Washington compliance task management for busy founders

I ran targeted web searches and scraped authoritative Washington State resources (Secretary of State, a comprehensive Washington small business legal checklist PDF, and practitioner guidance) to compile a state-specific compliance task list, deadlines, required registrations, penalties, recent law changes (through Jan 2026), and practical task-management recommendations for busy founders (LLCs and small-business owners) in Washington.

Below is a consolidated, actionable summary you can use to create blog and newsletter content: Key steps I took - Performed focused searches for Washington LLC compliance (2024–Jan 2026) covering Secretary of State, Department of Revenue, L&I, ESD, and recent guidance documents. - Extracted and compressed authoritative excerpts into an actionable checklist of filings, registrations, employer obligations, deadlines, penalties, and recommended task-management practices and tools.

State-specific compliance summary for Washington (actionable checklist and deadlines)

I ran targeted web searches and scraped authoritative Washington State resources (Secretary of State, a comprehensive Washington small business legal checklist PDF, and practitioner guidance) to compile a state-specific compliance task list, deadlines, required registrations, penalties, recent law changes (through Jan 2026), and practical task-management recommendations for busy founders (LLCs and small-business owners) in Washington.

Below is a consolidated, actionable summary you can use to create blog and newsletter content: Key steps I took - Performed focused searches for Washington LLC compliance (2024–Jan 2026) covering Secretary of State, Department of Revenue, L&I, ESD, and recent guidance documents.

• Extracted and compressed authoritative excerpts into an actionable checklist of filings, registrations, employer obligations, deadlines, penalties, and recommended task-management practices and tools. State-specific compliance summary for Washington (actionable checklist and deadlines)

Forming and maintaining the entity - Certificate of Formation / Articles of Organization

file with WA Secretary of State to form your LLC and list a registered agent. (SOS filings and fees noted on the SOS resource page.) - Annual Report: File every year with the Washington Secretary of State. ‘‘Annual Report is due every year at the end of the month when your business was originally legally created.’’ (mark this date on your calendar and automate reminders). - Registered Agent: Maintain a registered agent on file (name/address is public). Update via Annual Report or Statement of Change. - Corporate records: keep Certificate of Formation, Operating Agreement, member lists, annual reports, tax returns, minutes, and material records on-site as required by RCW.

State business IDs and licenses - UBI (Unified Business Identifier)

obtained when filing with SOS or when registering for a state business license. - State business license / Department of Revenue registration: Every business must obtain a WA state business license with DOR (register to receive a UBI and DOR tax accounts). - Local licenses/permits: check city/county requirements (e.g., Seattle business license). Specialty permits (health, food, contractor registrations) may be required.

Taxes and reporting (DOR and federal) - B&O Tax (Washington Department of Revenue)

Washington imposes a Business & Occupation gross-receipts tax (B&O). Register with DOR and determine return frequency (monthly/quarterly/annual) based on revenue and tax liability. - State property, sales, and other tax obligations: determine applicability; keep tax records (DOR recommends keeping B&O records for 5 years). - Federal filing reminders: EIN, payroll tax filings, and IRS forms (W-2s, 1099s) as applicable. 4. Employer obligations (payroll, benefits, reporting) - Employment Security Department (ESD): register for unemployment insurance and employer accounts (Paid Family & Medical Leave registration). - Department of Labor & Industries (L&I): workers’ compensation account and contractor registration when applicable; employer safety and leave compliance. - Paid Sick & Safe Leave: state minimum accrual (1 hour per 40 hours worked) with required accrual notices; check local (city) rules for more generous requirements. - WA Cares Fund: state long-term services insurance program (payroll deductions administered starting 2026 for most workers unless exempted). Employers must be aware of employee exemptions and withholding rules. - New hire reporting: report new hires to DSHS (child support new-hire reporting). 5. Federal Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting (Corporate Transparency Act) - CTA/BOI: Federal requirement to file Beneficial Ownership Information with FinCEN. For entities formed/registered before 1/1/2024, deadline extended to 1/1/2025; newly formed entities after 1/1/2024 must file within 90 days of registration becoming effective; updates required within 30 days of changes. 6. Records, insurance, and governance - Maintain required records at principal office (operating agreement recommended though not mandatory); retain tax returns and business records (recommend 3–7 years depending on record type). - Insurance: consider general liability and industry-specific coverages; required coverages for some trades. 7. Penalties and consequences - Missing Annual Report or other required filings can lead to administrative dissolution or forfeiture of good standing and penalties. Nonpayment of payroll taxes and B&O can trigger fines, interest, and enforcement. Practical task-management guidance for busy founders (how to avoid missing items) - Create a master compliance calendar: include SOS annual report due date (month of formation), DOR filing/payment deadlines (B&O return frequency), payroll tax deposit schedule, L&I and ESD quarterly/annual filings, BOI initial/updates, and local license renewals. - Set multi-tier reminders: 90/60/30/7/1 day reminders for each deadline; include responsible owner and required documents. - Automate where possible: use payroll services (for withholding, PFML, WA Cares, ESD/L&I reporting), accounting software to track gross receipts and tax liabilities, and calendar automation for SOS/DOR deadlines. - Standardize checklists and templates: onboarding checklist (EIN, state registration, UBI, DOR accounts), monthly close checklist (revenue tracking for B&O), quarterly payroll review, and an annual compliance review (SOS annual report, insurance, operating agreement updates). - Outsource and budget for services: consider a registered-agent service, a payroll provider (that handles WA deductions), and a bookkeeping/tax advisor for state-specific taxes. Recommended categories of digital tools (examples to evaluate) - Calendar & reminders: Google Calendar + shared task reminders or task managers with recurring reminders. - Payroll & HR: payroll services that support WA-specific withholding and WA Cares/PFML (many national payroll providers offer WA compliance features). - Accounting: QuickBooks, Xero, or comparable accounting software to track gross receipts (for B&O basis) and generate reports for DOR filings. - Registered agent & compliance monitoring: consider services that file annual reports and maintain registered-agent privacy. Major recent/near-term changes to note (through Jan 2026) - Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act—one-time federal filings with FinCEN and update rules (effective dates through 2024–2025). - WA Cares Fund (long-term care payroll deductions): implementation starting in 2026 with employer responsibilities around exemptions and payroll withholding. Primary authoritative sources used (links and supporting excerpts below). These pages support the items above, and should be cited in blog/newsletter content and used to link to primary guidance for readers.