How to Complete and File a Business Change Form in Washington State

Washington splits business updates between two agencies, and the Washington business change form you need depends on what changed. Tax account details — mailing address, business activity, closing an excise account — go to the Department of Revenue on its Business Information Change Form (or through the My DOR portal). Changes to your entity’s legal structure — the official name, ownership, authorized shares, articles of formation — go to the Secretary of State as a formal amendment, with a filing fee. Sending the wrong change to the wrong agency wastes time and, at the Secretary of State, a fee.

Which Agency Handles Your Change

The Department of Revenue manages tax accounts. Use its Business Information Change Form to update your mailing address, report a change in business activities, or close your excise tax account.1Washington Department of Revenue. Update My Business Information You can also make these updates online through My DOR or by emailing bls@dor.wa.gov; the paper form is one option among several.2Washington Department of Revenue. Update My Business

One catch on address changes: moving your business’s physical location may require a new Business License Application rather than a simple update. Call Business Licensing Service at 360-705-6741 to confirm which path applies to you.

The Secretary of State handles the entity’s legal structure. Changes to the official name, management, registered agent, ownership, or articles of formation are filed through the Corporations and Charities Filing System (CCFS).3Washington Secretary of State. Corporations and Charities Filing System The specific document depends on entity type:

Registered agent changes use a separate form, the Statement of Change/Designation of Registered Agent, and that filing is free.6Washington Secretary of State. Statement of Change/Designation of Registered Agent

Filing the DOR Business Information Change Form

The Department of Revenue form is short. If you use the paper version, download it from the DOR website and have the following ready:7Washington Department of Revenue. Washington Business Change Form

  • Your nine-digit Unified Business Identifier (UBI), which serves as your tax registration number across several state agencies.8Washington Department of Revenue. Business Licensing and Renewals FAQs – Section: What is a Unified Business Identifier (UBI) number?
  • Your current business name, exactly as it appears in state records.
  • The specific change: check the box for an address update, an account closure, or a change in business activities.

Submit by mail, by email to bls@dor.wa.gov, or skip the paper form and make the change through your My DOR account.2Washington Department of Revenue. Update My Business There is no filing fee.

Filing an Amendment with the Secretary of State

Amendments alter your entity’s public formation record, so the paperwork carries more weight than a DOR update. Every amendment needs your UBI, your current legal name as filed, the exact text of the change, the date it was adopted, and confirmation that the change was properly approved. For corporate Articles of Amendment, RCW 23B.10.060 requires the text of each amendment, the adoption date, and a statement of proper approval by the board or shareholders.5Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 23B.10 – Amendment of Articles of Incorporation

Reference the specific article or section being changed — for example, “Article III is amended to read as follows.” Vague descriptions slow review.

If you are changing the entity name, search existing filings in CCFS first to confirm the new name is distinguishable from other active entities.9Washington Department of Revenue. Register Trade Names – Section: Find out if a name is already in use The Secretary of State will reject a name that is too similar to an existing one.

A person authorized by the entity signs. For LLCs that is a member or manager; for corporations, an officer or authorized representative. Include a printed name and a contact email so the office can reach you with questions.

Legal Name vs. Trade Name

Updating a trade name (a “doing business as” or DBA) is not the same as amending the entity’s legal name. A trade name registration lets you operate under a different name without changing your legal identity, and it goes through the DOR’s Business Licensing Service, not the Secretary of State. Changing the actual legal name of the entity requires the full amendment process, including the fee.

Filing Fees

Amendment fees at the Secretary of State depend on entity type:10Washington Secretary of State. Fee Schedule/Expedited Service

Expedited service adds $100 per entity and is generally processed within three working days.10Washington Secretary of State. Fee Schedule/Expedited Service Pay the correct amount. Filings submitted with the wrong fee come back unprocessed.

How to Submit

Online through CCFS is the fastest route for standard processing. Create an account at ccfs.sos.wa.gov, select your entity, choose the amendment filing type, and pay by credit or debit card. Confirmation is immediate once accepted.3Washington Secretary of State. Corporations and Charities Filing System

By mail, print the form, complete it, and send it with a check payable to the Secretary of State to:14Washington Secretary of State. Contact Us

Secretary of State — Corporations & Charities Division
PO Box 40234
Olympia, WA 98504-0234

Paper takes longer because the office has to receive and enter the filing before review. After approval, a stamped copy is mailed back to your registered office address. Keep it with your company records; it is your proof the amendment took effect.

Using the Annual Report for Minor Updates

Your Washington annual report with the Secretary of State can carry certain updates at the same time you file it, including a registered agent address change or a principal office correction.15Washington Secretary of State. Annual Reports It cannot substitute for a formal amendment when you are changing the entity’s name, authorized shares, or articles of formation. Those still require the dedicated amendment form and fee.

Don’t Forget the IRS

State filings do not notify federal agencies. If your mailing address, physical location, or responsible party changed, file IRS Form 8822-B separately. Washington businesses mail it to the IRS in Ogden, UT 84201-0023.16Internal Revenue Service. Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party Changes to the responsible party, meaning the person who controls or manages the entity, must be reported within 60 days.17Internal Revenue Service. About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party – Business

A name change by itself does not require a new Employer Identification Number. You need a new EIN only if the entity’s legal structure changes, such as converting from a sole proprietorship to an LLC. For a straight name change, notify the IRS by writing the new name on your next tax return or by sending a letter to the address where you file.

What Happens If You Don’t File

The Secretary of State can administratively dissolve an entity that fails to file its annual report, maintain a registered agent, or report a change in its registered agent or office.18Washington State Legislature. RCW 24.06.290 – Proceedings for Administrative Dissolution – Reinstatement – Survival of Actions Once dissolution takes effect, owners risk personal liability for obligations the business incurs afterward.

Washington allows reinstatement, but the window closes five years after dissolution. To reinstate, the entity must apply to the Secretary of State, show that the grounds for dissolution no longer exist, and pay every annual fee that would have been due during the dissolution period plus a penalty fee.19Washington State Legislature. RCW 23.95.615 – Reinstatement Miss the five-year window and the entity cannot be reinstated at all; you would have to form a new one.

Keeping records current the first time around is far cheaper than cleaning up a dissolution.