Who Is A Registered Agent For An Llc

What Is a Registered Agent?

A registered agent is an individual or concern entity that accepts revenue enhancement and legal documents on behalf of your concern. A registered agent is too known as a resident agent or statutory agent .

Nearly states require you to have an LLC registered amanuensis when you form an LLC. The agent can be a professional service, yourself, or a colleague given they run across the state's criteria.

Registered amanuensis servicesoffering a number of benefits. To explore your options, cheque out our Best Registered Agent Services review.

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

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

Last Updated: 2022-04-28

Registered Agent Definition

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

Almost states crave you to designate a registered agent for your LLC, partnership, or corporation when forming your business. After choosing your concern structure, you will be expected to add a registered agent office when you file your Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State or other official government bureau.

Service of Procedure Definition

Service of process is the action of informing an individual or entity that there'south a pending lawsuit confronting him or her, or in this case, against one's company. Registered agents accept service of process.

What is the Purpose of a Registered Amanuensis?

Also receiving official mail on behalf of your business, the main purpose of a registered amanuensis is to help your business maintain constructive corporate compliance past informing you of legal notices or sending almanac written report filing reminders. Essentially, a registered agent is a gatekeeper for business entities, so you can take advisable action and resolve potential issues in a timely manner.

Whether you run a small-scale business organization or large corporation, yous can expect your designated registered agent to receive the following on your LLC'due south behalf after business organization formation:

Revenue enhancement forms
Legal documents
Official government correspondence (ie. annual written report)
Summons (Service of Process) - Discover of a lawsuit

Tin can I be my own Registered Agent?

Yep, you lot can be your own registered agent for your concern (e.1000., Single-Member LLC). Yous could as well choose to designate an officer or fellow member of your business, or fifty-fifty a friend you trust, as long as the person existence elected meets the following registered agent requirements:

is eighteen years or older
has a physical accost in the state where the business is formed
is bachelor (in person) during normal business hours

Another option would exist to hire a professional registered agent service.

Should I employ a Registered Agent Service?

Designating someone else to serve every bit 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 officer—like ZenBusiness or Incfile—such as:

Compliance with the Police
Peace of Heed
Flexibility
Privacy

Visit our Should I Use a Registered Agent Service guide for assistance with making the right option for your business.

What is a Registered Agent Service?

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

Compliance with the Law

Registered agents aid businesses stay upward-to-date on state requirements by sending regular reminders, and sometimes filings things like annual report filings and other official government notifications.

Registered amanuensis services will also keep copies of your corporate documents. In instance of theft, natural disaster, or other unexpected losses, yous will have a fill-in of all your of import business concern and legal documents.

Peace of Mind

Registered agents give you lot peace of mind so y'all tin focus your time, energy, and attending on running your small business organisation. Hither'southward what a professional, 3rd-political party registered agent service can practice to ease your stress:

Make growing your business the number ane priority. Important tax and legal documents for your LLC will exist automatically received and stored for safekeeping.
Help maintain your work-life residual. Business and personal mail are kept separate, preventing your piece of work from overtaking your home life.
Offer personal guidance. Yous take additional back up if your business runs into a problem or if any questions arise.

Flexibility

If y'all choose to act as your own registered agent, yous will need to be available to receive official government correspondence and service of procedure notices during standard business hours at the physical address you provide.

Designated registered agents give y'all the flexibility to focus on your business organisation instead of keeping track of deadlines and being bachelor during business hours.

With a registered agent service, you can:

Maintain flexible concern hours. A registered agent must be available from eight-5 every weekday. Past designating a third-party registered agent service, you can cull your own work hours.
Course an LLC in another state. Registered agents must accept legal residence in the state where the business is formed. Hiring a national registered agent service will allow y'all form an LLC in any of the l states.
Form an LLC in multiple states. If you prepare up your business to accept a concrete location in multiple states, you volition demand to accept an appointed registered amanuensis for each state.

Privacy

We all value our privacy. Your registered agent service'south physical accost will be listed on the public record— non your personal or company location. This is peculiarly important to consider if your business organisation operates out of your home. An LLC registered agent service volition maintain your privacy by:

Preventing you from being served with a lawsuit in person. You lot don't want to receive a summons in front of your family unit, employees, or worse, your customers.
Having their physical address public instead of yours. Every bit a outcome, you lot're less likely to receive unsolicited mail.

What is the Best Registered Agent Service?

Hiring a professional person, 3rd-party registered agent service has several advantages, but you may be asking yourself,"How do I cull a registered agent?" In add-on to having a legitimate office in the state of your LLC, nosotros encourage yous to find and cull a national registered agent service with the following features:

Compliance direction: reminders for filing an almanac written report and other of import deadlines for business organization entities.
Document direction: local scanning of all official legal documents so you tin access them from your online business account.
Availability: a reliable customer service team who tin answer any questions by phone or online that you may have regarding your business.
Thorough coverage: the ability to provide registered amanuensis services in all l states.

Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest is the best registered agent service based on overall quality and transparent pricing. Northwest offers a seamless user experience and all-time-in-manufacture customer service and privacy protection.

When you choose Northwest as your registered amanuensis service, y'all'll get an online account to access essential documents, postal service forwarding, and business address services.

Northwest's virtual mailbox service will scan your mail service and forward information technology to you electronically. This means that you can keep rail of your mail no matter where you are in the world.

LLC Germination + Registered Amanuensis Service for 1yr

(Registered Amanuensis: $125 after 1st Year)

Get Started

Learn About Registered Agents in Your State

How Do I Modify the Registered Agent for My LLC?

To change your registered agent, only file the right paperwork with the Secretary of Country; there may exist a nominal filing fee depending on the land in which you conduct business.

When changing the registered agent, brand certain to submit your new registered amanuensis's signed consent grade if applicable. This pace may vary by state.

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

How much does it cost to change my registered agent?

Changing the registered agent for your company can cost from $0 to $50 per state depending on the number of states yous're registered to do business with your LLC.

Registered Amanuensis LLC FAQ

Do I need a registered agent?

Yes. Every U.S. state requires all corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and partnerships to take a registered amanuensis. A registered agent may be called different names in dissimilar states, such every bit a resident agent, a statutory agent, or an agent for service of process.

What does a registered amanuensis practice?

Registered agents keep your business compliant by maintaining upwards-to-date paperwork. They as well are in charge of accepting official correspondence on behalf of your business, such as paperwork from the state and federal government, tax forms, and legal notices.

Learn more near what registered agents do.

Tin can the possessor of an LLC exist the registered agent?

Yep, the registered amanuensis of an LLC tin can exist its possessor, every bit long equally the weather 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, yet, and so many business owners decide information technology'southward amend for them to choose some other person or a professional service to human action as their registered agent. You should weigh the pros and cons of each pick and decide which is all-time for you and your business concern.

Who can be a registered agent?

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

Individuals must be at least 18 years old and business organisation entities must be registered to operate in the land. Both must take a physical part location and exist present during regular business hours.

Although y'all 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 amanuensis cost?

The cost of a registered agent varies, merely it tin can be anywhere from gratis (if you act as your company's registered agent) to a few hundred dollars a year for some 3rd-political party services.

Hiring a registered agent service could relieve you fourth dimension and coin in the long run.

Is a registered amanuensis the aforementioned every bit the owner?

No, a registered amanuensis is not considered an owner, its responsibleness is to keep certain paperwork up to date and accepts official correspondence on behalf of the company. However, the individual owner of a concern may likewise human action as the company'south registered amanuensis.

Why do I need a registered agent?

Most states crave you to designate a registered amanuensis if you own a business concern. However, even if it isn't required, we strongly recommend appointing a registered agent to accept service of process, gain peace of listen, and maintain your privacy.

Are registered agents liable?

A registered amanuensis could potentially be liable for damages in the event they neglect to run across their legal responsibilities as a registered agent, such as not informing a company information technology was being sued.

Can I change my registered amanuensis?

Yes. Y'all can change your registered agent by filing the necessary paperwork with the advisable state agency. Different states have different processes and forms and so read our free guides for details about your country.

What is a statutory agent?

A statutory agent is some other proper noun for a registered amanuensis, 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 process agent, or a statutory agent.

What is a service of process amanuensis?

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

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 agent listing statement with the Secretary of State in accordance with the Model Registered Agent Human action (MoRAA) or similar state police.

What does "service of process" hateful?

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

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

Most states require LLC owners to provide their LLC's registered agent's name and address when forming your LLC. In some states, you will be asked whether you lot are electing a commercial or noncommercial registered agent. Some states refer to professional registered agents equally commercial agents, which requires these agents to be specially listed with their state, and individual agents as noncommercial.

Are registered agents and virtual offices the same?

No, registered agents and virtual offices are non the same types of service. Registered agent services receive of import legal services on behalf of your concern where virtual offices, business addresses, and mailboxes offer everything from temporary physical office space to an address you lot can use for normal mail of your concern.

Are there whatever free registered agent services?

No, there are no gratis registered agent services, still, there are services that offering upwards to a free year of registered agent service when you class your business with them.

You can serve equally your ain registered agent for free. Even so, this comes with the expectation that you lot will be available to receive service of process at all normal business hours.

Can my hubby or wife be my registered agent?

Yes, your husband or wife tin be your registered amanuensis, every bit long every bit they qualify to be a registered agent in your state, and are available to receive service of process at all normal business hours.