Starting A New Llc People Use Registered Agents?

WHAT IS A REGISTERED Agent?

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

Near states require y'all to have an LLC registered agent when you course an LLC. The agent can exist a professional service, yourself, or a colleague given they come across the country'due south criteria.

Registered agent servicesoffer a number of benefits. To explore your options, check out our All-time Registered Amanuensis Services review.

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

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

Last Updated: 2022-03-10

Registered Amanuensis Definition

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

Virtually states require you lot to designate a registered agent for your LLC, partnership, or corporation when forming your business organisation. After choosing your business structure, yous will be expected to add a registered amanuensis role when you lot file your Articles of System with the Secretary of Land or other official government agency.

Service of Process Definition

Service of process is the action of informing an individual or entity that at that place'due south a pending lawsuit against him or her, or in this example, against one'due south company. Registered agents take service of procedure.

What is the Purpose of a Registered Amanuensis?

Also receiving official mail on behalf of your business, the primary purpose of a registered agent is to help your business maintain effective corporate compliance by informing you of legal notices or sending annual report filing reminders. Essentially, a registered amanuensis is a gatekeeper for concern entities, so you lot can take appropriate action and resolve potential problems in a timely manner.

Whether you run a small business or big corporation, you can wait your designated registered agent to receive the following on your LLC's behalf after business formation:

Tax forms
Legal documents
Official government correspondence (ie. annual report)
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 (due east.yard., Unmarried-Member LLC). Yous could too choose to designate an officer or member of your business concern, or even a friend you trust, as long as the person beingness elected meets the following registered agent requirements:

is xviii years or older
has a physical address in the state where the business is formed
is available (in person) during normal business hours

Some other selection would be to hire a professional registered agent service.

Should I use a Registered Amanuensis Service?

Designating someone else to serve every bit a registered agent for your LLC or corporation has its benefits. In this section, we encompass the major advantages of using an affordable, national, third-party registered amanuensis service officer—like ZenBusiness or Incfile—such as:

Compliance with the Law
Peace of Listen
Flexibility
Privacy

Visit our Should I Use a Registered Amanuensis Service guide for assistance with making the right choice for your concern.

What is a Registered Amanuensis Service?

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

Compliance with the Law

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

Registered agent services will as well keep 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 and legal documents.

Peace of Listen

Registered agents give you peace of mind then you can focus your time, energy, and attention on running your minor business. Here's what a professional, third-political party registered agent service can do to ease your stress:

Brand growing your business the number ane priority. Important tax and legal documents for your LLC will be automatically received and stored for safekeeping.
Help maintain your work-life residuum. Business and personal mail are kept separate, preventing your work from overtaking your home life.
Offer personal guidance. You accept additional back up if your business organization runs into a problem or if any questions arise.

Flexibility

If you choose to human activity as your own registered agent, you lot volition need to exist available to receive official authorities correspondence and service of process notices during standard business hours at the concrete accost you lot provide.

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

With a registered agent service, yous can:

Maintain flexible business hours. A registered agent must be available from 8-5 every weekday. By designating a third-party registered agent service, you lot can choose your ain work hours.
Class an LLC in another country. Registered agents must accept a legal residence in the state where the business is formed. Hiring a national registered agent service volition permit yous grade an LLC in any of the fifty states.
Grade an LLC in multiple states. If you set up your business concern to accept a physical location in multiple states, you will demand to take an appointed registered agent for each state.

Privacy

We all value our privacy. Your registered agent service'southward physical address will be listed on the public record— not your personal or visitor location. This is particularly important to consider if your concern operates out of your domicile. 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, employees, or worse, your customers.
Having their physical address public instead of yours. As a consequence, you're less probable to receive unsolicited mail.

What is the Best Registered Amanuensis Service?

Hiring a professional, third-party registered agent service has several advantages, but you lot may exist asking yourself,"How do I choose a registered agent?" In improver to having a legitimate office in the land of your LLC, nosotros encourage y'all to find and choose a national registered agent service with the following features:

Compliance direction: reminders for filing an almanac study and other important deadlines for business concern entities.
Certificate management: 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 can reply any questions by telephone or online that y'all may have regarding your business concern.
Thorough coverage: the power to provide registered amanuensis services in all fifty states.

Best Registered Agent Service - ZenBusiness ($99/year)

ZenBusiness provides i of the all-time registered agent services you can go for the cost. They are also upward-front about offering premium features for your business organization formation similar their worry-costless guarantee, a service in which they file your company'southward annual report and other compliance documentation.

