Can Anyone Be A Registered Agent?

Who Can Be a Registered Agent?

A registered agent is a person or business organization who receives and sends legal documents on your LLC'due south behalf. Anyone can exist a registered agent as long equally the assigned person or entity:

has a physical accost in the state where the business concern is conducted
is physically available during regular business concern hours (8 am- v pm) at the given registered agent accost
is 18 years or older

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Concluding Updated: 2022-05-17

Registered Agent Options

Choosing a registered agent for your business concern tin can seem complicated considering there are several options. Nosotros recommend starting by learning what a registered agent is.

Once y'all have a good agreement of the role of a registered agent, you tin begin to await at all of the different registered agent options available to your concern.

Can I Exist My Own Registered Agent?

Information technology is possible to exist your own registered agent. You could besides cull to elect a member of your LLC, or even a friend you trust, as long as the person meets these requirements:

is 18 years or older
has a concrete address in the state where the business organisation is conducted
is available during normal business hours

Some other option would exist to hire a professional registered amanuensis service. One of the disadvantages is that it is more expensive than acting as your own.

Using a service helps yous avert fees or farther legal trouble caused by missing or misplacing an important document or find. This tin can actually relieve y'all more fourth dimension and money in the long run. For detailed reviews of registered agent services, visit the Top 7 All-time Registered Agent Services commodity by our friends over at Startup Savant.

Should I Utilize A Registered Amanuensis Service?

Having someone else serve as your registered agent has its benefits. Nosotros take covered all of the major advantages of using an affordable, national registered agent service provider.

Compliance With the Police

Registered agent services help businesses stay up-to-date on state requirements by sending regular reminders for filings. Equally a issue, y'all won't have to bargain with legal fees and penalties--or worse, lose your business altogether. If you use a professional service, they can:

Help you find state-specific accountants and legal professionals. Most businesses need accounting or legal assist at some point during their formation.
Keep copies of your corporate documents. In case of theft, natural disaster, or other unexpected losses, you volition have a backup of all your important business organization papers.

Peace of Mind

A registered agent service gives you lot peace of mind then you can focus your time, energy, and attending on running your business. Here's what a professional service can do to ease your stress:

Make growing your business the number one priority. Important LLC documents volition be automatically received and stored for safekeeping.
Help maintain your work-life residue. Business and personal post are kept separate, preventing your work from overtaking your home life.
Offer personal guidance. You have additional support if your business runs into a trouble or if any questions ascend.

Flexibility

If you choose to human activity every bit your own registered agent, you will demand to be bachelor to receive official notices during standard business organisation hours at the address you provide. A registered amanuensis service gives you the flexibility to focus on your business instead of keeping rail of deadlines and beingness available during business concern hours.

With a registered agent service, you can:

Maintain flexible business hours. A registered amanuensis must be bachelor from 8-5 every weekday. By hiring a registered agent service, you can choose your own hours.
Form an LLC in another state. A registered agent must have a legal residence in the state where the business is formed. Hiring a national registered agent service will let you form an LLC in whatsoever of the 50 states.
Class an LLC in multiple states. If you set your concern to accept a physical presence in multiple states, yous volition demand to have an appointed registered agent for each state.

Privacy

We all value our privacy. Your registered agent service'due south address will be listed on the public record— not your personal or office address. This is especially important to consider if your business operates out of your home. A registered agent service will maintain your privacy by:

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

What is the Best Registered Agent Service?

In addition to having an office in the state of your LLC, we encourage you to notice a national registered amanuensis service with the following features:

Compliance management: reminders for filing annual reports and other important deadlines
Certificate direction: local scanning of all official documents so you tin access them from your online account
Availability: a reliable customer service team who can respond any questions you lot may have
Thorough coverage: the ability to provide registered agent services in all l states

ZenBusiness Registered Agent

ZenBusiness provides the nearly comprehensive registered agent services you can get for the price. Not only is their service included with LLC formation, but their fee is only $119 annually afterwards the first year of formation.

