There is no denying that if you own an LLC or a corporation, you must have a registered agent and a registered office. This applies to you, no matter where you start your business.
SummaryWhat is the role of a registered agent?Requirements to serve as a registered agentAs an LLC owner:do I have to be my own registered agent?The public recordHours of operationOperating in different statesThe benefits of Using Registered Agent ServicesAvoid Extra PaperworkUnusual Business HoursMultiple State-Based Business LocationsRegistered Agent LLC:SimplifiedFortunately, the market has responded to this need. Thus, you can outsource this responsibility to the services of registered agents. If you're not sure this is the right action to take, don't worry. You have come to the right place.
Keep reading for our complete list of everything you need to know about the role of an LLC registered agent. And why you might want to hire LLC registered agent services instead.
In short, a registered agent is needed for every LLC. Someone is always ready to receive crucial legal or government documents on your behalf if you have a registered agent on file.
You can choose a person or a company to act as your registered agent.
Although each state has its own requirements for who can serve as a registered agent, anyone you choose as a registered agent must be at least 18 years old. And, a resident of the state in which your LLC was formed.
A person or company acting as a registered agent must also meet the following requirements.
You will need a physical address. The registered agent you choose must have a physical address. It cannot be a P.O. box or private mail service and be located in the state where your LLC was incorporated.
In addition, you will need to be available during business hours. Your registered agent must be available at the address you provided in your documents during business hours. This criterion ensures that someone is available to accept the service or essential paperwork during normal business hours.
As long as they meet the stated requirements, any member of your LLC can serve as your LLC Registered Agent. This implies that if a person is a member of the LLC, they can own the LLC of which they are the registered agent.
If you select a person or business who is not a member of your LLC to be your registered agent, they do not automatically become the business owner.
At this point, you start to think you can do the job on your own.
You would be right. Although you or any other member of the LLC can act as your own registered agent, keep the following in mind when making your decision.
Your registered agent's actual address should be included in your LLC documents, where it becomes a public record.
This implies that anyone can see this information, which can cause privacy issues.
If you're running a web-based business from home, for example, you'll almost certainly need to use your home address, since PO boxes and private courier services don't count as physical addresses.
You must also be available during normal business hours to accept delivery of communications addressed to you as a registered agent, as well as to support the process.
This is especially difficult for small business owners who may not have full-time workers and who may need to deal with business issues that require them to leave the office during the workday.
Each state where your LLC does business requires that you have a registered agent.
Unless you are able to maintain a physical presence in every state where you do business, using a registered agent service, which is prepared to act as a registered agent in multiple jurisdictions, is generally more efficient.
As long as they meet the requirements to serve as a registered agent, the registered agent of an LLC can also own the company. In contrast, being appointed as a registered agent does not confer ownership rights on any person or business in the LLC.
The majority of small businesses (those with less than ten workers) do not use registered agents.
However, there are a few specific reasons why some business owners choose to employ a registered agent; these reasons are mentioned below.
The cost of a registered agent is usually between $100 and $300 each year. For some business owners, the price is well worth the convenience of not having to track official notifications and annual reporting deadlines.
If you use a registered agent service, your registered agent should have a system in place to monitor you and let you know when annual returns are due, so you don't have to. Plus, all your essential paperwork will be stored in one place and you won't have to worry about losing track of notifications.
A registered agent does not only have to have a physical address. But, also be accessible to receive process service and formal status notifications during normal business hours.
Some business owners who are not accessible during regular business hours use the services of registered agents to keep their working hours flexible.
You will need to register with each state in which your business does business, and each state requires a registered agent with a physical address in that state.
As a result, many business owners use registered agent services to ensure they are in compliance with state laws and that all business-critical notices are kept in one place, with their registered agent.
If you're the new owner of an LLC, you're probably up to the paperwork and making sure your business complies with all relevant regulations.
Fortunately, our guide has explained why you can let LLC Registered Agent Services handle this responsibility for you. And if you enjoyed reading our article, you'll love discovering our other tips and strategies. All of them will be available in our business section.
