Northwest Registered Agent Review: Business Startup Services

Northwest Registered Agent has been in business for 25 years, describing itself as "family-owned and operated by employees that give a crap". Their trademarked slogan is "We're Just Not Annoying." They pledge to ensure this by providing prompt and human customer service, never sending "no reply" emails, always including contact details on correspondence, responding swiftly to voicemails and emails, and to never hide behind online portals or systems. They also commit to never selling client information or charging late fees.

One plan advertised as $39

Northwest Registered Agent provides services for businesses including obtaining a registered agent; starting an LLC, nonprofit, or corporation; acquiring a tax ID; assisting with S-Corp tax election; mail forwarding and scanning; and leasing office or virtual office space. Starting a business with Northwest Registered Agent will cost you $39 (plus state fees). It comes with:

• 1 free year of Registered Agent Services ($125 thereafter)
• 90-day trial of Business Identity Services, including 1 free year of domain name registration, a website, a business email address, and a business phone (renews for $9/month)
• Compliance report filing ($100 + state fee due when filed)
• Optional BOI report compliance for $9

EIN costs additional $50

What you'll pay up front is the $39 package fee, the state fee, a $50 tax ID/EIN fee ($200 if you don't have a SSN) and the $9 BOI report compliance, if you choose it. BOI report compliance involves providing information and photo IDs of beneficial owners, who control and benefit from a company. This is a mandatory federal filing for most LLCs and corporations that typically must be done within 30 days of setting up your company. So, that $39 price tag is not really the full picture. You're really looking at $90 to $100 before state fees.

DIY startup option

Northwest lets you open a free account that supplies you with all the forms and tools you need to start an LLC yourself, which is generous of them. But remember, if you DIY your business startup, everything you include in your documents will be accessible to the public forever. This usually includes your name and home address. However, by going with a privacy-focused business startup service like Northwest, you can avoid making your personal information public. Also, it's easy to make costly mistakes if you're filing on your own. These mistakes could lead to your application being turned down or needing expensive changes later on. With their extensive experience in setting up LLCs all over the U.S., Northwest can help you avoid these potential problems.

No turnaround time estimation

Northwest Registered Agent claims to be efficient, but they don't provide an estimated timeline for filing your documents with the state or how long it will take the state to form your company. While the latter information can often be found publicly, it's more convenient to have it provided directly, especially if you're working towards a deadline. That said, plenty of customers say filing with Northwest was fast.

Northwest Registered Agent vigilantly protects your data

At Northwest Registered Agent, your safety is paramount. They have a Privacy By Default policy of minimizing your personal information on public documents; for instance, they use their business address instead of your home address on filings. Using their service means your private data is protected too. If you file documents with state agencies yourself, they could store your private information, but when Northwest files on your behalf, the state sees Northwest's bank information and IP address, not yours, shielding your sensitive data from potential breaches. They never sell your data, meaning you won't have to worry about opting out of data sales. They also protect your data from loss or theft with robust security measures, such as passwords, encryption, and cyber attack monitoring. Inside their premises, only employees who need access to data can access it, and they conduct background checks on all hires. They limit their use of third-party services, which means less of your information is shared. They also test for and track security vulnerabilities regularly. And, they only request sensitive information, like your social security number, when it's necessary for a specific service.

Portal may have some issues

A few customers have reported issues with the Northwest Registered Agent portal, describing it as slow, glitchy, and buggy. Problems include constant buffering, incorrect information about the customer's progress, and missing documents. Customer support responded to these complaints with an offer to put the customers in touch with their IT department, but we hope they're also taking steps to diagnose and fix these issues, since they appear to have been happening for some time now.

Northwest Registered Agent is not run by "freaking idiots"

Even though most of the business formation services in our review rate pretty well, Northwest Registered Agent has an interesting characterization of its competition on its "About" page: "It's not that we're some over-the-top super current inclusive, hipster, empathetic social mission-driven BS 'benefit corp' company looking to democratize something (whatever that means), visionaries, or even nice people. It's just that we're not complete freaking idiots or liars about our true motives." Despite this out-of-place, aggressive rant about not being nice people, Northwest Registered Agent claims its customer service is "legendary." Is it?

Corporate Guides are business owners too

Northwest Registered Agent calls their customer service agents "Corporate Guides". These individuals have extensive knowledge about what it takes to maintain a compliant business. They are experienced business experts with relevant backgrounds (accountants, paralegals, lawyers, entrepreneurs) and insider knowledge of the business world and US jurisdictions. They'll provide you with personalized advice on the most efficient and easiest ways to get things done. You can read some of their bios on Northwest's website. Fortunately, it seems like the people you'll be talking to on the phone are not responsible for the wording of Northwest's manifesto, as customers say they are helpful and kind.

Availability is inconsistent

Northwest Registered Agent's customer service hours are between 6AM and 4PM PST, Monday-Friday. According to reviews, sometimes you can get a hold of a Corporate Guide on the first ring. On the other hand, there are customers who left 1-star ratings of Northwest Registered Agent because they called three or more times and never got through. Some also sent emails and did not receive timely responses. In response to these complaints, the company communicated their regret about this failure to deliver the customer service they stake their reputation on.

90-day refund policy

Northwest Registered Agent's services come with a 90-day refund policy, which is longer than average for business startup services. As is standard, that does not include state filing fees.

Best for privacy

We like Northwest Registered Agent. What stands out most about this service is how far they go to protect your data. While some of the language about who they are comes off a bit defensive or even paranoid, their vigilance could work for your benefit when it comes to security. If they improve issues with user experience and customer service availability, we'd be open to giving them a higher rating in a future review. As it stands now, though, they have earned a respectable rating.

Learn More  ➜

On the Northwest Registered Agent website