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How to Get a Certificate of Good Standing in Washington

Washington calls it the Certificate of Existence and charges $20. Here is how to order it and what must be current first.

At a glance

Document name
Certificate of Existence
State fee
$20
Online ordering
Yes
Typical turnaround
Online: the Express PDF short form is issued immediately at $20, but only while the entity is in Active status. The long form is also $20, is processed by staff rather than issued on demand, and is delivered by email in 1 to 3 business days. Washington sells no expedite on a certificate
Issuing office
Washington SOS ↗

How to order it

  1. Clear any past-due filings first. The Washington SOS will not issue a certificate while you have unpaid tax or an unfiled report. The state-specific requirements are in the points below.
  2. Order it online. Search your LLC in the Washington portal, request the certificate, and download it. Link in the table above.
  3. Pay the $20 fee. Pay by card at checkout. A small card surcharge usually applies.
  4. Use it inside the recipient's window. The certificate has no state expiration, but banks and other states usually want one dated within the last 30 to 90 days. Order it close to when you need it.

Would rather not deal with the agency yourself?

CorpNet orders the certificate for you
$69 service fee, plus the Washington state fee shown above · A filing service, not a registered agent. Ordering it yourself is cheaper and the steps above are the whole process.
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Full ordering details for Washington

Washington issues a Certificate of Existence for a domestic LLC and a CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION for a foreign one, per RCW 25.15.071. Washington does not issue a "certificate of authorization" at all. Both the short and long forms cost $20. The Express PDF short form downloads instantly from the Corporations and Charities Filing System at ccfs.sos.wa.gov, but only while the entity is in Active status. The long form adds the expiration date, is processed by staff rather than issued on demand, and takes 1 to 3 business days by email. A Certificate of Fact on Record is a separate $20 and an apostille is $15.

Processing and expedited tiers: Online: the Express PDF short form is issued immediately at $20, but only while the entity is in Active status. The long form is also $20, is processed by staff rather than issued on demand, and is delivered by email in 1 to 3 business days. Washington sells no expedite on a certificate; its $100 and $150 tiers are per business entity on filings

Important to know about Washington

  • The WA LLC annual report is $70 and is due by the end of the formation anniversary month. It must be current or the LLC loses good standing, and a $25 delinquency fee applies once the date passes. The Initial Report is separate and is due within 120 days: free when filed together with the Certificate of Formation, $10 when filed on its own afterwards. Guides still quoting $60 for the annual report are using the rate that applied before October 1, 2023.
  • Washington certificates are available as an electronic PDF with embedded state seal - no paper/raised-seal option is required for most uses, unlike some other states with raised-seal requirements.
  • For inbound foreign qualifications INTO Washington, the home-state Certificate of Existence must be dated within 60 days of the WA filing. Stricter than the typical 90-day window.

Ordering this to register in another state?

A certificate of good standing from Washington is what the new state asks for when your Washington LLC registers to do business there. Pick the state you are expanding into to see its exact filing, fee, and process.

Find your state-to-state guide · Registering an out-of-state LLC into Washington instead?

Related guides

This page provides general information based on publicly available Washington Secretary of State requirements. It is not legal advice. Names, fees, and procedures can change. Verify with the Washington SOS before ordering.