How to File a Washington LLC Amendment
To make updates to your Washington LLC’s Certificate of Formation, you’ll need to file an Amended Certificate of Formation form with the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division. You can file your Amended Certificate of Formation in person, by mail or online for a $30 fee. We’ll show you all about the Washington LLC amendment process in this guide.
In this article, we’ll cover:
- Amending Washington LLC Certificates of Formation
- Washington LLC Amended Certificate Information
- Filing a Washington LLC Amended Certificate of Formation
Amending a Washington LLC Certificate of Formation
The Certificate of Formation you file when you create a Washington LLC with the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division registers important information about your company with the state. You need to keep this information updated and accurate in order for your LLC to remain compliant with state laws and ensure your company can always be reached for service of process and other legal notices. You can change your LLC’s information by filing an Amended Certificate of Formation.
What can I change with an Amended Certificate of Formation?
An Amended Certificate of Formation allows you to change the following information about your Washington LLC:
- Whether the business is a standard LLC or a professional LLC
- The LLC’s name
- The LLC’s duration (with your choice of perpetual duration, a duration of a set number of years, or expiring on a specific date)
- Registered agent name, address, contact information, and whether your LLC uses a commercial or non-commercial registered agent
- Principal office street address (and optional mailing address)
- The names of governors (usually members or managers) who have the authority to make decisions for your LLC
You will need to include signed consent from your new registered agent if you replace one using an Amended Certificate of Formation.
Yes, Washington LLCs have the option of restating the provisions of their Certificate of Formation under WA Rev Code § 25.15.081 (2022). Restating your Certificate of Formation allows you to incorporate the original certificate, previous amendments, and any new amendments you would like to include into a single document.
However, the Secretary of State does not provide a form for this purpose, so you’ll need to provide your own draft of the restated certificate and make sure it is in compliance with the LLC statutes in WA Rev Code § 25.15. You may also want to contact the Secretary of State’s office to see if restating the Certificate of Formation is the right choice for your LLC.
No, if an error made it into your LLC’s Certificate of Formation, you shouldn’t file an Amended Certificate of Formation. You’ll want to file a Statement of Correction instead. This form will allow you to fix any errors or typos that need to be corrected on your Certificate of Formation, and can be filed for $30—just like a Certificate of Amendment.
Need help with filing an Amended Certificate of Formation for your Washington LLC? Get a free account with Northwest Registered Agent today and get access to our library of business forms.
Washington LLC Amended Certificate Information
Washington requires you to provide some information about your LLC when you file an Amended Certificate of Formation:
- Washington Unified Business Identifier number: This is the nine-digit registration number assigned to your LLC that allows you to do business in Washington.
- LLC name: Your LLC’s name as currently on file with the Secretary of State when you file the Amended Certificate of Formation form.
- Identification number: The nine-digit number provided for your LLC by Secretary of State’s Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau.
- Effective date: The date the Amended Certificate of Formation takes affect—this can be the date of the filing or up to 90 days later.
- Return address: The address confirmation of your filing will be sent. This is optional—whether you list a return address or not, your registered agent will also receive confirmation at their registered office address.
- Postal mail opt-in: Check a box if you want your registered agent to receive all notifications by mail (the business and registered agent will not receive email notifications if you choose this option).
- Signatures: You’ll need to include the dated signature of an authorized person who can act on the LLC’s behalf, along with their typed or printed name and title.
File a Washington Amended Certificate of Formation
You may file an Amended Certificate of Formation form by mail, in person, or online through the Secretary of State’s Washington Corporations and Charities Filing System.
Mail filings:
Corporations & Charities Division
PO Box 40234
Olympia, WA 98504-0234
In-person filings:
801 Capitol Way South
Olympia, WA 98501
It costs $30 to file a Washington Amended Certificate of Formation. Mailed filings can be paid with a check or money order payable to “Secretary of State.” In-person filings may be paid with check, money order, or credit or debit card. Online fees can be paid with a credit or debit card. You can also choose expedited processing for an additional $50.
Washington LLC filings can take six weeks to process at standard speeds. Expedited document processing time can be completed in as fast as two days if you pay a $50 fee.
