Can The Registered Agent And A Secretary Be The Same Person

What Is a Registered Agent?

A registered agent is an individual or business organisation entity that accepts tax and legal documents on behalf of your business organization. A registered amanuensis is also known equally a resident agent or statutory agent .

Most states crave you to have an LLC registered agent when you lot form an LLC. The agent tin can be a professional service, yourself, or a colleague given they meet the state'southward criteria.

Registered agent servicesoffer a number of benefits. To explore your options, cheque out our Best Registered Amanuensis Services review.

To acquire the guidelines in your state, cull your state from the dropdown below.

What is an LLC Registered Amanuensis?
Tin can I Be My Own Registered Amanuensis?
Should I Use a Registered Agent Service?
What is the All-time Registered Amanuensis Service?
How Do I Change My LLC Registered Agent?
Frequently Asked Questions

Last Updated: 2022-04-13

Registered Amanuensis Definition

A registered agent 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 concern.

Most states require you to designate a registered agent for your LLC, partnership, or corporation when forming your business organization. After choosing your business structure, you will be expected to add a registered amanuensis office when you file your Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State or other official government bureau.

Service of Process Definition

Service of process is the activeness of informing an private or entity that at that place's a pending lawsuit against him or her, or in this case, against one's company. Registered agents take service of process.

What is the Purpose of a Registered Amanuensis?

As well receiving official post on behalf of your business, the principal purpose of a registered agent is to help your business organisation maintain constructive corporate compliance past informing you of legal notices or sending annual report filing reminders. Essentially, a registered agent is a gatekeeper for business entities, so you tin take appropriate action and resolve potential issues in a timely manner.

Whether y'all run a small business or large corporation, you tin expect your designated registered agent to receive the following on your LLC'south behalf subsequently business formation:

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

Tin can I be my own Registered Agent?

Yeah, you can be your own registered agent for your business (e.g., Single-Member LLC). You could besides choose to designate an officer or member of your business, or even a friend you trust, as long as the person being elected meets the following registered amanuensis requirements:

is 18 years or older
has a concrete accost in the state where the business concern is formed
is available (in person) during normal business organisation hours

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

Should I use a Registered Amanuensis 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, tertiary-party registered agent service officer—similar ZenBusiness or Incfile—such as:

Compliance with the Law
Peace of Heed
Flexibility
Privacy

Visit our Should I Use a Registered Agent Service guide for assist with making the correct pick for your business organization.

What is a Registered Agent Service?

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

Compliance with the Police force

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

Registered agent services will also keep copies of your corporate documents. In instance of theft, natural disaster, or other unexpected losses, you will have a backup of all your important business and legal documents.

Peace of Mind

Registered agents give you peace of mind and then you lot can focus your fourth dimension, energy, and attention on running your pocket-size business. Hither's what a professional person, 3rd-party registered agent service can exercise to ease your stress:

Make growing your business concern the number one priority. Important tax and legal documents for your LLC volition exist automatically received and stored for safekeeping.
Assistance maintain your piece of work-life balance. Business and personal mail are kept split, preventing your piece of work from overtaking your home life.
Offering personal guidance. You have additional support if your business runs into a trouble or if any questions ascend.

Flexibility

If you choose to human action as your own registered agent, you lot will need to be available to receive official government correspondence and service of process notices during standard business hours at the physical address yous provide.

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

With a registered amanuensis service, you tin:

Maintain flexible concern hours. A registered agent must be available from 8-5 every weekday. By designating a third-party registered amanuensis service, y'all tin can choose your ain work hours.
Form an LLC in another state. Registered agents must have legal residence in the country where the business is formed. Hiring a national registered agent service will allow you form an LLC in any of the 50 states.
Form an LLC in multiple states. If you set up your business to have a physical location in multiple states, you will need to have an appointed registered agent for each state.

Privacy

We all value our privacy. Your registered agent service's physical address will exist listed on the public record— not your personal or company location. This is particularly important to consider if your business operates out of your home. An LLC registered agent service will maintain your privacy past:

Preventing yous from being served with a lawsuit in person. You don't want to receive a summons in front of your family unit, employees, or worse, your customers.
Having their physical address public instead of yours. As a result, you're less likely to receive unsolicited post.

What is the Best Registered Agent Service?

Hiring a professional, 3rd-party registered amanuensis service has several advantages, but you may be asking yourself,"How practise I cull a registered agent?" In improver to having a legitimate office in the land of your LLC, we encourage you lot to find and choose a national registered amanuensis service with the following features:

Compliance management: reminders for filing an almanac report and other important deadlines for business entities.
Document management: local scanning of all official legal documents and so you can access them from your online concern account.
Availability: a reliable customer service team who can answer any questions by phone or online that y'all may have regarding your business concern.
Thorough coverage: the power to provide registered agent services in all 50 states.