Other companies offer this under different names, typically buried in their online dashboards, and for significantly college fees. With ZenBusiness, at that place are no hidden costs or gimmicks. Plus, they'll include a full year of professional registered agent services with LLC formation.

ZenBusiness's online certificate management organization and regular compliance alerts make working with them as your third-political party registered agent service completely seamless. They'll scan and upload all your essential legal documents and mail you physical copies as needed.

ZenBusiness really stands apart for its excellent client service. The representatives are known for being highly knowledgeable near company germination and business organisation maintenance.

All-time Registered Agent Service

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

Get Started

LLC Formation + Registered Agent Service for 1yr

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

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Learn About Registered Agents in Your State

How Do I Change the Registered Amanuensis for My LLC?

To change your registered agent, merely file the correct paperwork with the Secretary of Land; at that place may be a nominal filing fee depending on the country in which yous acquit business organization.

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

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

How much does information technology cost to modify my registered agent?

Changing the registered agent for your company can price from $0 to $fifty per land depending on the number of states you're registered to do concern with your LLC.

Registered Amanuensis LLC FAQ

Do I need a registered agent?

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

What does a registered agent do?

Registered agents keep your business compliant by maintaining up-to-date paperwork. They also 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 about what registered agents practice.

Can the possessor of an LLC exist the registered amanuensis?

Yes, the registered amanuensis of an LLC tin be its owner, as long as the weather of age and residency are met according to state guidelines. Some small business owners choose to do this instead of hiring a 3rd party or appointing someone else to the office.

This position does come with extra responsibilities and potential inconveniences, yet, so many business owners decide it'due south ameliorate for them to cull another person or a professional service to deed as their registered amanuensis. Y'all should weigh the pros and cons of each option and decide which is best for y'all and your concern.

Who can be a registered agent?

Registered amanuensis requirements can vary a scrap from country to state, but they generally allow for both individuals and business organisation entities to serve as a visitor's registered amanuensis.

Individuals must be at to the lowest degree 18 years old and business entities must be registered to operate in the state. Both must have a concrete part location and be present during regular business hours.

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

How much does a registered amanuensis price?

The cost of a registered agent varies, but it can be anywhere from free (if you act as your visitor'south registered amanuensis) to a few hundred dollars a twelvemonth for some third-party services.

Hiring a registered agent service could save you time and coin in the long-run.

Is a registered agent the aforementioned as the owner?

No, a registered agent is not considered an possessor, its responsibility is to keep certain paperwork up to date and accepts official correspondence on behalf of the visitor. However, the individual owner of a business concern may also act as the company's registered amanuensis.

Why do I demand a registered agent?

Nearly states require you lot to designate a registered agent if y'all ain a business. However, even if it isn't required, we 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 agent could potentially be liable for damages in the event they neglect to meet their legal responsibilities equally a registered agent, such as non informing a company it was beingness sued.

Tin can I change my registered agent?

Yes. You lot tin alter your registered amanuensis by filing the necessary paperwork with the appropriate country agency. Different states have different processes and forms so read our free guides for details about your state.

What is a statutory amanuensis?

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

What is a resident agent?

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

What is a service of process agent?

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

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 amanuensis list statement with the Secretarial assistant of Land in accord with the Model Registered Agent Act (MoRAA) or similar state law.

What does "service of process" mean?

Service of process means receiving legal documents, such equally a summons. A summons is an gild to announced before a judge due to a pending lawsuit.

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

Most states require LLC owners to provide their LLC's registered agent's name and address when forming your LLC. In some states, yous will be asked whether you are electing a commercial or noncommercial registered amanuensis. Some states refer to professional registered agents equally commercial agents, which requires these agents to be specially listed with their country, and individual 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, business concern addresses, and mailboxes offer everything from temporary physical office space to an address you can employ for normal mail of your business organization.

Are there any free registered agent services?

No, at that place are no costless registered agent services, notwithstanding, there are services that offer up to a free yr of registered agent service when yous grade your business with them.

You tin can serve equally your ain registered agent for free. However, this comes with the expectation that y'all will exist bachelor to receive service of process at all normal business organisation hours.

Can my husband or wife be my registered agent?

Yep, your husband or wife can exist your registered agent, as long as they qualify to exist a registered agent in your state, and are available to receive service of process at all normal business hours.