Can Business Owner Be Registered Agent For Llc

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 too known as a resident amanuensis or statutory agent .

Nearly states crave you to have an LLC registered agent when yous form an LLC. The amanuensis tin 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 state from the dropdown below.

What is an LLC Registered Agent?
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent?
Should I Utilize a Registered Agent Service?
What is the Best Registered Agent Service?
How Do I Change My LLC Registered Agent?
Frequently Asked Questions

Last Updated: 2022-05-19

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.

Most states crave you to designate a registered agent for your LLC, partnership, or corporation when forming your business organization. Later choosing your business organization structure, y'all will exist expected to add a registered agent office when you file your Articles of System with the Secretary of State or other official government agency.

Service of Process Definition

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

What is the Purpose of a Registered Agent?

Besides receiving official mail service on behalf of your business organization, the chief purpose of a registered agent is to help your business maintain effective corporate compliance by informing you of legal notices or sending almanac report filing reminders. Essentially, a registered agent is a gatekeeper for concern entities, so you can take appropriate action and resolve potential issues in a timely way.

Whether you run a small business concern or large corporation, yous tin look your designated registered amanuensis to receive the following on your LLC'southward behalf subsequently business formation:

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

Can I exist my own Registered Amanuensis?

Yeah, you tin be your own registered amanuensis for your business concern (east.g., Single-Member LLC). You lot could also choose to designate an officer or member of your concern, or even a friend you trust, as long as 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 concern is formed
is available (in person) during normal business hours

Another choice would exist to rent a professional person registered agent service.

Should I employ a Registered Agent Service?

Designating someone else to serve as 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 Constabulary
Peace of Mind
Flexibility
Privacy

Visit our Should I Use a Registered Agent Service guide for help with making the right selection for your business concern.

What is a Registered Agent Service?

Registered agent services are business concern entities that accept revenue enhancement and legal documents on behalf of LLCs and corporations for a fee.

Compliance with the Law

Registered agents aid businesses stay up-to-appointment on state requirements past sending regular reminders, and sometimes filings things like annual study filings and other official government notifications.

Registered agent services will as well proceed 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 and legal documents.

Peace of Mind

Registered agents give you peace of heed and so you can focus your time, free energy, and attending on running your pocket-size business. Here's what a professional, third-political party registered amanuensis service can practice to ease your stress:

Make growing your business organization the number i priority. Important tax and legal documents for your LLC will be automatically received and stored for safekeeping.
Help maintain your work-life remainder. Business concern and personal mail are kept dissever, preventing your work from overtaking your dwelling house life.
Offer personal guidance. You have additional support if your business runs into a problem or if any questions arise.

Flexibility

If you choose to act equally your own registered agent, yous will need to exist available to receive official government correspondence and service of procedure notices during standard business hours at the physical accost you lot provide.

Designated registered agents requite you the flexibility to focus on your business organisation instead of keeping rail of deadlines and being available during business hours.

With a registered agent service, you lot tin can:

Maintain flexible business organisation hours. A registered agent must be available from 8-5 every weekday. By designating a 3rd-political party registered amanuensis service, you lot can cull your own work hours.
Form an LLC in some other country. Registered agents must have legal residence in the state where the business is formed. Hiring a national registered agent service volition let you class an LLC in whatever of the 50 states.
Form an LLC in multiple states. If you gear up your business to have a physical location in multiple states, yous will demand to have an appointed registered amanuensis for each state.

Privacy

We all value our privacy. Your registered agent service's physical address will be listed on the public tape— not your personal or company location. This is especially of import to consider if your business operates out of your home. 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 physical accost public instead of yours. As a result, you lot'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, merely you may be asking yourself,"How practise I cull a registered agent?" In addition to having a legitimate function in the state of your LLC, we encourage you to find and choose a national registered amanuensis service with the following features:

Compliance direction: reminders for filing an annual written report and other of import deadlines for business entities.
Document management: local scanning of all official legal documents so you can access them from your online business organisation account.
Availability: a reliable customer service squad who tin reply any questions by phone or online that you may have regarding your business concern.
Thorough coverage: the ability to provide registered amanuensis services in all 50 states.

