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Washington

Washington Secretary of State Business Search

Written byRegistryWise Editorial TeamFact-checked against the Washington Secretary of State · How we research

The short answer

Washington business records are searched for free in the Secretary of State's Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) by business name or UBI number, and the Advanced Search adds registered agent, governor, status, and date filters. Each record shows the status, expiration date, registered agent, and governors, plus a Filing History of documents you can open without logging in.

On this page
  1. LLC lookup, step by step
  2. What the status means
  3. Agent, filings, owners
  4. Your UBI Number (Unified Business Identifier)
  5. Is the name available?
  6. DBA and UCC search
  7. Fees and deadlines
  8. Questions
  9. Sources

Washington at a glance

Who runs it
Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division
Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS)
Cost to search
Free
Searching and viewing the Filing History are free. A Certificate of Existence is $20 and a copy of a single document is $10.
Account needed
No
Search without signing up
Search by
Business Name, UBI Number
and 4 more

State fees

  • Form an LLC$180Plus a $20 online processing fee.Certificate of Formation (with Initial Report)Official source
  • Annual Report$70By the last day of the month the LLC was formed, every year. You can file up to 180 days before that date.Official source
  • Certificate of Existence$20Express PDF Certificate of Existence (Short Form).Proof the business is currentOfficial source
  • Change registered agentNo feeNo fee to change the registered agent or office.Every LLC must have oneOfficial source

An LLC lookup in Washington is the same search as a business search. The Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS), kept by the Washington Secretary of State, lists LLCs alongside corporations and other registered businesses. You can search by business Name, uBI Number, business Type, business Status, expiration Date and Date of Incorporation/Formation/Registration or registered Agent or Governor name and address. It's free, and you don't need an account.

The Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) search page, with the name box marked 1 and the search button marked 2.
The Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) as we found it on November 8, 2026. We marked where to type (1) and what to click (2). The state may change its layout.
  1. Open CCFS at ccfs.sos.wa.gov and scroll down to "Corporation Search". No login is needed.
  2. Type the business name or UBI number and select "Search". Keep the name singular, since the help page says plurals give inconsistent results.
  3. Select the business name to open its record. The Business Information section shows the status, expiration date, registered agent, and governors.
  4. Select "Filing History" at the bottom of the record, then "View Documents" next to any filing or notice to open it. Printouts aren't certified copies.
  5. To list every business with the same registered agent or governor, or by status or type, use "Advanced Search" and export the results as a CSV file.

Good to know in Washington: The UBI number in CCFS is the same nine-digit number the Department of Revenue uses for your business license and tax account, so one number follows the business across state agencies. CCFS also drops businesses that have been inactive for more than 10 years. For those, search the Washington State Archives Digital Archives instead.

What the search shows you

  • Business name and UBI number
  • Business type and principal office address
  • Registered agent name and address
  • Status (such as Active, Delinquent, Administratively Dissolved)
  • Expiration date, formation date, period of duration, and inactive date
  • Governors (title, type, and name)
  • Filing History with "View Documents" links to filings and notices

What the status words mean

Washington uses its own words for a company's status, and they don't always mean the same thing as in other states. Here's what you'll see on the Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS), in the state's own wording.

StatusWhat it means
ActiveThe business is current on record. The Secretary of State says filing the annual report on time keeps a business in active status.
DelinquentThe business didn't file its annual report. A Washington LLC has 120 days from the notice date to file the past-due report, or it is administratively dissolved.
Administratively DissolvedThe Washington business failed to remain compliant. It can file a reinstatement within 5 years of the dissolution date to return to active status.
InactiveStill legally recognized but not in good standing, usually because required filings such as annual reports weren't submitted. An eligible business can return to active status by filing the missing reports and paying the fees.
Voluntarily DissolvedA Washington business closed its own registration. The action can't be reversed after 120 days from its effective date.
TerminatedA foreign (non-Washington) business failed to remain compliant, for example by missing its annual report for 90 days after notice. It can file for requalification.

For how these compare across states, see what business entity status means.

Finding the registered agent, filing history and owners

Registered Agent

The Registered Agent Information section shows the agent's name, street address, and mailing address. The CCFS home page also links to the current list of Commercial Registered Agents.

Filing history

Filing History lists every filed document and official notice, newest first. "View Documents" opens file-stamped records, notices, and certificates. Certified copies are ordered separately ($10 plus copy fees).

Owners, managers and officers

The record has a Governors section with each governor's title, type, and name. The Department of Revenue's Business Lookup also has an "Owners and officers" search for licensed businesses. If the state record doesn't name anyone, our guide on how to find the owner of an LLC covers where else to look.

Finding a Washington UBI Number (Unified Business Identifier)

Washington gives every business on its register a UBI Number (Unified Business Identifier). It's the quickest way to pin down the right company when names are alike.

What it looks like
Nine digits, shown in groups of three, such as 604 672 874.
Where to find yours
Assigned when the formation filing succeeds and shown on the CCFS record. If the business already registered with another state agency, such as the Department of Revenue, it may already have one.
Search by it
Yes. The Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) accepts it.

It's easy to mix it up with these, which come from other offices:

  • Tax registration number or business license number (Washington Department of Revenue). Not a separate number. The Department of Revenue says the nine-digit UBI is sometimes called a tax registration number, a business registration number, or a business license number.

Your federal EIN is a different number again. See which business number a form is asking for.

