Secretary of State Kim Wyman is reminding businesses to look carefully at their corporation and limited liability company (LLC) filing documents, which are processed through her agency’s Corporations and Charities Division. This is important information that should be reviewed regularly, Wyman said.

Failure to file an annual report could create challenges for corporations and LLCs, like difficulty obtaining or renewing different types of business licenses.  It can also impact the ability to obtain financing or to win contracts, create legal challenges, and may affect state and/or federal tax rates for the business.

In addition to verifying current status, regular review can help identify wrong information that might be recorded for public record, or act as an alert for a business to potential business identity theft – similar to checking a credit report.

Registering with the Office of Secretary of State is very different than obtaining a business license and paying taxes. Our office records the legal structure of a business for public and business use, and for legal purposes.

Wyman encourages corporations and LLCs to review their public information by searching for their business here, or contact the Corporations and Charities Division at (360) 725-0377 or [email protected]. Additional registration and reporting information is available in RCW 23B for corporations and RCW 25.15 for limited liability companies.