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Written by: Coralee Bechteler
Coralee is a business writer with experience in administrative services, education, and software testing.
Edited by: David Lepeska
David has been writing and learning about business, finance and globalization for a quarter-century, starting with a small New York consulting firm in the 1990s.
Published on September 5, 2022
Updated on April 9, 2024
Starting a business brings a set of complex tasks, one of which is forming your business entity. Given the intricate nature of this process, many entrepreneurs opt for professional formation services, and one top contender is Northwest Registered Agent.
This article dives deep into a comprehensive review of Northwest Registered Agent, evaluating its promise to streamline the startup process. By walking in an entrepreneur’s shoes, we’ll provide clear insights into whether this service is the perfect fit for your business needs.
Northwest Registered Agent offers a competitively priced package that includes a year of registered agent service, providing excellent value. Customers commend their outstanding service and the streamlined purchasing process.
Their intuitive, resource-rich website, coupled with transparent pricing and a firm commitment to privacy, makes Northwest an appealing choice. With no hidden fees to worry about, you can focus on building your business securely and efficiently.
Their streamlined pricing is uncommon amongst competitors, so you’ll have more control over what you pay for.
Pricing
Turnaround Time
Help and Support
Customer Satisfaction
Ease of Use
Overall Score: 4.6/5
Northwest Registered Agent streamlines the business formation process with a single comprehensive service package priced at just $39. It provides all the necessary resources to get your LLC, corporation, or nonprofit off the ground.
Prior to establishing your business, it is crucial to verify the availability of your desired business name. Northwest Registered Agent will conduct a business name search to assist you in this regard. In the event that you choose to protect your business name through trademark registration, Northwest Registered Agent can provide assistance with this process for a service fee of $249, in addition to the required USPTO filing fees.
As part of the service, they handle the filing of your articles of organization (also known as a certificate of organization or formation), which is a mandatory requirement for forming an LLC in your state. This can be conducted online or by mail. With Northwest Registered Agent, this filing is conveniently completed online for you, although it’s important to note that LLC approval times may vary by state.
Business formation can be time-consuming and difficult for an entrepreneur, and getting customer support from your state government office is often challenging. With Northwest Registered Agent, you can reach customer support Monday through Friday, 6am to 4:30pm. You can also email or submit a contact form — and they guarantee you’ll receive a reply that same day.
After you’ve received notification that your LLC documents have been submitted, Northwest Registered Agent will provide you with an online account. You’ll be able to access other filing forms in your account and will also find your formation documents once approved.
In most states, when you form an LLC, you need a registered agent. A registered agent is a person or business authorized to accept and respond to legal, tax, and financial documents on behalf of your business.
When you opt for Northwest Registered Agent’s Business Formation Service package, you receive the benefit of their registered agent service at no cost for the first year. This perk adds significant value to the package.
However, following this introductory period, the registered agent service is billed at a reasonable annual rate of $125, providing continuity and professional assistance for your business needs.
Northwest Registered Agent offers free operating agreement templates customized for your state and LLC type. An operating agreement for an LLC is not required in most states, but it is an important legal document that details who owns the business and provides essential information pertaining to member duties.
An LLC operating agreement establishes the financial relationship between business owners (“members”) and the basics of the working relationships between those owners and the managers who oversee daily operations. Only a handful of states require an operating agreement, but having one is highly recommended.
By using one of Northwest Registered Agent’s templates, you can just fill in the blanks rather than having an attorney draw up the agreement. A selection of free templates is a stellar value compared to the attorney fees you would otherwise pay.
An employer identification number (EIN) is a tax-identifying number for your business. It’s required if your LLC has more than one member or has employees. It’s obtained by applying through the IRS.
Northwest Registered Agent will handle the application process for you and send you your EIN as soon as it’s approved. The cost for the service is $50 if you have a social security number. If you’re not a US resident (or don’t have an SSN), EIN service will cost you $200. There’s also an option to purchase EIN, business forms, registration agent service, and incorporation for $275 + state fees.
Northwest Registered Agent also offers an annual report service to assist in maintaining your business’s compliance.
For just $100 (excluding state fees), they provide an instant annual compliance service. This includes the professional preparation and submission of your annual report, ensuring accuracy and adherence to state requirements.
With Northwest Registered Agent’s guarantee of professional handling, you can confidently stay compliant while focusing on your business’s growth.
Choosing an S Corp status for your LLC can offer specific tax advantages. An S Corporation, or S Corp, is a tax classification that enables a corporation or LLC to pass income directly to shareholders or owners, thereby avoiding corporate income tax. This differs from a regular corporation, or C Corp, where both the corporation and the dividends received by shareholders are taxed — often referred to as double taxation.
To be eligible for S Corp status, a corporation or LLC must have 100 or fewer shareholders or members. Shareholders then pay taxes on the pass-through income at their personal income tax rates. It’s important to note that S Corp shareholders must be individuals, certain trusts and estates, or specific types of tax-exempt organizations.
