Key Takeaways
- Washington allows incoming LLC domestication directly (RCW 25.15.436-25.15.446 and RCW 25.15.121(2)(k)) — your LLC keeps its original formation date
- Filing fee: $190 total, covering both the articles of conversion and the new Washington certificate of formation
- No new EIN is needed. Washington's own form title — "Articles of Conversion Upon Domestication" — reflects that this continues the same legal entity; the IRS treats your EIN as unchanged, though you should update your address on file with the IRS (Form 8822-B) once your Washington registered agent address is set.
- No. Conversion upon domestication is self-executing under Washington's statute; your LLC's existence in its old state ends automatically as a matter of that state's own law, with no separate withdrawal filing required by Washington itself.
- Same-day LLC domestication filing available through LLC Attorney, at no markup on state fees
If your LLC is formed in another state but you've relocated (or your business has) and want Washington to be its new legal home, Washington's conversion-upon-domestication process lets you make that move without dissolving the company and starting over.
This guide covers exactly how to move an out-of-state LLC into Washington in 2026 — the $190 Articles of Conversion Upon Domestication filing, the unanimous member-approval default, and what happens to your EIN and formation date.
What Is LLC Domestication?
Domestication (sometimes called continuance or statutory conversion) lets you move your LLC from one state to Washington without dissolving it and starting over. Done correctly, the LLC keeps its original formation date, its EIN, and its contracts — only its home state changes.
Can You Domesticate an LLC Into Washington?
Yes. Washington's LLC Act includes a statutory domestication provision (RCW 25.15.436-25.15.446 and RCW 25.15.121(2)(k)), so an out-of-state LLC can become a Washington LLC directly while retaining its original formation date.
How to Domesticate Your LLC in Washington
- Filing agency: Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division
- Form: Articles of Conversion Upon Domestication, filed as one packet with a Conversion Cover Sheet, plan of conversion, and Certificate of Formation
- Filing fee: $190 total, covering both the articles of conversion and the new Washington certificate of formation
- Processing time: Standard processing time varies; expedited service is available for an additional fee
- Expedited option: An additional $100 expedite fee for faster processing
- Certificate of Good Standing: Required from your current state, dated within 60 days of filing.
- Plan of domestication: A formal plan of domestication must be adopted and filed alongside the conversion paperwork.
- Member approval: Confirmed directly from statute text: RCW 25.15.121(2)(k) requires the affirmative vote, approval, or consent of all members (unanimous) to approve a plan of conversion, cross-referencing RCW 25.15.441(1) — unless your LLC agreement provides a different threshold, per 2022 amendments to RCW 25.15.121.
What Happens to Your EIN, Contracts, and Formation Date?
Domesticating to Washington preserves your LLC's original formation date — the entity continues, it doesn't restart.
No new EIN is needed. Washington's own form title — "Articles of Conversion Upon Domestication" — reflects that this continues the same legal entity; the IRS treats your EIN as unchanged, though you should update your address on file with the IRS (Form 8822-B) once your Washington registered agent address is set.
All existing contracts, bank accounts, licenses, and pending liabilities carry over automatically — Washington's conversion-upon-domestication statute treats the resulting LLC as a continuation of the same entity, not a new one stepping into its shoes.
Do I Need to Close My LLC in My Old State?
No. Conversion upon domestication is self-executing under Washington's statute; your LLC's existence in its old state ends automatically as a matter of that state's own law, with no separate withdrawal filing required by Washington itself.
If your business keeps operating in your old state after moving its legal home to Washington (an office, employees, or regular in-state activity there), you'll likely need to foreign-qualify in that state instead of maintaining it as your domestic entity — check the old state's foreign-qualification requirements once the move is final.
When Do Washington's Taxes and Filings Start?
Washington has no state corporate or personal income tax, but LLCs doing business in Washington are generally subject to the state's Business & Occupation (B&O) tax based on gross receipts — that obligation, along with Washington's annual report filing, begins once the conversion upon domestication is effective. The exact timing of B&O nexus registration for a newly domesticated LLC isn't separately codified, so register promptly once the move is final.
You'll typically owe a final-year return to your old state covering the period before the conversion took effect, prorated to the effective date — confirm the exact filing requirement with that state's tax agency, since this varies based on where your prior state was.
Washington's statute technically calls this a "conversion," not a "domestication" — but Washington's own official form is literally titled "Articles of Conversion Upon Domestication," a useful hybrid phrase that bridges the conversion-vs-domestication terminology split better than almost any other state's paperwork. The 60-day good-standing-certificate age limit applied here is Washington's general convention for foreign-entity filings, applied by strong analogy rather than a conversion-statute-specific quotation — confirm directly with the Secretary of State if in doubt.
How to Move Your LLC to Washington Step by Step
If You Do It Yourself
Step 1 — Confirm your LLC is in good standing in its current state.
Washington will require a Certificate of Good Standing from your current state, so resolve any lapsed filings there first.
Step 2 — Get member approval for the move.
Confirmed directly from statute text: RCW 25.15.121(2)(k) requires the affirmative vote, approval, or consent of all members (unanimous) to approve a plan of conversion, cross-referencing RCW 25.15.441(1) — unless your LLC agreement provides a different threshold, per 2022 amendments to RCW 25.15.121.
Step 3 — File the domestication paperwork.
