What a registered agent is
Every US state requires an LLC to name a registered agent: a person or company with a physical street address in that state, available during business hours, to receive official documents on the LLC's behalf. Some states call it a statutory agent or resident agent.
The most important of those documents is service of process, the formal notice of a lawsuit. The agent also receives letters from the state, such as annual report notices, and sometimes tax notices.
Why you cannot skip it
You can only be your own agent if you have a physical address in the state and are there during business hours. Someone living abroad cannot. Without an agent the state can refuse the filing, and an LLC whose agent lapses can be administratively dissolved.
If a lawsuit is served and nobody receives it, the case can go ahead without you. A reliable agent that forwards documents quickly is the protection.
What an agent is not
- Not a business address. Many banks and payment providers do not accept the agent address as your company's address. For that you need a separate US business address.
- Not a lawyer. The agent forwards documents; it does not advise on them.
- Not a nominee. The agent does not own or manage your LLC.
How agent mail reaches you
With LLCBolt, our partner agent in your state receives documents and we scan them into your dashboard, usually the business day they arrive, with an email notification. Legal documents such as service of process are flagged so you see them first.
What it costs
The first 12 months of registered agent service are included in every LLCBolt package. After that, renewal is $99 a year. You can switch agents at any time by filing a change with the state; the state charges a small fee in some states.
A note on names
Because the agent is listed with the state, it is often the first thing people find when they search for your company. In states such as Wyoming, Delaware and New Mexico the owners are not listed, so the agent and organizer are the main names in the public record.
When choosing a company name, the state checks that it is distinguishable from names already on its register. Small differences such as punctuation, "The" or a different ending usually do not count. Our name helper on the home page checks format; the register check happens before we file.
If you are served with a lawsuit
When someone sues the LLC, a process server delivers the papers to the registered agent. The agent records the delivery and forwards it. From that moment, deadlines to respond start running, often 20 to 30 days depending on the state and court.
If that happens, contact a US lawyer straight away. The agent and LLCBolt can make sure you receive the documents quickly; neither can respond to the lawsuit for you.
Changing registered agent
You can change agent at any time by filing a statement of change with the state. The new agent must agree to act for you. In some states the filing is free, in others there is a small fee. Do not let the old service end before the change is approved, so there is never a gap.
Questions to ask any agent
- How quickly are documents scanned, and how am I told about them?
- Is service of process handled differently from ordinary mail?
- What does renewal cost after the first year, and is it automatic?
- Can I use the address as my business address, or only as the registered address?
LLCBolt is a filing service, not a law firm or tax adviser. This guide is general information and may not fit your situation. Rules and fees change; check the date above.