Starting a business is exciting – and a lot of work. A key early step is forming a business entity with your state to make it official. Most entrepreneurs create a limited liability company (LLC) because of the many benefits, including personal liability protection.
LLCs come with complex laws that vary from state to state, so forming one takes some doing. As a result, many entrepreneurs hire a professional business formation service to save time, ensure the process is handled correctly, and free themselves up to focus on making money.
But with dozens of LLC formation services, finding the best fit requires serious research. To help you in your quest, this review examines one of the top options, looking at Northwest Registered Agent from all angles to help you decide if it’s the right choice for you and your business.
Northwest Registered Agent stands out from its competitors by offering clear pricing, exceptional customer service, and a strong commitment to safeguarding your privacy.
Visit Northwest Registered Agent
An Overview of Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent, founded in 2006, offers one service package and several a la carte or add-on services. The company used to differentiate itself by offering a one-year payment plan for its business formation service package, but they no longer do so.
They now try to differentiate themselves with “Corporate Guides” – representatives meant to help you select services and walk you through the process.
Service Packages Offered By Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered agent only offers one service package.
| Service | Business Formation Package |
| Price* | $225 |
| Business formation | √ |
| Registered agent service** | One Year |
| Business address | √ |
| Operating agreement | √ |
| Digital mail forwarding | √ |
| Privacy By Default | √ |
| Corporate guides | √ |
*State LLC formation fees are charged in addition to the package fees.
**If you opt out of the one year of registered agent services, you’re still charged the full package price. If you elect to use the registered agent services, they will renew after a year at $125 annually.
Business Formation Package
At $225 plus state fees, Northwest’s package includes business formation, free registered agent services for a year, a business address, an operating agreement, and a few extras.
To clarify, business formation means that the service provider, in this case, Northwest Registered Agent, requests your business information and enters it into the relevant state form, which for LLC creation is usually an articles of organization document.
The provider then files that document with the state, which processes the form and, in most cases, officially approves the new entity within two weeks.
This plan is a reasonably good value, considering that registered agent services are included, and an operating agreement is a critical document.
If you opt out of the registered agent services, you’re still charged the full package price of $225. Thus, if you’re not interested in Northwest’s registered agent services, it’s a good idea to look at competitors’ business formation packages.
Add-On or Stand-Alone Services
| Service | Price |
| Expedited filing | $100 plus state fee |
| S Corp election | $50 |
| Trademark registration | $249 plus USPTO application fee |
| Registered agent services | $125 annually |
| Annual report filing | $100 plus state fee |
| EIN - U.S. citizen | $50 |
| EIN - non-U.S. citizen | $200 |
Northwest Registered Agent Services
Nearly all states require LLCs to appoint a registered agent, which is a person or company authorized to accept all official correspondence on behalf of your business.
With Northwest Registered Agent as your registered agent, they’ll receive all notices and documents sent by the state, notify you of receipt, and make key documents accessible online. This should ensure you never miss a document and can address any issues promptly.
You can be your registered agent, but one of the requirements of being a registered agent is being available at your registered agent’s address during business hours. That means you’ll be unable to go anywhere during the workday, even out to lunch or run a few errands. Hiring a registered agent service such as Northwest Registered Agent will free you up to run your business as you see fit.
At $125, Northwest Registered Agent’s registered agent service will save you some time and at a price that is better than most other services.
State LLC Formation Fees
How Is the Navigation on the Northwest Registered Agent Website?
When you visit the site, you can easily find the information you need from the menu at the top. I selected Start an LLC.
You can sign up for a free account or hire Northwest Registered Agent for the LLC formation. I decided to find out what the free account would offer.
It turned out that it was an opportunity to sell me other services. There was an ad about credit processing services in the corner, and I was taken to a page offering registered agent services.
After filling out several pages of information, I was given my options.
The “free” account, with which I would have to file, comes with a $99 fee. My other option was to hire them for a package price of $324 upfront, which includes the state fee in Ohio. The other services outlined in earlier sections are included in that package price.
I selected the package and was offered several add-ons before being taken to my total. It’s a little confusing because the registered agent services are supposedly “free” with the package, but they represent part of the cost.
