What Is Your Registered Agent

WHAT IS A REGISTERED Agent?

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

Most states require you to accept an LLC registered agent when you form an LLC. The agent can be a professional service, yourself, or a colleague given they meet the country'southward criteria.

Registered amanuensis servicesoffering 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 state from the dropdown below.

What is an LLC Registered Agent?
Tin I Exist My Ain Registered Agent?
Should I Use a Registered Agent Service?
What is the Best Registered Agent Service?
How Do I Change My LLC Registered Agent?
Frequently Asked Questions

Terminal Updated: 2022-03-10

Registered Amanuensis Definition

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

Most states require you lot to designate a registered agent for your LLC, partnership, or corporation when forming your concern. Afterward choosing your business organisation structure, you will be expected to add a registered agent part when y'all file your Articles of System with the Secretarial assistant of State or other official government bureau.

Service of Process Definition

Service of procedure is the action of informing an individual or entity that there'southward 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?

As well receiving official postal service on behalf of your business, the main purpose of a registered agent is to assist your business maintain effective corporate compliance by informing you of legal notices or sending annual report filing reminders. Essentially, a registered agent is a gatekeeper for business organisation entities, so y'all can take advisable action and resolve potential issues in a timely manner.

Whether you run a small business or large corporation, you lot can expect your designated registered amanuensis to receive the following on your LLC's behalf afterwards business germination:

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

Can I be my own Registered Agent?

Yes, you can be your own registered agent for your business (e.grand., Single-Member LLC). Yous could besides cull to designate an officer or member of your business organization, or even a friend you trust, equally long equally the person being elected meets the following registered agent requirements:

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

Another pick would exist to hire a professional registered amanuensis service.

Should I use a Registered Agent Service?

Designating someone else to serve as a registered amanuensis 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 officer—like ZenBusiness or Incfile—such equally:

Compliance with the Police
Peace of Mind
Flexibility
Privacy

Visit our Should I Employ a Registered Amanuensis Service guide for aid with making the correct choice for your business.

What is a Registered Agent Service?

Registered amanuensis services are business entities that accept tax and legal documents on behalf of LLCs and corporations for a fee.

Compliance with the Police

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

Registered agent services volition also go along copies of your corporate documents. In example of theft, natural disaster, or other unexpected losses, you volition accept a backup of all your important business and legal documents.

Peace of Mind

Registered agents give you peace of heed so you can focus your time, energy, and attention on running your small business organisation. Here'south what a professional, third-party registered agent service can practice to ease your stress:

Brand growing your business the number one priority. Important revenue enhancement and legal documents for your LLC will be automatically received and stored for safekeeping.
Help maintain your piece of work-life remainder. Business and personal mail are kept separate, preventing your work from overtaking your dwelling life.
Offer personal guidance. You have additional back up if your business runs into a problem or if whatsoever questions arise.

Flexibility

If you choose to human activity every bit your own registered amanuensis, you will need to exist available to receive official government correspondence and service of procedure notices during standard business hours at the concrete address you provide.

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

With a registered amanuensis service, you lot tin:

Maintain flexible business hours. A registered agent must be bachelor from 8-5 every weekday. Past designating a third-party registered agent service, you can cull your own piece of work hours.
Form an LLC in some other country. Registered agents must have a legal residence in the state where the business is formed. Hiring a national registered agent service volition let you lot form an LLC in any of the l states.
Form an LLC in multiple states. If you set up your business to take a concrete location in multiple states, you volition need to take an appointed registered amanuensis for each state.

Privacy

We all value our privacy. Your registered agent service'due south physical accost volition be listed on the public record— not your personal or company location. This is especially important to consider if your business operates out of your domicile. An LLC registered agent service will maintain your privacy by:

Preventing you from being 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 concrete address public instead of yours. As a effect, yous're less probable to receive unsolicited mail.

What is the Best Registered Agent Service?

Hiring a professional, third-party registered agent service has several advantages, only you lot may be asking yourself,"How do I choose a registered agent?" In addition to having a legitimate office in the country of your LLC, we encourage you to discover and choose a national registered agent service with the following features:

Compliance management: reminders for filing an annual report and other important deadlines for business entities.
Document management: local scanning of all official legal documents so y'all can access them from your online business business relationship.
Availability: a reliable customer service team who can answer whatever questions by phone or online that you lot may have regarding your concern.
Thorough coverage: the ability to provide registered agent services in all 50 states.

All-time Registered Amanuensis Service - ZenBusiness ($99/year)

ZenBusiness provides ane of the best registered agent services you tin get for the cost. They are also upwardly-front virtually offering premium features for your business organization formation like their worry-complimentary guarantee, a service in which they file your company'south annual report and other compliance documentation.

Other companies offering this under different names, typically cached in their online dashboards, and for significantly college fees. With ZenBusiness, in that location are no hidden costs or gimmicks. Plus, they'll include a full yr of professional registered amanuensis services with LLC formation.

