What Is A Registered Agent When Filing Articles Of Inc

What Is a Registered Amanuensis?

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

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

Registered agent servicesoffering 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 beneath.

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

Concluding Updated: 2022-05-xix

Registered Amanuensis Definition

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

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

Service of Process Definition

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

What is the Purpose of a Registered Agent?

Besides receiving official post on behalf of your business organisation, the main purpose of a registered agent is to assist your business organisation maintain effective corporate compliance by informing you of legal notices or sending almanac study filing reminders. Essentially, a registered agent is a gatekeeper for business concern entities, so you can accept appropriate action and resolve potential issues in a timely mode.

Whether you run a small business or big corporation, you tin expect 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 Amanuensis?

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

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

Another option would be to hire a professional registered agent service.

Should I use a Registered Agent Service?

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

Compliance with the Law
Peace of Mind
Flexibility
Privacy

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

What is a Registered Amanuensis Service?

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

Compliance with the Police

Registered agents help businesses stay up-to-date on land 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 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 requite y'all peace of mind so yous can focus your time, energy, and attention on running your small business. Here'southward what a professional person, third-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 balance. Business and personal post are kept divide, preventing your work from overtaking your home life.
Offer personal guidance. Y'all have additional support if your business organisation runs into a trouble or if any questions ascend.

Flexibility

If you choose to human action every bit your own registered agent, y'all will need to be available to receive official authorities correspondence and service of process notices during standard concern hours at the physical accost you provide.

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

With a registered amanuensis service, yous can:

Maintain flexible business concern hours. A registered amanuensis must be available from eight-five every weekday. By designating a 3rd-political party registered agent service, you lot can cull your ain work hours.
Form an LLC in another state. Registered agents must have legal residence in the state where the business is formed. Hiring a national registered agent service will allow y'all form an LLC in any of the 50 states.
Class an LLC in multiple states. If you set upwards your business concern to take a physical location in multiple states, you will need to accept an appointed registered agent for each land.

Privacy

We all value our privacy. Your registered agent service's physical address will be listed on the public record— non your personal or company location. This is specially important to consider if your business organization operates out of your home. An LLC registered agent service will maintain your privacy by:

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

What is the Best Registered Amanuensis Service?

Hiring a professional, 3rd-political party registered amanuensis service has several advantages, merely you may exist asking yourself,"How practise I choose a registered agent?" In addition to having a legitimate office in the land of your LLC, nosotros encourage you lot to find and choose a national registered agent service with the following 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 can access them from your online business account.
Availability: a reliable customer service squad who tin answer any questions by phone or online that you may have regarding your business organisation.
Thorough coverage: the ability to provide registered agent services in all fifty states.

Northwest Registered Amanuensis

Northwest is the all-time 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 cull Northwest as your registered agent service, you'll go an online account to access essential documents, mail forwarding, and business accost services.

Northwest'south virtual mailbox service volition browse your mail and forward it to you electronically. This means that y'all can go on rails of your mail no matter where you lot are in the world.

LLC Germination + Registered Amanuensis Service for 1yr

(Registered Agent: $125 after 1st Yr)

Get Started

Larn Well-nigh Registered Agents in Your State

How Practise I Change the Registered Amanuensis for My LLC?

To alter your registered agent, simply file the correct paperwork with the Secretarial assistant of State; there may exist a nominal filing fee depending on the state in which you behave business concern.

When changing the registered agent, make sure to submit your new registered agent'south signed consent course if applicable. This step may vary past state.

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

How much does it toll to alter my registered amanuensis?

Irresolute the registered agent for your company can cost from $0 to $l per land depending on the number of states you're registered to do business organization with your LLC.

Registered Amanuensis LLC FAQ

Do I need a registered amanuensis?

Yes. Every U.S. country requires all corporations, express liability companies (LLCs), and partnerships to have a registered agent. A registered amanuensis may exist called unlike names in different states, such as a resident amanuensis, a statutory agent, or an agent for service of procedure.

What does a registered amanuensis practice?

Registered agents continue your business concern 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 state and federal government, taxation forms, and legal notices.

Learn more about what registered agents do.

Can the possessor of an LLC be the registered agent?

Aye, the registered agent of an LLC can be its owner, as long as the conditions of age and residency are met co-ordinate to state guidelines. Some small-scale business owners choose to practise this instead of hiring a third political party or appointing someone else to the role.

This position does come with extra responsibilities and potential inconveniences, however, so many business owners decide it'southward meliorate for them to choose another person or a professional service to act equally their registered amanuensis. Yous should weigh the pros and cons of each choice and decide which is best for y'all and your business.

Who tin exist a registered amanuensis?

Registered agent requirements can vary a chip from state to state, but they generally allow for both individuals and business entities to serve as a company'south registered agent.

Individuals must be at least eighteen years one-time and business concern entities must be registered to operate in the country. Both must have a physical function location and be present during regular business organisation hours.

Although you can be your ain registered agent, we recommend yous 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 price of a registered agent varies, merely information technology tin can exist anywhere from free (if you human activity as your company's registered amanuensis) to a few hundred dollars a year for some third-party services.

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

Is a registered agent the same equally the owner?

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

Why exercise I need a registered agent?

Almost states require you to designate a registered agent if you own a business concern. However, fifty-fifty if information technology isn't required, we strongly recommend appointing a registered agent to accept service of process, 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 run into their legal responsibilities as a registered amanuensis, such as not informing a visitor it was being sued.

Can I alter my registered agent?

Aye. Yous can change your registered agent by filing the necessary paperwork with the appropriate state agency. Different states have different processes and forms so read our gratis guides for details near your country.

What is a statutory amanuensis?

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

What is a resident agent?

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

What is a service of procedure agent?

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

What is a commercial registered agent?

A commercial registered amanuensis is a person or entity that has registered with the state past filing a commercial registered agent listing statement with the Secretary of State in accord with the Model Registered Agent Deed (MoRAA) or similar state law.

What does "service of procedure" mean?

Service of process means receiving legal documents, such as 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 amanuensis?

Most states require LLC owners to provide their LLC's registered agent's proper name and address when forming your LLC. In some states, you will exist asked whether yous are electing a commercial or noncommercial registered agent. Some states refer to professional registered agents as commercial agents, which requires these agents to be especially listed with their state, and private 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 important legal services on behalf of your business where virtual offices, business organization addresses, and mailboxes offer everything from temporary physical office infinite to an address yous can apply for normal mail of your business organization.

Are there any free registered agent services?

No, there are no free registered agent services, still, there are services that offering upward to a costless year of registered agent service when you grade your business organisation with them.

You tin serve as your ain registered agent for free. Withal, this comes with the expectation that you lot will be available to receive service of process at all normal business hours.

Tin my husband or wife be my registered agent?

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