ways:

Through the online filing system Corporations and Charities Filing System “CCFS”.
Generally processed within 5 business days upon submission.

*Currently online submission can only be completed by for-profit business entity types.

Mail in the Foreign Registration Statement document and the Certificate of Existence/Good Standing.
- Standard processing: generally, within 10 business days upon receipt.
- Expedited processing: generally, within 3 business days upon receipt.
In-person services by coming to our office. The same day service fee applies and is in addition to the required filing fees.
- You will leave our office with your documents filed and the UBI issued to the business.

Step three:
Once your Foreign Registration Statement has been filed and the UBI has been issued your next step is to go to the Department of Revenue and apply for the business license.