After reading the state licensing website, I think I have to file a Master Business Application (mainly because I wouldn't be operating under my legal name).

Has anyone gone through this in WA State and can anyone shed light in to registration/business licence requirements?

Thanks in advance,
Natalie

Natalie, when we first moved back to the U.S. we were in Washington and I went ahead and used the service at Legal Zoom to process the paperwork I needed. When I did the math and realized how much time and stress it would take me to handle it myself I landed on the side of paying someone to do it for me. At the time we had just moved from abroad and I was pregnant, trying to find a rental house, etc. etc. -there was a lot going on!

Now, we just moved to Portland, OR this past summer and I went ahead and did the paperwork myself this time. That included closing the business in Washington. It was a LOT of work, but well worth the effort and I definitely felt more empowered having done it myself.

With all that said, have you checked the info on the Washington Sec'y of State website? There's plenty of great information there. I will also mention that the few times I had a question about our small business forms or taxes I always found very helpful people at the other end of the line when I called in for help.

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Hi Tess. I hadn't checked out the Secretary of State site, just the Department of Licencing, so thank you for mentioning it.

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Natalie Butler
Little Miss Manage It - Virtual Business Solutions