Washington · How do I start a business? · state model checked by Claude · quality 1.00
Generated by lexflow from the state statutes (open-us-law, government publisher text) and checked by Claude: every quoted phrase was matched word for word against the statute text, and the process passed the BPMN/DMN schemas, bpmnlint and a Petri-net soundness check. Information, not legal advice.
Governing law: RCW 25.15.071 — RCW 25.15.071: Formation—Certificate of formation.
Decision table (DMN), hit policy FIRST.
| Company name stated (RCW 25.15.071(1)(a); name rules in Article 3 of chapter 23.95 RCW) | Registered agent's name and address stated (RCW 25.15.071(1)(b)) | Principal office address stated (RCW 25.15.071(1)(c)) | Name and address of each person executing it stated (RCW 25.15.071(1)(f)) | Executed by or on behalf of an authorized person (RCW 23.95.200(1)(d)) | Name and capacity of each individual who executed it stated (RCW 23.95.200(1)(e)) | Required fees paid (RCW 23.95.200(2)) | → Secretary of state files the certificate | → Secretary of state refuses to file | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| false | - | - | - | - | - | - | false | true | § 071(1)(a) |
| - | false | - | - | - | - | - | false | true | § 071(1)(b) |
| - | - | false | - | - | - | - | false | true | § 071(1)© |
| - | - | - | false | - | - | - | false | true | § 071(1)(f) |
| - | - | - | - | false | - | - | false | true | § 200(1)(d) |
| - | - | - | - | - | false | - | false | true | § 200(1)(e) |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | false | false | true | § 200(2) |
| true | true | true | true | true | true | true | true | false | § 225(1) |
Decision table (DMN), hit policy UNIQUE.
| Agency has finished its prelicensing investigation, inspection, testing or other review (RCW 19.02.070(3)) | Applicant meets the agency's requirements for the license | → What the agency advises the department | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| false | - | pending | § 070(4)© |
| true | true | approved; the agency advises the applicant of any specific conditions | § 070(4)(a) |
| true | false | denied; the agency gives the applicant reasons for the denial | § 070(4)(b) |
Decision table (DMN), hit policy FIRST.
| Organized for a nonprofit or charitable purpose | Owners render a licensed professional service | Number of owners | Owners want protection from the business's debts | Plans to sell shares to outside investors | Some co-owners will be passive investors only | → Business structure | → What is filed, and where | → State filing fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| true | - | - | - | - | - | Nonprofit corporation (chapter 24.03A RCW); incorporators must be individuals at least eighteen years old | Articles of incorporation, delivered to the secretary of state for filing | Set by secretary of state rule under RCW 23.95.260; no amount is stated in the RCW | § 090 |
| false | true | - | true | - | - | Professional service corporation (Title 23B RCW and chapter 18.100 RCW) or professional limited liability company (RCW 25.15.046); all owners must be licensed or otherwise legally authorized to render the same professional services in Washington, and one or more of them must be the incorporators (RCW 18.100.050(1)); architects, engineers and listed health care professionals have special rules (RCW 18.100.050(2), (3), (5)) | Articles of incorporation (professional service corporation) or certificate of formation (professional LLC), delivered to the secretary of state for filing | Set by secretary of state rule under RCW 23.95.260; no amount is stated in the RCW | § 050(1) |
| false | - | - | true | true | - | Stock corporation (Title 23B RCW) | Articles of incorporation, delivered to the secretary of state for filing | Set by secretary of state rule under RCW 23.95.260; no amount is stated in the RCW | § 010 |
| false | - | >= 2 | true | - | true | Limited partnership (limited partners are not personally liable for its obligations, even if they take part in management, RCW 25.10.321; a general partner is shielded only if the certificate elects limited liability limited partnership status, RCW 25.10.201(1)(d)) | Certificate of limited partnership, delivered to the secretary of state for filing | Set by secretary of state rule under RCW 23.95.260; no amount is stated in the RCW | § 201(1) |
| false | - | - | true | - | - | Limited liability company | Certificate of formation, delivered to the secretary of state for filing | Set by secretary of state rule under RCW 23.95.260; no amount is stated in the RCW | § 071(1) |
| false | - | 1 | false | - | - | Sole proprietorship | No formation filing; a person who does business under a trade name (a name that is not, or does not include, the owner's true and real name, or that suggests other parties, such as 'company' or 'and sons') must register it with the department of revenue | None to form; trade name registration fee set by department of revenue rule, not more than the actual cost of administering chapter 19.80 RCW (RCW 19.80.045) | § 010 |
| false | - | >= 2 | false | - | - | General partnership | No formation filing: two or more co-owners carrying on a business for profit form a partnership. A partnership doing business under a trade name must register it with the department of revenue. Optionally, the partnership may become a limited liability partnership by approving the terms by the vote needed to amend the partnership agreement and delivering an application to the secretary of state for filing (RCW 25.05.500(1)-(2)) | None to form; trade name registration fee set by department of revenue rule, not more than the actual cost of administering chapter 19.80 RCW (RCW 19.80.045); optional LLP application fee set by the secretary of state under RCW 23.95.260 (RCW 25.05.500(3)) | § 055(1) |