To secure S Corp status for your LLC, you need to file Form 2553.
Northwest Registered Agent will file Form 2553 for you for a fee of $50.
Northwest Registered Agent offers many guides and documents to help you with documents and other business tasks. Free guides include:
Below is a full list of the LLC legal document templates that Northwest Registered Agent offers, free of charge.
In addition to their primary business formation and business maintenance services, Northwest Registered Agent offers a suite of additional support services designed to streamline your day-to-day business operations.
These include Mail Forwarding Services that cost $20 per month and manage your business correspondence, ensuring that vital documents reach you promptly, online or as a physical copy.
Their Virtual Office Service can enhance your professional image by providing a commercial business address and a locale for receiving mail — for only $29 per month.
The Phone Service offered by Northwest Registered Agent is a boon for businesses seeking to maintain efficient and professional communication lines with clients. It’s free for 60 days, then only $9 per month (or you can get it as a part of the Virtual Office package).
Northwest Registered Agent offers a singular, comprehensive package priced at $39 plus state fees.
This package encompasses crucial services like business formation, a year of free registered agent service, provision of a business address, and the drafting of an operating agreement, among other additional features.
Given the importance of registered agent services and an operating agreement in the business setup process, this package offers significant value.
The competitive pricing and inclusion of these key services make Northwest Registered Agent a cost-effective choice for entrepreneurs aiming for a smooth and efficient business establishment.
| Northwest Registered Agent | Business Formation Service |
|---|---|
| Price | $39 + state filing fees |
| Business Formation | √ |
| Registered Agent Service | Included for one year, then $125 per year |
| Business Address | √ |
| Operating Agreement | √ |
| Digital Mail Forwarding | √ |
| Privacy By Default | √ |
| Corporate Guides | √ |
| EIN | $50; $200 for non-US residents or those without an SSN |
| Trademark Service | $249 + USPTO filing fees |
| Annual Report Filings | $100 + state fees |
When you first go to the Northwest Registered Agent site, you’ll see tabs at the top that you can click on to explore free guides, products and pricing, and more about the company.
Six quick links dominate the main page’s visual hierarchy.
To write this review, we clicked on the Hire Us link and proceeded to form a new LLC using Northwest Registered Agent’s service. Below we detail our customer service experiences.
You’re first prompted to select which service you’d like to purchase, and we appreciated that the option we were looking for is right near the top of the list.
Next, you’ll select your business type (LLC), the state you’re filing in, and your preferred payment method.
You can also choose your filing time if the state offers more than one option.
The following steps ask for your business’s information — such as its name, purpose, and management type. These sections do not influence your total order expense.
After you create an account with Northwest Registered Agent and provide your contact information, you can add more services or tools to your order.
View the prices for these options by selecting and deselecting the items and watching your Order Summary box on the right side of the webpage. Some fees will vary depending on the state in which you’re forming your business.
The questions are simple and quick without a lot of confusing text.
We found using Northwest Registered Agent to be an extremely smooth and pain-free process, and we especially like that the website’s order form allows you to jump back and forth between the filing sections quickly.
If you need to take a break, your progress will be saved— even if you don’t return until the next day.
Northwest Registered Agent will process and submit your documents to the correct state department for filing on the same day you purchase their services.
The time allotted for filing and approval of your LLC documents varies from state to state. Remember, some states offer numerous fees if you wish to expedite the filing process. The best way for you to review the turnaround time in different states is right at the beginning of the LLC formation order form.
Overall, the site is straightforward to use, no matter what stage of filing preparation you’re in. If you’re ready to go and just want to complete the process, the Hire Us tab is always displayed at the top of the webpage. If you need more information, the How To and Services tabs can also always be found at the top of any Northwest Registered Agent webpage.
Even if you don’t purchase any services, you do have the option to sign up for a free account with Northwest Registered Agent. However, this isn’t posted on their website as much as their quick links to begin filing are.
By clicking on the shopping cart icon at the top of the page, you’ll find the opportunity to sign up for a free account. But signing up for an account doesn’t seem to give you access to anything you’ll need unless you actually go ahead and form your LLC.
With Northwest Registered Agent, you can cancel business services at any time by accessing the services tab of your online account. You can also request to cancel services using their online chat feature, by phone, or by email. See the contact information below.
Phone: 509-768-2249
Hours: Monday through Friday from 6am – 4:30pm PST
Email: [email protected]
We did note that a few of the reviews of Northwest Registered Agent were about difficulties with cancellation, including this one:
“Nobody at this company responded to my emails requesting cancellation – or any emails I sent – for about 5 years or more. They just kept sending bills, almost as though there was some plan to sue for the money later. The only reply I ever received from this business was when I left a negative review here.”
We tested all three forms of Northwest Registered Agent customer support.
