Washington Business Entity Search

The Washington Secretary of State only answers searches on its own site. Start here and land on the right one.

Washington only answers searches on its own site. Search opens the official Washington search in a new tab and copies your search term, so you can paste it into the business name field there.

Washington at a glance

LLC filing fee $180 Source, checked 2026-10-26
Corporation filing fee $180 Source, checked 2026-10-26
Annual Report $70, annually Source, checked 2026-10-26
Name reservation $30, held 180 days, not renewable Source, checked 2026-10-26
Certificate of Existence/Good Standing $20 Source, checked 2026-10-26

About Washington business records

Every Washington business is identified by its Unified Business Identifier (UBI), and the annual report keeps the UBI in good standing. Formations include an initial report; if it is deferred, it is due within 120 days for a $10 fee.

The public record of every Washington LLC and corporation belongs to the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division, whose search goes by CCFS.

Statuses you may see in Washington

Status	What it means
Active	The entity is registered and current with its filings.
Delinquent	The entity has not filed its annual report and has a limited time to file before dissolution or termination.
Inactive	The entity is still legally recognized but not in good standing, typically because required reports are missing.
Administratively Dissolved	The Secretary of State dissolved the Washington entity for noncompliance; it can reinstate within five years.
Terminated	A foreign entity's Washington registration was ended for noncompliance; it may requalify.
Voluntarily Dissolved	The owners of the Washington entity chose to close it.
Withdrawn	A foreign entity voluntarily closed its Washington registration.

Source, checked 2026-10-26. Words other states use are in the business entity status guide.

Questions

Is this the official Washington business search?

No. Open State Index is an independent website with no connection to any government agency. The official Washington search is CCFS, run by the Washington Secretary of State.

What is CCFS?

CCFS is what many people call the Washington Secretary of State's online business records. The official search linked on this page is part of the same system.

How do I check if a business name is available in Washington?

Search the name in the Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS). Final availability is decided by Secretary of State staff when they process the formation, and the search does not show pending submissions.

Does Washington charge a franchise tax or a similar yearly tax?

Washington levies the B&O tax on every person with substantial nexus in the state for the act or privilege of engaging in business, measured by gross proceeds, gross income or value of products rather than net income.

More about a Washington business

Every fee and rule above links to the official page it came from. How we check our facts · Report an error