ZenBusiness'south online document management organisation and regular compliance alerts make working with them as your tertiary-party registered agent service completely seamless. They'll scan and upload all your essential legal documents and mail service y'all physical copies as needed.

ZenBusiness actually stands apart for its first-class customer service. The representatives are known for being highly knowledgeable about company formation and business maintenance.

All-time Registered Agent Service

Starting at $99 Annually
(for those who already accept started an LLC)

Become Started

LLC Formation + Registered Agent Service for 1yr

$39 + State Fees
(Registered Amanuensis: $119 after 1st twelvemonth)

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Learn About Registered Agents in Your Land

How Do I Modify the Registered Agent for My LLC?

To modify your registered amanuensis, just file the right paperwork with the Secretary of Land; there may be a nominal filing fee depending on the state in which you acquit business.

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

For more information on how to modify the registered amanuensis for your LLC, you can visit our state-specific registered agent guides.

How much does it toll to change my registered agent?

Irresolute the registered agent for your company can price from $0 to $fifty per country depending on the number of states you lot're registered to do business with your LLC.

Registered Amanuensis LLC FAQ

Practise I need a registered agent?

Yes. Every U.South. state requires all corporations, express liability companies (LLCs), and partnerships to have a registered agent. A registered agent may exist called different names in different states, such equally a resident agent, a statutory agent, or an agent for service of procedure.

What does a registered agent do?

Registered agents go along your business concern compliant past maintaining up-to-date paperwork. They also are in charge of accepting official correspondence on behalf of your business organization, such as paperwork from the country and federal government, tax forms, and legal notices.

Learn more about what registered agents practice.

Can the owner of an LLC be the registered agent?

Yes, the registered agent of an LLC can exist its possessor, as long every bit the weather condition of age and residency are met according to state guidelines. Some minor concern owners choose to do this instead of hiring a 3rd political party or appointing someone else to the function.

This position does come up with extra responsibilities and potential inconveniences, even so, so many business owners decide it'south better for them to choose some other person or a professional person service to act every bit their registered amanuensis. Yous should counterbalance the pros and cons of each option and decide which is all-time for you lot and your business concern.

Who can be a registered agent?

Registered amanuensis requirements can vary a bit from state to land, but they generally allow for both individuals and business entities to serve equally a company's registered agent.

Individuals must be at least 18 years erstwhile and business entities must be registered to operate in the state. Both must have a physical role location and be present during regular business organisation hours.

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

How much does a registered agent cost?

The cost of a registered amanuensis varies, but it tin can be anywhere from complimentary (if yous human action as your visitor's registered agent) to a few hundred dollars a year for some tertiary-party services.

Hiring a registered agent service could save yous time and money in the long-run.

Is a registered agent the same as the owner?

No, a registered agent is not considered an owner, its responsibility is to keep certain paperwork upwardly to date and accepts official correspondence on behalf of the visitor. Nonetheless, the private owner of a business may too act every bit the company'south registered agent.

Why practice I need a registered amanuensis?

Most states require you lot to designate a registered agent if you own a business organization. However, fifty-fifty if it isn't required, nosotros strongly recommend appointing a registered amanuensis to accept service of process, gain peace of mind, and maintain your privacy.

Are registered agents liable?

A registered amanuensis could potentially be liable for damages in the upshot they neglect to meet their legal responsibilities as a registered agent, such equally not informing a company it was being sued.

Tin I change my registered agent?

Yep. You can change your registered amanuensis by filing the necessary paperwork with the appropriate country agency. Unlike states have different processes and forms then read our free guides for details about your state.

What is a statutory agent?

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

What is a resident amanuensis?

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

What is a service of process agent?

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

What is a commercial registered amanuensis?

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

What does "service of process" hateful?

Service of process ways receiving legal documents, such as a summons. A summons is an order to appear before a estimate due to a pending lawsuit.

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

Most states require LLC owners to provide their LLC's registered amanuensis'due south proper name and address when forming your LLC. In some states, you volition be asked whether y'all are electing a commercial or noncommercial registered agent. Some states refer to professional person registered agents every bit commercial agents, which requires these agents to be specially listed with their country, 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 where virtual offices, concern addresses, and mailboxes offer everything from temporary concrete office space to an address you tin use for normal postal service of your business.

Are there whatever free registered agent services?

No, in that location are no free registered agent services, nevertheless, there are services that offer upwardly to a free year of registered agent service when you form your business with them.

Y'all can serve equally your ain registered agent for complimentary. Still, this comes with the expectation that you will be bachelor to receive service of process at all normal concern hours.

Can my husband or married woman be my registered agent?

Yes, your husband or wife can be your registered amanuensis, equally long as they authorize to be a registered agent in your state, and are available to receive service of process at all normal business concern hours.