When we tested the customer service response time through the online chat option, we received a personal response within one minute.
However, the online chat option doesn’t seem to be available consistently during Northwest Registered Agent’s posted business hours. We found that sometimes the chat was open, and other times it only displayed their “away” message.
In fact, even as we were writing this section of this article, the online chat feature switched from “away” to “available” and back again multiple times.
The question we asked was about service packages– specifically, we wanted to double-check if there were any other packages besides the Corporate Guide Service.
The customer service agent was very polite and quickly explained that Northwest Registered Agent only offers the Corporate Guide Service; all other services can be purchased a la carte.
Chat Support Rating:
Response time:
Reasonable
We called Northwest Registered Agent to ask a question about that mysterious discount floating around the internet— the markdown to form your LLC for only $39. We encountered just one automated phone menu with three options to listen through. Our call was then almost immediately answered by a friendly and professional customer service representative.
He knew exactly what discount we were referring to and promptly emailed us access to the deal.
Phone Support Rating:
Response time:
Immediate
In an email, we asked Northwest Registered Agent the same question about service packages we asked in the online chat. Within two hours, we received an email back with our question similarly answered. The person who responded was concise and made no sales pitches.
Email Support Rating:
Response time:
Very quick
We wanted to know how Northwest Registered Agent customers feel about the service, so we thoroughly explored customer reviews at the Better Business Bureau and Trust Pilot.
Northwest Registered Agent has an A rating from the BBB with 4.59/5 stars in customer reviews, but Northwest Registered Agent is not accredited with BBB. They have received 33 complaints in the last three years, all of which have a resolved status.
The following aspects are emphasized as positive in BBB customer reviews:
The following aspects are emphasized as negative in BBB customer reviews:
The Trustpilot score for Northwest Registered Agent is 3.4/5 stars from around 55 reviews.
The following aspects are emphasized as positive in Trustpilot customer reviews:
The following aspects are emphasized as negative in Trustpilot customer reviews:
We explored several services similar to Northwest Registered Agent to see how they stack up.
| Northwest Registered Agent | LegalZoom | ZenBusiness | Bizee | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plans and Pricing | One plan, $39 | 3 plans, $0 - $299 | 3 plans, $0 - $349 | 3 plans, $0 - $299 |
| Registered Agent Service | Included for one year, then $125 | Not included, $249/year | Not included, $199 annually | Included for one year, then $119 |
| Processing Time | Varies from the state | Standard state times, expedited | Standard, rush | Standard, expedited |
| Money-Back Guarantee | 90 days | 60 days | 60 days | No |
| Our Rating | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.2 |
| Our Review | Full Review | Full Review | Full Review | |
| Website | Learn More | Learn More | Learn More | Learn More |
Northwest Registered Agent offers more individual service options than many competitors. At the same time, they also only offer one pricing package, while others offer multiple tiers.
LegalZoom is renowned for a wide array of legal services beyond just business formation, making it a one-stop shop for many legal needs.
On the other hand, Northwest Registered Agent offers a singular, competitively-priced package that covers essential business formation services, along with notable customer service and a strong commitment to privacy.
LegalZoom tends to have higher pricing, and more upsells, whereas Northwest has a straightforward, transparent pricing model.
ZenBusiness is often praised for its affordability and tiered packages that cater to varying business needs, whereas Northwest Registered Agent stands out with its singular, comprehensive package, which includes key services at a competitive price.
Furthermore, Northwest is known for its exceptional customer service and commitment to privacy, while ZenBusiness is recognized for its ease of use and additional digital marketing services.
Bizee is often lauded for offering a free basic business formation package, where you only pay state fees.
In contrast, Northwest Registered Agent provides a single, competitively-priced package that includes critical services such as a year of free registered agent services.
Bizee also includes a year of free registered agent service, but their customer service experience varies, while Northwest is well-regarded for its exceptional customer service and commitment to privacy.
Northwest Registered Agent, a family-owned company founded in 1998, has over 900 employees and has helped start or maintain more than three million businesses. Based in Spokane, Washington, they are structured as a limited liability company (LLC) — just like your business!
As an entrepreneurial advisory site, we take our responsibilities seriously. We understand that countless entrepreneurs, and potential entrepreneurs, rely on our judgments and insights, particularly when it comes to creating their business.
As a result, our writers do their utmost to gain a comprehensive understanding of the services offered and the actual customer experience. In this case, we:
Thanks to this full immersion in the actual customer experience, our reviewer and team are able to provide the most complete and insightful review of Northwest Registered Agent’s LLC formation services.
A service like Northwest Registered Agent can make the business formation process easy for you and ensure that it’s done correctly. They provide customer support and additional services to support your business.
Northwest Registered Agent offers business formation services to handle the paperwork and cut through the red tape with your state, so you don’t have to. They also include additional services when you hire Northwest Registered Agent to form your LLC, like a year of registered agent services and a bank resolution.
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