File with Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division using the Articles of Conversion Upon Domestication, filed as one packet with a Conversion Cover Sheet, plan of conversion, and Certificate of Formation, $190 total, covering both the articles of conversion and the new Washington certificate of formation.
Step 4 — Confirm your EIN and contracts carry over.
No new EIN is needed. Washington's own form title — "Articles of Conversion Upon Domestication" — reflects that this continues the same legal entity; the IRS treats your EIN as unchanged, though you should update your address on file with the IRS (Form 8822-B) once your Washington registered agent address is set. All existing contracts, bank accounts, licenses, and pending liabilities carry over automatically — Washington's conversion-upon-domestication statute treats the resulting LLC as a continuation of the same entity, not a new one stepping into its shoes.
Step 5 — Appoint a registered agent in your new state.
Washington calls this role a "Registered Agent" — required before or as part of the domestication filing.
Step 6 — Handle your old state's final obligations.
No. Conversion upon domestication is self-executing under Washington's statute; your LLC's existence in its old state ends automatically as a matter of that state's own law, with no separate withdrawal filing required by Washington itself. You'll typically owe a final-year return to your old state covering the period before the conversion took effect, prorated to the effective date — confirm the exact filing requirement with that state's tax agency, since this varies based on where your prior state was.
Step 7 — Update your tax and compliance calendar.
Washington has no state corporate or personal income tax, but LLCs doing business in Washington are generally subject to the state's Business & Occupation (B&O) tax based on gross receipts — that obligation, along with Washington's annual report filing, begins once the conversion upon domestication is effective. The exact timing of B&O nexus registration for a newly domesticated LLC isn't separately codified, so register promptly once the move is final.
Step 8 — Watch for Washington-specific domestication traps.
Washington's paperwork blends both terms into one phrase — "Articles of Conversion Upon Domestication" — which is actually a helpful reminder rather than a trap: the statutory mechanism is technically a conversion, but the practical result is exactly what other states call domestication. The real trap is assuming Washington has no B&O tax at all just because it has no income tax — the B&O tax applies to gross receipts and its own registration timing should be handled promptly after the move.
If LLC Attorney Does It for You
- Submit your LLC's current-state details at llcattorney.com — name, formation date, and member information.
- LLC Attorney handles the domestication filing, obtains your Certificate of Good Standing, and serves as your registered agent in Washington once the move is complete.
- Receive confirmation of your completed move, plus access to flat-fee attorney consultations (no retainer) for any old-state wind-down questions.
When Should You Talk to an Attorney About Moving Your LLC to Washington?
Talk to an attorney before converting your LLC to Washington if your operating agreement doesn't clearly override the unanimous-approval default and you have multiple members, if you're unsure how quickly you need to register for Washington's B&O tax after the move, or if your old state has unusual final-tax-return requirements you want confirmed before you file.
What You Actually Get With LLC Attorney's Washington Domestication Service
The part of Washington LLC domestication that trips people up isn't the paperwork — it's the unanimous member-approval default under RCW 25.15.121(2)(k), which catches multi-member LLCs whose operating agreements don't address it. LLC Attorney confirms approval requirements before filing.
- LLC domestication to Washington, starting at $149.
- Certificate of Good Standing retrieval, filing prep, and registered agent service all handled in one order.
- Old-state withdrawal and final-tax-obligation guidance specific to your prior state — not a generic multi-state template.
- Access to professionally trained Business Success Advisors at no charge, plus flat-fee attorney consultations (no retainer) for move-specific questions.
Moving your LLC's legal home to Washington is straightforward once member approval and the conversion packet are both in order — LLC Attorney makes sure nothing gets missed on either front.
Ready to Move Your LLC to Washington?
LLC Attorney handles the domestication filing for LLCs moving to Washington, starting at $149. See our full pricing for all service tiers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Washington's LLC statute (RCW 25.15.436-.446) allows an out-of-state LLC to convert directly into a Washington LLC while retaining its original formation date. Washington's own form calls this "Articles of Conversion Upon Domestication" — a hybrid phrase reflecting both the statutory term (conversion) and the practical effect (domestication).
Yes. Converting to Washington preserves your LLC's original formation date, EIN, and contracts — only the home state changes, since Washington's statute treats it as a continuation of the same entity rather than a new one.
$190 total, covering both the articles of conversion and the new Washington certificate of formation, filed together as one packet. An additional $100 expedite fee is available for faster processing.
No. Your EIN stays the same — conversion upon domestication continues the same legal entity rather than creating a new one. Update your address with the IRS via Form 8822-B once your Washington registered agent is set.
No separate withdrawal filing is required in Washington — the process is self-executing, and your LLC's existence in its old state ends automatically under that state's own law once the Washington filing takes effect.
Washington has no income tax, but its Business & Occupation (B&O) tax on gross receipts, plus its annual report filing, begin once the conversion upon domestication is effective — register for B&O promptly once the move is complete.
Confirmed directly from statute: RCW 25.15.121(2)(k) requires unanimous approval of all members to approve a plan of conversion, unless your LLC agreement specifies a different threshold.
Standard processing time varies; Washington offers expedited processing for an additional $100 if you need the filing turned around faster.
Yes. LLC Attorney handles the domestication filing for LLCs moving to Washington, starting at $149.