The Consummate Registered Agent plan includes ZenBusiness'southward Worry Gratis Compliance Guarantee. This feature includes annual filing report alerts, documents submitted on your behalf, 2 free changes to your filings per twelvemonth, and it covers the costs required to regain good continuing if your company should miss a deadline.

Additionally, ZenBusiness offers a user-friendly, intuitive dashboard for all their services. You can keep rail of important business documents in real time for convenience.

Registered Agent Service

$99 Annual
(for those who already have an LLC)

Get Started

LLC Formation + 1yr Costless Registered Agent Service

$39 + State Fees
(Registered Agent: $119 after 1st year)

Become Started

Northwest Registered Amanuensis

Northwest offers high-quality registered agent services. There are no hidden fees or gimmicks. Plus, they'll include a full twelvemonth of registered agent services for complimentary.

Northwest's online document management system and regular compliance alerts make working with them completely worry-free. They'll scan and upload all your essential legal documents and postal service you physical copies as needed.

Northwest really stands apart for its splendid customer service. The representatives are known for being highly knowledgeable almost concern germination and business organization maintenance.

Registered Amanuensis Service

$125 Annual
(for those who already have an LLC)

Go Started

LLC Formation + 1yr Free Registered Agent Service

$49 + State Fees
(Registered Agent: $125 after 1st year)

Get Started

Incfile Registered Agent

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, Incfile has been helping entrepreneurs since 2004. They have established a reputation for providing high-quality services for a lower cost than competitors such every bit LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer.

If yous form an LLC with Incfile, they offer a free twelvemonth of registered agent services. As part of the service, Incfile will browse all documents to your online account and physically postal service you lot of import legal documents.

Incfile's expanded carte du jour of extra options is especially suited for entrepreneurs who desire additional features similar cyberbanking offers, business contract templates, business website offers, and other physical items such as a corporate seal.

Registered Agent Service

$119 Almanac
(for those who already have an LLC)

Get Started

LLC Formation + 1yr Free Registered Agent Service

$0 + State Fees
(Registered Agent: $119 after 1st year)

Get Started

Oftentimes Asked Questions

What is a Registered Agent?

A registered amanuensis is a person or business who receives and sends legal documents on your LLC's behalf. In some states, a registered agent is called a statutory amanuensis, resident agent, or an agent for service of process.
Most states crave that yous engage a registered amanuensis when you form a limited liability company (LLC). To learn more nigh your state's requirements, visit our state-specific guides.

How much does an LLC registered amanuensis price?

A registered agent service can cost anywhere from $50 to $300, merely hiring a registered amanuensis service will salvage y'all time and money in the long-run.

How much does it price to change my registered agent?

Irresolute your registered amanuensis can cost from $0 to $50 per state depending on the number of states you lot're registered in to practice business with your LLC.

What is a statutory amanuensis?

A statutory agent is another name for a registered agent, a process of service agent, or a resident agent. Although most states use the name registered agent, different states utilize different titles.

What is a resident amanuensis?

A resident amanuensis is some other name for a registered agent, a process of service amanuensis, or a statutory agent. Although nearly states use the proper noun registered agent, unlike states use unlike titles.

What is a service of procedure agent?

A service of process agent is another proper noun for a registered agent, a resident agent, or a statutory agent. Although most states use the proper name registered amanuensis, some states use dissimilar titles.

What does "service of procedure" mean?

Service of process means receiving legal documents, such as a summons. A summons is an club to appear before a estimate due to a awaiting lawsuit.

What is a commercial vs. not-commercial registered agent?

Nearly states require LLC owners to provide their LLC'southward registered amanuensis'south name and accost when forming your LLC. In some states, yous will be asked whether y'all are electing a commercial or non-commercial registered agent. Some states refer to the professional registered agent as commercial agents and private agents every bit non-commercial.