So, I decided to go back and learn more about their services. Finding a page with a complete list of services took a few minutes.
Summary of the Overall Site Experience
Overall, it was a positive experience.
Information on the site is relatively easy to find, pricing is fairly transparent, but navigation could be clearer. The actual purchase process was reasonably smooth and took less than 10 minutes.
Customer Service
We tested all the customer service options by asking real questions through chat, email, and phone.
Chat Customer Service
I started a chat and was connected almost immediately. I knew from past experience that Northwest Registered Agent used to offer a one-year payment plan for their business formation package, but I could not find it, so I asked about it.
The answer came immediately, and the agent was polite and friendly.
Email Customer Service
I sent an email to customer support on a Thursday afternoon. I received a response within an hour and a half, which is great compared to my experience with other services. The answer was clear, and they provided additional helpful information.
Phone Customer Service
I called customer service to ask about turnaround times for LLC formation. There was a short menu, I made my selection, and my call was answered immediately. The agent gave me a clear answer, was extremely professional, and wished me a great day.
How Long Does It Take for the LLC to Be Formed?
Turnaround times are in line with state turnaround times, as Northwest Registered Agent will file your documents within 24 hours of your order, which is fantastic.
Typically, standard filing times are within two weeks, but it can be much faster if the state has a quicker processing time. Expedited filing times are generally within three business days.
What About Cancellation?
You can cancel your registered agent services anytime by logging into your account and canceling on the portal. Be sure to change your registered agent with your state. There are no fees to cancel.
What Do Real Customers Think of Northwest Registered Agent?
The best way to learn about Northwest Registered Agent is to see what real customers thought of their experience. To find out, we scoured reviews at the Better Business Bureau and TrustPilot.
Remember that fake reviews are common, so you may want to read them with a suspicious eye.
BBB Reviews
Northwest Registered Agent is not an accredited BBB business, but they have an A+ rating and 4.5/5 stars from 120 customer reviews.
- Outstanding customer support
- Fast LLC formation service
- Prompt issue assistance
Positive reviews revolve around the quality of services and outstanding customer support.
“Maintaining various business registrations in multiple states is not my favorite thing to do, but Northwest Registered Agent makes it easy. They do what they are supposed to do in the background and let me know if there is an issue. And the rest of the time they live up to their mission of not being annoying!”
“Northwest Registered Agents were very fast, efficient and professional in setting up and registering my LLC and I would not hesitate referring them to others and using them for this service again. I knew I would not need them to continue as registered agent so I set an alert to be sure to notify the state prior to the annual filing so I wouldn’t be charged by NRA. They were extremely helpful and polite during this entire process.”
“They helped out with everything from start to end. I highly recommend using their services. Customer ********************** is very helpful with any questions. The staff knew how to answer all my questions and was extremely involved in making sure everything was done promptly and efficiently.”
Negative reviews mention surprise fees and difficulty with problem resolution.
“Terrible experience with Northwest and would not recommend their services. They charge $100 service fee for filling a simple form with state which only cost $9. Their customer *********************** is not friendly at all and they do not reply to emails. Emailed multiple times regarding a cancellation of service no single returns. For services not rendered to customer, they do not refund, in addition, they will cancel your full registered agent service without no single notice or ****** reason. This is the most awful registered agent service i ever had.”
“DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! After 1.5 years of using them without problem, they initiated a $15 charge without warning for every document download. The customer service rep couldn’t explain why the new fee was initiated (she insisted they never changed their pricing policy), but agreed that my business had not been charged to download dozens of documents in prior years.”
You can read customer reviews on the BBB website.
**The Better Business Bureau is a private nonprofit that uses an A+ through F grading system to rate BBB’s degree of confidence that the business operates in good faith and will work to resolve customer issues and complaints filed with the BBB. BBB accreditation means that the business has undergone vetting and been approved and now pays dues to ensure its good standing with the BBB and gain use of the BBB logo in marketing materials. Over the years, several businesses have complained that the BBB gave them a poor letter grade, such as a D or F, largely because they refused to pay the fee to become an accredited member. Thus, these ratings should probably be taken with a grain of salt.