All-time Registered Agent Service - ZenBusiness ($99/year)

ZenBusiness provides one of the best registered agent services yous tin go for the price. They are also upwards-front most offering premium features for your business formation like their worry-free guarantee, a service in which they file your visitor's almanac report, and other compliance documentation.

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

ZenBusiness's online document management system and regular compliance alerts brand working with them as your third-party registered agent service completely seamless. They'll browse and upload all your essential legal documents and mail you physical copies as needed.

ZenBusiness really stands autonomously for its excellent customer service. The representatives are known for existence highly knowledgeable about company formation and business maintenance.

Best Registered Agent Service

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

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LLC Formation + Registered Agent Service for 1yr

$39 + Country Fees
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Learn About Registered Agents in Your State

How Do I Change the Registered Agent for My LLC?

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

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

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

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

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

Registered Agent LLC FAQ

Do I need a registered amanuensis?

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

What does a registered agent do?

Registered agents keep your business organisation compliant by maintaining up-to-date paperwork. They also are in accuse of accepting official correspondence on behalf of your business, such as paperwork from the country and federal government, tax forms, and legal notices.

Learn more virtually what registered agents exercise.

Tin can the owner of an LLC exist the registered agent?

Yep, the registered agent of an LLC tin be its possessor, as long equally the conditions of age and residency are met co-ordinate to state guidelines. Some small business owners choose to do this instead of hiring a tertiary party or appointing someone else to the role.

This position does come with extra responsibilities and potential inconveniences, withal, so many business owners make up one's mind it'south better for them to choose some other person or a professional service to human action as their registered agent. Y'all should weigh the pros and cons of each selection and make up one's mind which is best for you lot and your business.

Who can be a registered agent?

Registered agent requirements tin vary a bit from state to state, just they generally allow for both individuals and business entities to serve as a visitor'south registered agent.

Individuals must exist at least xviii years sometime and business organisation entities must be registered to operate in the state. Both must accept a physical office location and be present during regular business hours.

Although you can exist 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 agent cost?

The price of a registered agent varies, merely it tin be anywhere from free (if you act as your company's registered agent) to a few hundred dollars a year for some third-party services.

Hiring a registered agent service could relieve you time and money in the long run.

Is a registered agent the same every bit the possessor?

No, a registered agent is not considered an possessor, its responsibility is to continue certain paperwork upward to date and accepts official correspondence on behalf of the company. Yet, the individual owner of a business may also human action equally the company's registered agent.

Why do I need a registered amanuensis?

Most states require you to designate a registered amanuensis if you own a business. All the same, even if it isn't required, nosotros strongly recommend appointing a registered agent to accept service of procedure, gain peace of mind, and maintain your privacy.

Are registered agents liable?

A registered amanuensis could potentially be liable for damages in the event they fail to meet their legal responsibilities as a registered agent, such as not informing a company it was being sued.

Can I change my registered agent?

Yes. You lot can change your registered agent by filing the necessary paperwork with the appropriate land agency. Unlike states have unlike processes and forms so read our free guides for details nigh your land.

What is a statutory agent?

A statutory amanuensis is another name for a registered agent, 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 amanuensis.

What is a service of procedure amanuensis?

A service of process agent is some other 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 agent listing statement with the Secretary of State in accordance with the Model Registered Agent Act (MoRAA) or similar country law.

What does "service of process" mean?

Service of process means receiving legal documents, such every bit a summons. A summons is an order to appear before a judge due to a pending lawsuit.

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

About states require LLC owners to provide their LLC'south registered agent's proper name and address when forming your LLC. In some states, y'all 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 exist particularly listed with their state, and private agents equally noncommercial.

Are registered agents and virtual offices the same?

No, registered agents and virtual offices are not the same types of service. Registered amanuensis services receive of import legal services on behalf of your business where virtual offices, concern addresses, and mailboxes offering everything from temporary physical role space to an address you can employ for normal mail of your business organisation.

Are at that place whatsoever gratuitous registered agent services?

No, there are no free registered agent services, however, there are services that offer upwardly to a gratis year of registered agent service when you form your business with them.

Y'all tin serve as your own registered agent for free. However, this comes with the expectation that you will be bachelor to receive service of process at all normal business hours.

Can my husband or wife exist my registered agent?

Yeah, your husband or married woman can be your registered agent, as long as they qualify to exist a registered agent in your land, and are available to receive service of procedure at all normal business hours.