The 4 Best LLC Services in Washington D.C. 2023

Best Washington D.C. LLC Formation Services

	Best LLC Services
Northwest 4.7/5	HIGHEST CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Best privacy protection Knowledgeable and helpful customer service One year of free registered agent services Visit Site
TailorBrands 4.5/5	BEST PREMIUM, ALL-IN-ONE PACKAGE Branding, website, and business formation all-in-one Highly personalized service Good customer support Visit Site
ZenBusiness 4.2/5	Online dashboard to track important business documents Positive customer reviews Visit Site
Incfile 4.0/5	Convenient online dashboard Learning center with free information Visit Site

The best Washington D.C. LLC formation service allows you to focus more on running and growing your Washington D.C. enterprise. There are several online formation services that will start your business for a fee. We reviewed and ranked the four best Washington D.C. LLC services by actually forming separate Washington D.C. LLCs with each service provider.

Our Approach:

Choosing the best LLC service to help you form your Washington D.C. business comes down to three things:

1. The type of business you have
2. The needs of your company
3. Any additional services you may want for your LLC in Washington D.C.

In this business formation services review, we’ll look at some of the best Washington D.C. LLC services in 2023 and share what makes them the top choice. By the time you finish reading this review, you’ll know which formation company is right for your business’s needs.

Best LLC Services in Washington D.C.:

1. Northwest (Recommended)
2. Tailor Brands
3. ZenBusiness
4. Incfile

1. Northwest

Northwest delivers the essential LLC services for online business formation. Their incorporation service is $29 plus state fees, which includes LLC filing, premium registered agent services, customer privacy protection, an online account to access business documents, and more.

Northwest is known for its top-notch customer service; they provide their clients with Corporate Guides, who are highly trained US-based support agents. Every customer gets a Corporate Guide assigned to their specific account, so you can talk to the same person if you have any questions or concerns.

Northwest Pros

• Positive customer reviews
• User-friendly online ordering process
• No hidden fees or “free trials” that cost money later on
• Professional US-based customer service representatives

Northwest Cons

• You’ll need to pay extra fees for important LLC formation features such as an EIN. Another option is to get an EIN for free on your own.

Northwest Pricing and Features

Northwest offers one formation plan. For only $29 plus state fees, you’ll receive the following business features:

• LLC formation 
• Registered agent service 
• Business address 
• Mail forwarding 
• “Privacy by Default” 
• “Corporate Guide” service

Want to learn more about Northwest? Read our full Northwest Registered Agent review.

2. Tailor Brands

Tailor Brands is an automated platform that helps with business formation, branding, and website building. Its mission is to empower entrepreneurs to easily launch their companies by providing a one-stop shop.

The premium Elite Plan ($199 + state fees) is what really sets Tailor Brands apart. For companies that are committed to establishing an online presence — those that want more than just basic Washington D.C. LLC formation services — the Elite Plan provides an excellent variety of business-building features. These include logo creation, digital business cards, graphic design tools for social media, and more.

Tailor Brands Pros

• In under 10 minutes, you can form an LLC in Washington D.C., build your website, and begin your social media marketing strategy
• Highly personalized service so you can get the right tools for your unique business journey
• Excellent customer support to address any questions or concerns you may have

Tailor Brands Cons

• Not the best choice for budget-conscious businesses that only need basic LLC formation services

Tailor Brands Pricing and Features

Although Tailor Brands offers three plans, we’re going to highlight their all-in-one Elite package. You get a lot for the premium price of the Elite Plan. Designed for entrepreneurs who are ready to make their mark online, it includes a plethora of helpful features and tools. 

Elite Plan Features:

• LLC formation
• Annual compliance
• Expedited processing
• Operating agreement
• Free domain for a year
• Logo maker
• Website builder
• Digital business card
• Social media post maker
• Business cards tool

Want to learn more about Tailor Brands? Read our full Tailor Brands review.

3. ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness LLC formation packages start at only $49 per year (plus the Washington D.C. state fee). ZenBusiness makes things simple so that you can spend more time focusing on growing your business.

ZenBusiness Pros

• Straightforward Washington D.C. LLC formation packages
• Responsive and knowledgeable customer support
• Positive customer feedback from online ZenBusiness reviews
• Superior registered agent services for your LLC in Washington D.C.

