Is A Registered Agent Liable For An 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 amanuensis is besides known as a resident amanuensis or statutory agent .

Near states require you to have an LLC registered agent when you grade an LLC. The agent can be a professional person service, yourself, or a colleague given they see the state's criteria.

Registered agent servicesoffer a number of benefits. To explore your options, check out our All-time 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 Be My Ain Registered Agent?
Should I Use a Registered Agent Service?
What is the All-time Registered Agent Service?
How Do I Change My LLC Registered Agent?
Ofttimes Asked Questions

Last Updated: 2022-04-13

Registered Agent Definition

A registered agent is an private 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.

Most states crave you to designate a registered amanuensis for your LLC, partnership, or corporation when forming your business. After choosing your business structure, yous volition be expected to add together a registered agent office when y'all file your Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State or other official regime agency.

Service of Process Definition

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

What is the Purpose of a Registered Agent?

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

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

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

Tin I exist my own Registered Agent?

Yes, you tin can exist your own registered amanuensis for your business (eastward.one thousand., Single-Member LLC). You lot could too choose to designate an officer or member of your business, or fifty-fifty a friend you trust, every bit long every bit the person being elected meets the following registered agent requirements:

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

Some other pick would be to rent a professional registered agent service.

Should I use a Registered Agent Service?

Designating someone else to serve equally a registered agent for your LLC or corporation has its benefits. In this section, we cover the major advantages of using an affordable, national, tertiary-party registered agent 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 assistance with making the right selection for your business.

What is a Registered Amanuensis Service?

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

Compliance with the Constabulary

Registered agents aid businesses stay up-to-date on state requirements by sending regular reminders, and sometimes filings things similar annual study filings and other official regime notifications.

Registered amanuensis services will also proceed copies of your corporate documents. In case of theft, natural disaster, or other unexpected losses, you will accept a backup of all your important business and legal documents.

Peace of Mind

Registered agents requite you peace of mind so you can focus your time, energy, and attending on running your small business. Here's what a professional person, 3rd-party registered agent service can do to ease your stress:

Make growing your business the number one priority. Important tax and legal documents for your LLC will be automatically received and stored for safekeeping.
Aid maintain your work-life balance. Business and personal mail are kept separate, preventing your work from overtaking your home life.
Offering personal guidance. You have additional back up if your business concern runs into a trouble or if any questions arise.

Flexibility

If you cull to deed as your ain registered agent, you will need to exist available to receive official government correspondence and service of procedure notices during standard business hours at the physical accost you provide.

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

With a registered agent service, you can:

Maintain flexible business organisation hours. A registered agent must be available from 8-5 every weekday. By designating a tertiary-party registered agent service, you can choose your own work hours.
Form an LLC in another land. Registered agents must have legal residence in the state where the business is formed. Hiring a national registered agent service will permit you grade an LLC in whatsoever of the 50 states.
Form an LLC in multiple states. If yous gear up your business to have a physical location in multiple states, you volition demand to have an appointed registered agent for each country.

Privacy

We all value our privacy. Your registered agent service'due south physical address will exist listed on the public record— not your personal or company location. This is especially important to consider if your business organization 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 don't desire to receive a summons in forepart of your family, employees, or worse, your customers.
Having their concrete address 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, tertiary-party registered agent service has several advantages, merely y'all may be asking yourself,"How exercise I choose a registered agent?" In addition to having a legitimate office in the state of your LLC, nosotros encourage you to find and choose a national registered agent service with the post-obit 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 you lot can access them from your online concern account.
Availability: a reliable customer service team who tin answer whatever questions past phone or online that you may accept regarding your business.
Thorough coverage: the ability to provide registered agent services in all 50 states.

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

ZenBusiness provides ane of the all-time registered agent services you tin become for the cost. They are also up-forepart well-nigh offering premium features for your business formation like their worry-free guarantee, a service in which they file your visitor'southward annual report, and other compliance documentation.

Other companies offer this under dissimilar names, typically buried in their online dashboards, and for significantly higher fees. With ZenBusiness, in that location are no hidden costs or gimmicks. Plus, they'll include a total year of professional person registered amanuensis services with LLC germination.

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

ZenBusiness actually stands apart for its excellent customer service. The representatives are known for existence highly knowledgeable about visitor formation and business maintenance.

Best Registered Amanuensis Service

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

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LLC Germination + Registered Agent Service for 1yr

$39 + State Fees
(Registered Agent: $119 later 1st yr)

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Learn About Registered Agents in Your State

How Do I Alter the Registered Agent for My LLC?

To change your registered agent, but file the correct paperwork with the Secretary of State; there may be a nominal filing fee depending on the state in which yous conduct business.

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

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

How much does it cost to alter my registered amanuensis?

Changing the registered amanuensis for your visitor can toll from $0 to $l per state 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?

Yep. 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 different states, such as a resident amanuensis, a statutory agent, or an amanuensis for service of process.

What does a registered amanuensis do?

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

Acquire more virtually what registered agents practise.

Can the owner of an LLC be the registered agent?

Yes, the registered agent of an LLC can be its owner, as long every bit the atmospheric condition of historic period and residency are met according to state guidelines. Some small business owners choose to exercise this instead of hiring a third party or appointing someone else to the part.

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

Who can be a registered agent?

Registered agent requirements can vary a bit from state to country, only they more often than not permit for both individuals and business entities to serve as a company's registered amanuensis.

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

Although yous tin can be your own registered amanuensis, 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 agent price?

The cost of a registered agent varies, but information technology can exist anywhere from gratuitous (if you deed as your company's registered amanuensis) to a few hundred dollars a year for some third-party services.

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

Is a registered agent the same every bit the possessor?

No, a registered amanuensis is not considered an possessor, its responsibility is to keep sure paperwork upwards to date and accepts official correspondence on behalf of the company. However, the private possessor of a concern may also act as the visitor's registered amanuensis.

Why do I need a registered agent?

Most states require y'all to designate a registered agent if you own a business organisation. Nevertheless, even if information technology isn't required, we strongly recommend appointing a registered amanuensis to accept service of process, proceeds peace of listen, 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 equally a registered agent, such as non informing a company it was being sued.

Tin I change my registered agent?

Aye. You lot tin can modify your registered amanuensis by filing the necessary paperwork with the advisable state agency. Different states have different processes and forms so read our gratuitous guides for details nigh your land.

What is a statutory amanuensis?

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

What is a resident agent?

A resident agent is some other proper noun 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 proper noun 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 land by filing a commercial registered agent listing statement with the Secretary of State in accordance with the Model Registered Agent Human activity (MoRAA) or like land law.

What does "service of process" mean?

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

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

Well-nigh states require LLC owners to provide their LLC's registered agent'southward proper name and accost when forming your LLC. In some states, you will be asked whether you are electing a commercial or noncommercial registered agent. Some states refer to professional person registered agents as 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 not the aforementioned types of service. Registered agent services receive of import legal services on behalf of your business organisation where virtual offices, business addresses, and mailboxes offer everything from temporary physical office infinite to an address yous can use for normal mail of your business organization.

Are there whatever free registered agent services?

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

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

Can my husband or wife be my registered amanuensis?

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