Foreign registration · Form 972

Washington LLC Foreign Registration in Louisiana

To do business in Louisiana, an LLC formed in Washington registers there on Form 972, with $190 in state fees. Louisiana also wants Washington's Certificate of Existence ($20), dated within 90 days. We file it with the Secretary of State, Commercial Division using your Washington records and act as your registered agent there for the first year.

Washington vs Louisiana: the paperwork

	Washington formed here	Louisiana registering here
Document	Washington Certificate of Existence	Form 972, Application of Foreign Limited Liability Company
State fee	$20	$190 at order (filing fee $185 plus charges collected at filing)
How it is handled	Washington: online as an instant Express download, also emailed	Filed with Louisiana
Paid expedite		24-hour $35, 2 to 4 hour $60
Office	Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division	Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division
Official page	ccfs.sos.wa.gov	sos.la.gov
Age rule	Dated when issued	Accepted if dated within 90 days
Yearly filing	Annual Report, $70, every year	Annual Report, $35, every year
Due	Last day of the entity's anniversary month	On or before the anniversary date of registration in Louisiana
Agent	Your Washington registered agent	Our Louisiana registered agent

From Washington to Louisiana, step by step

Order the Washington certificate
The Certificate of Existence ($20) is ordered from Washington separately; it is not part of our Louisiana order. An instant Washington certificate reaches Louisiana only hours old, well inside the limit of 90 days.
We prepare and file Form 972
It lists us as your Louisiana registered agent, next to your Washington name and formation date, with the certificate attached. Washington issues the certificate instantly, so the Louisiana filing can go in the same day. Once Louisiana approves it, the Washington company can do business there.

Louisiana costs for Washington companies

Item	Amount
State fees, paid at order	$190
Certificate of Existence, paid to Washington	$20
Our service, with a year of Louisiana registered agent service	$199
First-year total, Washington certificate included	$409

Louisiana's paid expedite is optional and not in the total.

Your Washington name and Louisiana's rules

We search Louisiana's records for Washington's name on file before anything is filed.

Agents: Louisiana and Washington

Washington and Louisiana both call it a registered agent. Louisiana papers come to us; Washington's agent is unchanged.

Yearly filings: Louisiana and Washington

Each year your LLC files Washington's Annual Report ($70) and Louisiana's Annual Report ($35). With our $149 registered agent renewal, Washington plus Louisiana comes to $254 a year. The new registration does not replace any home-state filing.

LLC or corporation, Washington to Louisiana

A corporation formed in Washington files Form 326 with Louisiana ($160 in state fees). After that come Washington's Annual Report ($70) and Louisiana's Annual Report ($30). See the corporation filing.

Registering a Louisiana company in Washington

An LLC formed in Louisiana that registers with Washington files Washington's registration (no form number) with $200 in state fees, plus the Certificate of Good Standing ($25) dated within 60 days. See that filing.

Questions Washington owners ask about Louisiana

Does my Washington company need to register in Louisiana?

Yes, once a Washington business operates there; Louisiana law lists 10 activities that do not count on their own.

How much does it cost to register a Washington LLC in Louisiana?

$389 at checkout plus $20 to Washington for the Certificate of Existence, $409 in all (checkout is $190 in state fees plus our $199).

Do I need Washington's certificate of good standing?

Yes: Louisiana wants Washington's Certificate of Existence ($20), no more than 90 days old at filing.

What are the yearly costs for Washington and Louisiana?

$254 a year: our $149 registered agent renewal, $70 to Washington and $35 to Louisiana for the yearly reports.

What if I don't register with Louisiana?

A Washington company cannot sue in court there until it registers, and Louisiana can add a civil penalty of up to $1,000.

Does Louisiana require a registered agent?

Yes: the Washington registered agent stays, and ours covers Louisiana for year one.

Can I form a new Louisiana LLC instead?

Yes, but Washington keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files Louisiana's Annual Report ($40), and the original keeps Washington's Annual Report.

What does a Louisiana company file to register in Washington?

It files Washington's registration with $200 in state fees, plus Louisiana's good standing certificate.

Official sources

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