Can I Use Myself As A Registered Agent

Who Tin can Be a Registered Agent?

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

has a physical address in the country where the business organisation is conducted
is physically available during regular business hours (eight am- five pm) at the given registered agent address
is eighteen years or older

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Last Updated: 2021-08-27

Registered Agent Options

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

In one case you accept a skillful understanding of the role of a registered agent, y'all can brainstorm to expect at all of the different registered agent options bachelor to your business.

Can I Be My Own Registered Amanuensis?

It is possible to be your own registered agent. You could also choose to elect a member of your LLC, or fifty-fifty 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 is conducted
is available during normal business organisation hours

Another option would be to hire a professional registered agent service. One of the disadvantages is that it is more than expensive than acting as your own.

Using a service helps you avoid fees or further legal trouble caused past missing or misplacing an important document or notice. This tin really save you more fourth dimension and money in the long run. For detailed reviews of registered agent services, visit the Meridian 7 Best Registered Agent Services article by our friends over at Startup Savant.

Should I Use A Registered Agent Service?

Having someone else serve as your registered agent has its benefits. We accept 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 upwardly-to-date on state requirements by sending regular reminders for filings. As a result, you won't have to deal with legal fees and penalties--or worse, lose your business altogether. If y'all employ a professional service, they can:

Help you find state-specific accountants and legal professionals. About businesses need accounting or legal aid at some point during their formation.
Go on copies of your corporate documents. In case of theft, natural disaster, or other unexpected losses, you will have a backup of all your important business organisation papers.

Peace of Heed

A registered agent service gives you peace of mind so yous can focus your time, free energy, and attention on running your business organization. Hither's what a professional person service can exercise to ease your stress:

Make growing your business the number one priority. Important LLC documents volition be automatically received and stored for safekeeping.
Assist maintain your work-life residual. Business organization and personal mail are kept split, preventing your piece of work from overtaking your home life.
Offer personal guidance. You lot have additional support if your business concern runs into a trouble or if whatsoever questions ascend.

Flexibility

If you choose to act equally your own registered amanuensis, y'all will need to be available to receive official notices during standard business hours at the accost you provide. A registered amanuensis service gives you the flexibility to focus on your business concern instead of keeping track of deadlines and being available during business hours.

With a registered agent service, you tin can:

Maintain flexible business hours. A registered agent must be available 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 accept a legal residence in the state where the business organization is formed. Hiring a national registered agent service will permit y'all form an LLC in any of the 50 states.
Form an LLC in multiple states. If you gear up up your business to have a physical presence in multiple states, you will demand to have an appointed registered agent for each land.

Privacy

Nosotros all value our privacy. Your registered amanuensis service'southward address volition exist listed on the public record— not your personal or role accost. This is peculiarly important to consider if your concern operates out of your domicile. A registered amanuensis service volition maintain your privacy past:

Preventing you from existence served with a lawsuit in person. You don't want to get served in front end of your family, employees, or worse, your customers.
Having their address public instead of yours. As a result, you're less probable to receive unsolicited post.

What is the All-time Registered Agent Service?

In addition to having an office in the land of your LLC, we encourage you to find a national registered agent service with the post-obit features:

Compliance management: reminders for filing annual reports and other of import deadlines
Document direction: local scanning of all official documents so y'all tin can access them from your online account
Availability: a reliable customer service team who tin answer any questions you may have
Thorough coverage: the power to provide registered amanuensis services in all 50 states

ZenBusiness Registered Agent

ZenBusiness provides the most comprehensive registered agent services you tin get for the price. Not only is their service included with LLC formation, simply their fee is just $119 annually later the showtime year of germination.

The Complete Registered Agent plan includes ZenBusiness'south Worry Free Compliance Guarantee. This characteristic includes annual filing report alerts, documents submitted on your behalf, two free changes to your filings per twelvemonth, and it covers the costs required to regain good standing if your company should miss a deadline.

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

Registered Agent Service

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

Become Started

LLC Formation + 1yr Gratuitous Registered Agent Service

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

Get Started

Northwest Registered Agent

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

Northwest's online document direction organization and regular compliance alerts brand working with them completely worry-costless. They'll browse and upload all your essential legal documents and mail you physical copies as needed.

Northwest really stands autonomously for its first-class customer service. The representatives are known for being highly knowledgeable about business germination and business maintenance.

Registered Agent Service

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

Get Started

LLC Formation + 1yr Gratuitous Registered Agent Service

$49 + Country Fees
(Registered Amanuensis: $125 after 1st year)

Get Started

Incfile Registered Amanuensis

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 as LegalZoom and Rocket Lawyer.

If you form an LLC with Incfile, they offer a free year of registered amanuensis services. As part of the service, Incfile will scan all documents to your online account and physically mail you important legal documents.

Incfile's expanded menu of extra options is particularly suited for entrepreneurs who want additional features like cyberbanking offers, business contract templates, business concern website offers, and other physical items such equally a corporate seal.

Registered Agent Service

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

Get Started

LLC Formation + 1yr Costless Registered Agent Service

$0 + State Fees
(Registered Agent: $119 afterward 1st yr)

Get Started

Oftentimes Asked Questions

What is a Registered Agent?

A registered agent is a person or business who receives and sends legal documents on your LLC'south behalf. In some states, a registered agent is called a statutory agent, resident agent, or an amanuensis for service of process.
Most states crave that y'all appoint a registered amanuensis when you lot class a limited liability company (LLC). To acquire more than about your state'due south requirements, visit our state-specific guides.

How much does an LLC registered agent cost?

A registered agent service tin toll anywhere from $50 to $300, merely hiring a registered agent service volition save you time and coin in the long-run.

How much does it cost to alter my registered agent?

Changing your registered agent can toll from $0 to $50 per country depending on the number of states you're registered in to practise business with your LLC.

What is a statutory agent?

A statutory agent is some other name for a registered agent, a procedure of service agent, or a resident agent. Although about states use the name registered agent, different states employ unlike titles.

What is a resident agent?

A resident agent is another proper name for a registered agent, a procedure of service agent, or a statutory amanuensis. Although most states use the proper name registered agent, different states apply unlike titles.

What is a service of process agent?

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

What does "service of procedure" hateful?

Service of process means receiving legal documents, such as a summons. A summons is an society to announced before a estimate due to a pending lawsuit.

What is a commercial vs. non-commercial registered agent?

Nearly states require LLC owners to provide their LLC's registered agent'due south proper name and address when forming your LLC. In some states, you will exist asked whether you are electing a commercial or non-commercial registered amanuensis. Some states refer to the professional registered agent as commercial agents and individual agents equally not-commercial.