ZenBusiness Cons

• ZenBusiness can help you get an EIN, but you will have to pay an additional $99 in the ZenBusiness basic plan.

ZenBusiness Pricing and Features

All three packages offer the following services and more when forming a Washington D.C. LLC.

• Preparing and filing the articles of organization
• Unlimited name availability searches
• Free accounting consultation
• Online dashboard to track important business documents
• Worry Free Compliance Guarantee (Included for the first year): receive annual report filing alerts to help you stay compliant.

If you upgrade to the ZenBusiness Pro package, you’ll find other helpful Washington D.C. LLC formation features, including:

• Operating Agreement: An operating agreement helps define the terms of Washington D.C, LLC formation. In our search, we noticed that few formation companies include an operating agreement template in their basic packages.

ZenBusiness’ Premium package ($299 + Washington D.C. state fee) includes even more add-on features:

• Business domain name, website email address, and domain privacy: Get your business online to reach more customers and boost credibility, and further protect your business’s privacy on the web.
• Rush filing: This feature reduces the formation processing time, which can be helpful for entrepreneurs seeking quicker and more comprehensive services.

4. Incfile

Similar to Northwest and ZenBusiness, Incfile offers an excellent value in its basic pricing plan for Washington D.C. LLC formation services.

Incfile Pros

• Free year of registered agent service with all packages, costing just $119 each year afterward — a lower price than that offered by other popular registered agent services.
• Real-time order tracking and superior customer support
• Accessible online dashboard that helps you track important deadlines and compliance reminders for your LLC in Washington D.C.

Incfile Cons

• Important features, such as an operating agreement and EIN, come with extra fees.

Incfile Pricing and Features

The free Silver package, with the exception of Washington D.C.’s state fee, includes:

• Washington D.C. LLC formation: Get your Washington D.C. business set up to operate independently of your personal finances.
• One year of free registered agent service: Incfile will cover the cost of your Washington D.C. registered agent fees for the first year.
• Lifetime company compliance alerts: Get alerted when it’s time to file your annual report.

Incfile Gold ($149 + Washington D.C. state fee) includes:

• Operating agreement: Incfile will handle your operating agreement for you.
• Banking resolution: Incfile will write your banking resolution authorizing someone to open a bank account and provide a signature for the business.
• EIN registration: Get a nine-digit EIN to open a bank account so that you can hire employees and keep your business and personal transactions separate.

The Platinum package ($249 + Washington D.C. state fee) provides even more, such as:

• A free business website and domain name
• Business contract templates
• Priority expedited filing

Incfile Washington D.C. LLC formation services offer the best deal for small businesses because of its free premium services. Incfile offers vital features in its basic LLC formation package that is great for a low-budget startup.

How to Form an LLC in Washington D.C.

An alternative to hiring a professional LLC formation service is to simply form a Washington D.C. LLC on your own using our free guide. 

You can start an LLC in Washington D.C. in five easy steps:

1. Name Your Washington D.C. LLC

Naming your business is one of the very first steps; in fact, you won’t be able to form your LLC until you actually name it. Be sure to follow the LLC naming rules that are outlined in the Washington D.C. naming requirements. We also recommend using our LLC Name Generator tool to help secure a domain name for your LLC in Washington D.C.

2. Choose a Registered Agent in Washington D.C.

You are required to designate a registered agent for your Washington D.C. LLC. A registered agent is an individual or business entity in charge of receiving legal documents, government correspondence, and more on behalf of your company. Learn more by reading our guide on Washington D.C. registered agents.

3. File the Washington D.C. Articles of Organization

You will need to file the Washington D.C. Articles of Organization, which is the document that officially forms your Washington D.C. LLC. It can be filed online, by mail, or in person, and the filing fee starts at $220. Learn more with our Washington D.C. Articles of Organization guide.

4. Create an Operating Agreement

An operating agreement is a legal document that outlines the ownership structure and operating procedures of your LLC in Washington D.C. You can read more about Washington D.C. LLC operating agreements in our full guide.

5. Get an EIN

EIN stands for Employer Identification Number, and you can think of it as a Social Security number (SSN) for your LLC. You can get one for free through the IRS website. Learn more by checking out our guide on EINs.

Read our full step-by-step guide on how to start an LLC in Washington D.C. or have Northwest form your Washington D.C. LLC.