TrustPilot Reviews
Northwest Registered Agent has 3.3/5 stars from 21 customer reviews.
- Outstanding customer support
- Fast LLC formation service
- Prompt issue assistance
Positive reviews discussed superior customer service.
“I was helped by Arnold J Schroering , he was very informative and kept the process simple and patiently walked me through registering my new business venture I look forward to working with him and northwest again in the near future.”
“I had Northwest Registered Agent handle incorporating for me in the state of NY. They did it for me in a fast painless manner and helped me out with any questions I had. I recommend this company, for me it was nothing but a positive experience!”
Negative reviews indicated difficulties with customer service.
“Completely unsatisfactory. Can not recommend at all. Northwest’s customer support (or “Corporate Guides” as they call them) isn’t going to be any help either. Rather than work to understand the issues their services have and improve them, they are quick to cancel your subscribed services and kick you to the curb.”
“I chose Northwest because of all of the positive reviews. So far, I have been double billed, phone calls to the support line just ring and ring, and ANYONE you meet on the Northwest Chat is probably 11 years old and doesn’t know the services.”
You can read customer reviews on the TrustPilot website.
Pros and Cons of Northwest Registered Agent
Pros
- Package offers good value if you need all the services
- Registered agent price is very competitive
- Excellent customer service
- Fast turnaround times
Cons
- Not as many service offerings as competitors
- Some surprise fees mentioned in customer reviews
- Single package offering offers little value if you don’t need registered agent services
About the Company
Northwest Registered Agent, based in Washington state, was founded in 2006 and is a family-owned business. They pride themselves on the Corporate Guides, business experts trained to help you through the business formation process.
Their website states, “Our customer service is a team of good humans focused on how happy our clients are. It should be simple. That’s the world we want to live in, and our business reflects that simple wish. We make the experience of starting and maintaining a business less annoying than our competitors.”
They’ve trademarked the slogan, “We’re just not annoying.”
Alternatives to Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent stands out from competitors with its excellent customer service and fast turnaround times.
IncFile
IncFile offers three service packages that provide a bit more value than Northwest Registered Agents. However, IncFile has slow turnaround times.
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness also offers three service packages that offer much value. They have customer service that is similar to that of Northwest Registered Agent.
MyCorporation
MyCorporation has three service packages, but the Northwest Registered Agent package provides more value. The customer service of MyCorporation is also lacking.
Our Verdict on Northwest Registered Agent
Our experience with Northwest Registered Agent’s customer service was a pleasure, and the website is reasonably easy to navigate.
Their single business formation plan is an excellent value if you need registered agent services, and the services renew at a great rate. Their customer reviews are good, although there are a few claimed issues and surprise fees. Fast business formation turnaround times are a big plus.
Based on our overall experience, particularly with customer service, we confidently recommend Northwest Registered Agent to new business owners.
How We Approached Our Review
We take our reviews seriously, examining these services from the customer perspective to evaluate:
- The ease of using the site
- The quality of the customer service
- The value of the company’s services for the price
- What real customers think
Combining these elements, we create a comprehensive review and critique so that you can make an informed decision.
Northwest Registered Agent FAQs
Why should I use Northwest Registered Agent to form my LLC?
Northwest Registered Agent has business experts, called Corporate Guides, to help you through the business formation process. Their single business formation package comes at a competitive price.
What’s good about Northwest Registered Agent?
Northwest Registered Agent offers outstanding customer service at competitive prices.
Is Northwest Registered Agent expensive?
Northwest Registered Agent’s services all come at very competitive prices. Their registered agent services cost significantly less than some competitors.
What will I get with the Northwest Registered Agent’s business formation package?
Northwest Registered Agent’s business formation package includes registered agent services for one year, an operating agreement template, and a few other extras.
How much are Northwest Registered Agent’s registered agent services?
Northwest Registered Agent charges $125 annually for registered agent services.
What do real customers think of Northwest Registered Agent?
Northwest Registered Agent has primarily positive reviews that highlight their excellent customer service.
How can I cancel my account with Northwest Registered Agent?
You can cancel your registered agent services anytime by logging into your account and canceling on the portal. You’ll need to change your registered agent with your state. There are no fees to cancel.
