What Are Registered Agent Services

What Is a Registered Agent?

A registered agent is an individual or business entity that accepts taxation and legal documents on behalf of your concern. A registered amanuensis is also known every bit a resident agent or statutory amanuensis .

Near states require you lot to have an LLC registered agent when y'all class an LLC. The agent can be a professional service, yourself, or a colleague given they meet the state's criteria.

Registered agent servicesoffer a number of benefits. To explore your options, check out our Best Registered Agent Services review.

To learn the guidelines in your state, choose your land from the dropdown below.

What is an LLC Registered Agent?
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent?
Should I Use a Registered Agent Service?
What is the All-time Registered Amanuensis Service?
How Exercise I Change My LLC Registered Agent?
Frequently Asked Questions

Last Updated: 2022-04-28

Registered Amanuensis Definition

A registered agent is an private or entity that has been appointed past an LLC or Corporation to receive service of process, government correspondence, and compliance documents on behalf of the business.

Nearly states require you to designate a registered amanuensis for your LLC, partnership, or corporation when forming your business. After choosing your business structure, y'all will be expected to add a registered agent office when you file your Articles of Organization with the Secretarial assistant of State or other official government agency.

Service of Process Definition

Service of procedure is the activity of informing an individual or entity that in that location'south a pending lawsuit against him or her, or in this instance, against one's company. Registered agents take service of process.

What is the Purpose of a Registered Agent?

Besides receiving official mail on behalf of your business concern, the main purpose of a registered agent is to help your business maintain effective corporate compliance by informing yous of legal notices or sending annual report filing reminders. Essentially, a registered agent is a gatekeeper for concern entities, so y'all can take advisable action and resolve potential problems in a timely fashion.

Whether you run a small business or large corporation, you tin expect your designated registered agent to receive the post-obit on your LLC's behalf after business formation:

Tax forms
Legal documents
Official government correspondence (ie. annual study)
Summons (Service of Procedure) - Notice of a lawsuit

Tin I exist my own Registered Agent?

Yes, y'all tin can be your own registered amanuensis for your business (e.thou., Unmarried-Fellow member LLC). You could likewise choose to designate an officeholder or fellow member of your concern, or fifty-fifty a friend you trust, as long equally the person being elected meets the following registered agent requirements:

is 18 years or older
has a physical address in the state where the business is formed
is available (in person) during normal business hours

Some other pick would be to hire a professional registered amanuensis service.

Should I apply a Registered Agent Service?

Designating someone else to serve equally a registered agent for your LLC or corporation has its benefits. In this section, we cover the major advantages of using an affordable, national, third-party registered amanuensis service officeholder—like ZenBusiness or Incfile—such as:

Compliance with the Law
Peace of Mind
Flexibility
Privacy

Visit our Should I Utilise a Registered Agent Service guide for aid with making the right choice for your business.

What is a Registered Agent Service?

Registered agent services are business entities that have taxation and legal documents on behalf of LLCs and corporations for a fee.

Compliance with the Constabulary

Registered agents help businesses stay upwards-to-date on country requirements past sending regular reminders, and sometimes filings things like almanac report filings and other official government notifications.

Registered agent services volition likewise continue copies of your corporate documents. In example of theft, natural disaster, or other unexpected losses, yous will accept a backup of all your important business concern and legal documents.

Peace of Mind

Registered agents give y'all peace of mind so y'all can focus your fourth dimension, energy, and attending on running your small business concern. Here's what a professional person, tertiary-political party registered amanuensis service tin do to ease your stress:

Brand growing your concern the number one priority. Of import tax and legal documents for your LLC will be automatically received and stored for safekeeping.
Help maintain your piece of work-life balance. Business and personal mail are kept separate, preventing your piece of work from overtaking your dwelling life.
Offer personal guidance. You lot have boosted back up if your business runs into a trouble or if any questions arise.

Flexibility

If you choose to act as your own registered agent, you lot will need to be bachelor to receive official government correspondence and service of process notices during standard business organisation hours at the physical accost you provide.

Designated registered agents requite you lot the flexibility to focus on your concern instead of keeping track of deadlines and being available during concern hours.

With a registered agent service, y'all tin can:

Maintain flexible business hours. A registered agent must exist available from eight-5 every weekday. By designating a third-party registered agent service, you can choose your own piece of work hours.
Class an LLC in another state. Registered agents must have legal residence in the state where the business is formed. Hiring a national registered agent service will let you lot form an LLC in any of the 50 states.
Course an LLC in multiple states. If y'all gear up upwardly your business organisation to have a concrete location in multiple states, you will need to have an appointed registered agent for each state.

Privacy

We all value our privacy. Your registered agent service's concrete accost will be listed on the public record— not your personal or company location. This is peculiarly important to consider if your business concern operates out of your home. An LLC registered agent service will maintain your privacy by:

Preventing yous from existence served with a lawsuit in person. You don't want to receive a summons in front of your family, employees, or worse, your customers.
Having their physical address public instead of yours. As a result, you're less likely to receive unsolicited mail service.

What is the Best Registered Agent Service?

Hiring a professional person, 3rd-party registered agent service has several advantages, merely you may be request yourself,"How practice I choose a registered agent?" In addition to having a legitimate office in the state of your LLC, we encourage you to find and choose a national registered amanuensis service with the post-obit features:

Compliance management: reminders for filing an annual written report and other important deadlines for business entities.
Document management: local scanning of all official legal documents then you tin can access them from your online business concern account.
Availability: a reliable customer service team who tin can answer any questions past telephone or online that y'all may accept regarding your business.
Thorough coverage: the ability to provide registered amanuensis services in all 50 states.

Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest is the best registered amanuensis service based on overall quality and transparent pricing. Northwest offers a seamless user feel and best-in-industry customer service and privacy protection.

When you lot cull Northwest as your registered amanuensis service, y'all'll get an online business relationship to access essential documents, mail forwarding, and business accost services.

Northwest's virtual mailbox service will scan your post and frontward it to you electronically. This ways that you can keep rails of your mail no affair where you are in the earth.

LLC Formation + Registered Agent Service for 1yr

(Registered Agent: $125 afterward 1st Year)

Get Started

Acquire About Registered Agents in Your State

How Do I Change the Registered Agent for My LLC?

To modify your registered amanuensis, just file the correct paperwork with the Secretary of Country; there may be a nominal filing fee depending on the state in which y'all conduct business concern.

When changing the registered agent, make sure to submit your new registered agent's signed consent form if applicable. This stride may vary by state.

For more information on how to change the registered amanuensis for your LLC, y'all tin can visit our country-specific registered agent guides.

How much does information technology cost to change my registered agent?

Changing the registered agent for your company can cost from $0 to $l per state depending on the number of states you're registered to practise business organization with your LLC.

Registered Agent LLC FAQ

Practise I need a registered agent?

Yes. Every U.S. state requires all corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and partnerships to accept a registered amanuensis. A registered amanuensis may exist chosen different names in unlike states, such every bit a resident agent, a statutory amanuensis, or an amanuensis for service of procedure.

What does a registered agent practise?

Registered agents keep your business compliant by maintaining up-to-appointment paperwork. They also are in accuse of accepting official correspondence on behalf of your business organization, such equally paperwork from the state and federal government, tax forms, and legal notices.

Learn more virtually what registered agents do.

Can the owner of an LLC be the registered amanuensis?

Yep, the registered agent of an LLC can be its owner, as long as the conditions of age and residency are met according to state guidelines. Some small business owners choose to do this instead of hiring a third party or appointing someone else to the part.

This position does come with extra responsibilities and potential inconveniences, however, so many business owners decide it's amend for them to choose another person or a professional service to act as their registered agent. You should weigh the pros and cons of each choice and decide which is best for you and your business.

Who can be a registered agent?

Registered agent requirements can vary a bit from state to country, but they by and large allow for both individuals and business organization entities to serve as a company'south registered agent.

Individuals must be at least xviii years onetime and business entities must be registered to operate in the land. Both must have a physical office location and exist present during regular business hours.

Although yous can be your own registered agent, we recommend you consider hiring an experienced and reliable registered amanuensis service to handle this portion of your business needs.

How much does a registered agent toll?

The cost of a registered agent varies, but information technology tin can exist anywhere from gratuitous (if you human activity as your company's registered agent) to a few hundred dollars a twelvemonth for some third-party services.

Hiring a registered amanuensis service could save you lot time and coin in the long run.

Is a registered agent the same every bit the owner?

No, a registered agent is not considered an owner, its responsibility is to keep sure paperwork upwardly to engagement and accepts official correspondence on behalf of the company. Nonetheless, the private owner of a business concern may as well deed as the company'southward registered agent.

Why practise I need a registered amanuensis?

Most states require you to designate a registered agent if you lot own a business. Nevertheless, even if it isn't required, we strongly recommend appointing a registered agent to have service of process, proceeds peace of mind, and maintain your privacy.

Are registered agents liable?

A registered agent could potentially be liable for amercement in the event they fail to see their legal responsibilities equally a registered amanuensis, such as not informing a visitor it was existence sued.

Can I alter my registered amanuensis?

Yes. You can alter your registered agent by filing the necessary paperwork with the appropriate state agency. Different states have dissimilar processes and forms so read our complimentary guides for details virtually your state.

What is a statutory agent?

A statutory amanuensis is another name for a registered agent, a service of process agent, or a resident agent.

What is a resident amanuensis?

A resident agent is another name for a registered agent, a service of procedure agent, or a statutory agent.

What is a service of process agent?

A service of procedure agent is some other name for a registered agent, a resident agent, or a statutory agent.

What is a commercial registered agent?

A commercial registered agent is a person or entity that has registered with the state by filing a commercial registered amanuensis list statement with the Secretary of State in accordance with the Model Registered Agent Act (MoRAA) or similar land law.

What does "service of procedure" mean?

Service of procedure ways receiving legal documents, such as a summons. A summons is an order to announced before a judge due to a pending lawsuit.

What is the departure between a commercial registered agent and a noncommercial registered agent?

Most states crave LLC owners to provide their LLC'south registered agent'southward proper name and accost when forming your LLC. In some states, you volition be asked whether yous are electing a commercial or noncommercial registered agent. Some states refer to professional registered agents as commercial agents, which requires these agents to be particularly listed with their state, and private agents as noncommercial.

Are registered agents and virtual offices the same?

No, registered agents and virtual offices are not the same types of service. Registered agent services receive important legal services on behalf of your business concern where virtual offices, business addresses, and mailboxes offering everything from temporary concrete office space to an address you can use for normal mail of your business.

Are there any free registered agent services?

No, in that location are no complimentary registered amanuensis services, still, there are services that offer upwardly to a complimentary twelvemonth of registered agent service when you form your business with them.

You can serve as your own registered agent for free. Nevertheless, this comes with the expectation that you will be available to receive service of process at all normal business hours.

Tin my married man or wife be my registered amanuensis?

Yeah, your husband or married woman can be your registered agent, every bit long equally they authorize to be a registered agent in your country, and are available to receive service of process at all normal business hours.