01RCW 25.15.071
Certificate of formation
An LLC is formed by filing a certificate of formation with the Secretary of State, naming the company, its registered agent, and its principal office.
Free case reviewTell us what is happening at your property
120 daysTo file the initial report after a Washington LLC is formed
Every yearAnnual report due by the end of the LLC’s anniversary month
60 daysTo cure after a notice of administrative dissolution
Built for propertySet up for how landlords and investors actually own real estate
01 / Our Focus
An LLC only protects you if it is set up and run like one
Most owners form an LLC to separate business risk from personal assets. That separation depends on details: the property has to be titled in the company’s name, the leases and accounts have to be the company’s, and the company has to stay in good standing with the state. A filed certificate with nothing behind it does very little.
We start with how you own and plan to grow. One property or several, one owner or partners, family members, lenders, and an eventual sale or transfer all shape the structure. Then we form the company, write the operating agreement, move property in with a new deed and updated leases, and calendar the filings that keep it active.
“The operating agreement is where most partner disputes are won or lost.”
Who decides, who pays when money is needed, and how an owner leaves are written down before anyone needs them.
02 / The law
The Washington rules for forming and keeping an LLC
Four rules decide how an LLC is created, what governs it, and what keeps it from being dissolved by the state.
02RCW 25.15.018
The LLC agreement governs
The operating agreement sets the owners’ rights, management, and money, and is not filed with the state. Without one, default rules in the statute fill the gaps.
03RCW 23.95.255
Initial and annual reports
A new LLC files an initial report within 120 days of formation, then an annual report by the end of its anniversary month every year.
04RCW 23.95.605 to .615
Administrative dissolution
A company that misses its annual report can be dissolved by the state after notice and a 60-day cure period. Reinstatement is possible within five years, with back fees and penalties.
03 / The process
How we set up your company
Most formations are filed within days. Moving property into the company runs on the deed, lender, and tenant steps.
- 01Week 1
Structure call
Owners, properties, financing, and long-term plans, so the company fits how you actually own and operate.
- 02Week 1
File and register
Certificate of formation, registered agent, and state business registration, with the initial report calendared.
- 03Weeks 1 to 2
Operating agreement
Management, capital contributions, distributions, transfers, and buy-sell terms written for your owners.
- 04After formation
Move property and stay current
Deed into the company, leases and deposits updated for tenants, and annual report reminders set every year.
04 / Fees
What it costs
Flat feeSingle-owner LLC formation with a standard operating agreement. State filing fees are separate.
PackageRental property LLC: formation, operating agreement, deed into the company, and tenant notices.
HourlyMulti-owner agreements, buy-sell terms, partner disputes, and restructuring, with a written budget.
05 / Coverage
Where we practice
TacomaOffice on North I Street
Pierce CountyPuyallup, Lakewood, University Place, Gig Harbor
Eastside King CountyBellevue, Issaquah, Sammamish
Snohomish CountyLandlords and small businesses
Kitsap CountyLandlords and small businesses
The disclosure, lien, deposit, and deed statutes apply statewide. Local zoning and critical area codes differ, and we check the code for the city or county where the property sits.
Often, but not always.
An LLC can separate rental risk from personal assets, but it only works if the property, leases, and accounts are in the company’s name. Financing, insurance, and how many properties you own all affect the answer.
Before you sign the next lease or close the next deal
Set up the company once. Set it up right.
Tell us what you own, who you own it with, and where you want to be in five years. We will recommend a structure, form the company, and write the agreement that holds it together.
Bring to your consultation
01A list of properties or business assets
02Names of any co-owners
03Current loan and insurance details