Checking whether a business name is available in Washington

  1. Search CCFS by business name. An LLC name must be distinct from any business already registered with the Secretary of State.
  2. The "Look Up" button on the online Certificate of Formation checks availability, but the system doesn't account for pending submissions.
  3. The name must include "Limited Liability Company", "Limited Liability Co.", "L.L.C." or "LLC", and can't use words such as "Bank" or "trust".
  4. Reserve a name for 180 days for $30.

A clear result on the state search isn't a trademark clearance. If the name matters to you, also search the USPTO trademark database and check the domain. More in our business name search guide.

DBA and UCC search in Washington

DBAs and assumed names

What it's called
Trade Name
Where they're filed
Trade names are registered with the Department of Revenue's Business Licensing Service through a Business License Application, not with the Secretary of State. Search them with the Department of Revenue's Business Lookup on the "Trade name" tab.
State fee
$5. $5 per trade name, plus the Business License Application processing fee.
How long it lasts
Stays registered until the owner asks to cancel it. Canceling is free.

Registering a trade name doesn't protect it from use by others.

UCC liens

Lenders file UCC financing statements with the Washington State Department of Licensing, Uniform Commercial Code. The online search is free. Our Washington UCC search guide has the steps and fees.

Washington fees and deadlines

These are the state's own fees, before any service charges. Each row links to the official page we took it from.

Form an LLC

$180
  • Certificate of Formation (with Initial Report).
  • Standard online submissions are typically finalized within five business days.
  • Faster options: $100 online, typically finalized within three business days. Same-day in-person service in Tumwater or Cheney is $150.
File online Fee source

Annual Report

$70
  • Due: By the last day of the month the LLC was formed, every year. You can file up to 180 days before that date.
  • If you're late: A late report costs $95 with the delinquency fee. A Washington LLC that doesn't file within 120 days of the delinquency notice is administratively dissolved, and reinstatement costs $140 plus all missed annual report fees.
  • If you defer the initial report when forming, it's due within 120 days and costs $10. Businesses with an annual report already on record can use the Express Annual Report with no login.
File the report Fee source

Change your registered agent

No fee
  • Every Washington LLC must have one.
  • No fee to change the registered agent or office.
Fee source

Certificate of Existence

$20
  • Proof the company exists and is current, from the Washington Secretary of State.
  • Express PDF Certificate of Existence (Short Form).
Order one Fee source

93,320 new business applications were filed in Washington from January to September 2026, down 18.8% on last year, according to the Census Bureau. See every state.

Starting a business in Washington?

A lot of people search the Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS) to see if a name is taken before they file. If that's you, here's the order to do things in.

  1. 1Check the name is free in WashingtonTakes two minutes, steps on this page
  2. 2File your LLC with the stateCertificate of Formation, $180 state fee
  3. 3Or let a service file it for youCompared on what you pay in year two

Step 3 goes to our comparison page, which has sponsored links. We earn a commission if you buy, and it doesn't change our rankings. How that works.

Frequently asked questions

How do I look up an LLC in Washington?

Search the Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS), the official database kept by the Washington Secretary of State. You can search by business Name, uBI Number, business Type, business Status, expiration Date and Date of Incorporation/Formation/Registration or registered Agent or Governor name and address. It's free, and you don't need an account. Open the matching record to see the LLC's status, registered agent and filing history.

Is the Washington business search free?

Yes. Searching CCFS and opening the Filing History are free and need no login. A Certificate of Existence is $20, and a copy of a single document is $10.

Can I find out who owns a Washington LLC?

The CCFS record lists the LLC's governors by name. For licensed businesses, the Department of Revenue's Business Lookup also has an "Owners and officers" search.

What does "Delinquent" mean on the Washington business search?

The business didn't file its annual report. A Washington LLC has 120 days from the notice date to file the past-due report, or it is administratively dissolved.

When is the Washington annual report due, and what is the late fee?

It's due by the last day of the month the LLC was formed, every year, and costs $70. Filed late, it costs $95 with the delinquency fee.

Sources

We take every fee, deadline and rule on this page from these pages and nowhere else. Rules change, so open the source before you pay anything.

  1. 1.Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS)Checked November 8, 2026
  2. 2.CCFS Advanced Business SearchChecked November 8, 2026
  3. 3.Secretary of State: Online Filing System Tools & Resources (search help)Checked November 8, 2026
  4. 4.Secretary of State: Fee Schedules & Priority ServicesChecked November 8, 2026
  5. 5.Secretary of State: Annual ReportsChecked November 8, 2026
  6. 6.Secretary of State: Return a Business to Active Status (status definitions)Checked November 8, 2026
  7. 7.Secretary of State: Start a Domestic LLC OnlineChecked November 8, 2026
  8. 8.Secretary of State: Certificates & Certified CopiesChecked November 8, 2026
  9. 9.RCW 23.95.310 (name reservation)Checked November 8, 2026
  10. 10.Department of Revenue: Business Licensing and Renewals FAQs (UBI number)Checked November 8, 2026
  11. 11.Department of Revenue: Register Trade NamesChecked November 8, 2026
  12. 12.Department of Revenue: Business LookupChecked November 8, 2026
  13. 13.Department of Licensing: UCC Online Filing and Search FeesChecked November 8, 2026
  14. 14.Department of Licensing: UCC News and Updates (2027 fee change)Checked November 8, 2026

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