Northwest Registered Amanuensis

Northwest is the best registered agent 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 choose Northwest as your registered amanuensis service, y'all'll get an online account to access essential documents, mail forwarding, and business organization address services.

Northwest's virtual mailbox service will scan your mail and frontward it to you lot electronically. This means that yous can keep runway of your postal service no matter where you are in the earth.

LLC Formation + Registered Agent Service for 1yr

(Registered Agent: $125 after 1st Year)

Become Started

Larn Well-nigh Registered Agents in Your State

How Do I Alter the Registered Agent for My LLC?

To change your registered agent, just file the correct paperwork with the Secretary of State; there may exist a nominal filing fee depending on the state in which you acquit business organisation.

When changing the registered agent, brand sure to submit your new registered agent'due south signed consent course if applicable. This step may vary by land.

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

How much does it price to modify my registered agent?

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

Registered Agent LLC FAQ

Practise I need a registered agent?

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

What does a registered agent do?

Registered agents proceed your business compliant by maintaining upward-to-engagement paperwork. They also are in charge of accepting official correspondence on behalf of your business organisation, such as paperwork from the state and federal government, taxation forms, and legal notices.

Learn more about what registered agents do.

Tin the possessor of an LLC be the registered agent?

Yeah, the registered agent of an LLC can exist its owner, as long as the conditions of historic period and residency are met according to state guidelines. Some small business concern owners cull to do this instead of hiring a 3rd political party or appointing someone else to the office.

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

Who can exist a registered amanuensis?

Registered agent requirements can vary a flake from land to land, but they more often than not allow for both individuals and concern entities to serve as a company's registered amanuensis.

Individuals must be at least eighteen years old and business organization entities must be registered to operate in the state. Both must have a physical office location and be present during regular business hours.

Although you 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 organisation needs.

How much does a registered agent cost?

The cost of a registered agent varies, but information technology can be anywhere from gratuitous (if you act equally your company'southward registered agent) to a few hundred dollars a yr for some tertiary-political 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 possessor?

No, a registered agent is not considered an possessor, its responsibility is to go along certain paperwork upwards to date and accepts official correspondence on behalf of the visitor. Yet, the private owner of a business may also act every bit the company's registered agent.

Why do I need a registered amanuensis?

Most states require you to designate a registered agent if you 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 damages in the event they fail to see their legal responsibilities as a registered agent, such as not informing a visitor information technology was being sued.

Tin can I change my registered agent?

Yes. You tin can change your registered agent by filing the necessary paperwork with the advisable country bureau. Different states have different processes and forms and so read our gratis guides for details about your state.

What is a statutory agent?

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

What is a resident agent?

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

What is a service of procedure agent?

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

What is a commercial registered agent?

A commercial registered agent is a person or entity that has registered with the land by filing a commercial registered amanuensis listing argument with the Secretary of Land in accordance with the Model Registered Agent Act (MoRAA) or like country 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 earlier a judge due to a pending lawsuit.

What is the difference betwixt a commercial registered agent and a noncommercial registered agent?

About states require LLC owners to provide their LLC's registered amanuensis'southward name and address when forming your LLC. In some states, yous volition be asked whether you are electing a commercial or noncommercial registered agent. Some states refer to professional registered agents as commercial agents, which requires these agents to be specially listed with their land, and individual agents as noncommercial.

Are registered agents and virtual offices the same?

No, registered agents and virtual offices are non the aforementioned types of service. Registered agent services receive important legal services on behalf of your business where virtual offices, business addresses, and mailboxes offering everything from temporary physical office space to an accost you can use for normal post of your business.

Are there whatever free registered agent services?

No, in that location are no free registered agent services, all the same, at that place are services that offer upwardly to a free yr of registered agent service when yous class your business organisation with them.

You can serve as your ain registered amanuensis for free. Withal, this comes with the expectation that y'all will be available to receive service of process at all normal concern hours.

Can my hubby or married woman be my registered agent?

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