A registered agent is the person or company a business names in its state filing to receive lawsuits (service of process) and official government notices on the business’s behalf. Every state requires LLCs and corporations to keep one on record, with a physical street address in the state and someone available there during normal business hours. You can serve as your own registered agent for free if you meet those rules; commercial registered agent services charge a yearly fee, such as $149 a year with Mainstay Filing as of October 2026.
This guide covers what the role involves, the national rules, the pros and cons of acting as your own agent, and how to change agents. The state links below cover each state’s specific requirements.
Updated October 2026.
Go to:
Best Registered Agent Services of 2026
These are the registered agent services we recommend in 2026, ranked. Prices are as published in October 2026.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price (first year / renewal) | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Flat, predictable pricing in any state | $149 / $149 | Registered agent in all 50 states; switching from your current agent included (state change fee at cost). Annual report filing not included. |
| 2 | Northwest Registered Agent | Privacy and mail handling | $125 / $125 | Northwest’s address in place of yours, instant scanning of state and legal mail, up to 10 regular mail scans a year, annual report reminders. $100 per state at 5+ states. |
| 3 | Harbor Compliance | Multi-state companies that want compliance software | $99 / $159 | Entity Manager software, unlimited document storage, pre-filled forms. Prepaying 2 or 3 years keeps the $99 rate for that term. |
| 4 | Bizee (formerly Incfile) | Founders forming their LLC with Bizee | $149 ($0 in year one with a Bizee formation) / $149 | Text and email alerts for service of process, FedEx forwarding of legal papers, client portal, address privacy. |
| 5 | ZenBusiness | Owners already using ZenBusiness | $199 ($99 in year one when forming an LLC) / $199 | Monitoring of state notices, scans uploaded to your dashboard, email notifications. |
| 6 | LegalZoom | Owners who want legal services under one account | $249 / $249 (renewal rate subject to change) | Mail alerts, scanned documents, annual report reminders, unlimited cloud storage, switching paperwork with state fees covered. |
| 7 | CT Corporation | Larger companies and in-house legal teams | $436 (new-customer online price) / see site | Service-of-process handling team, online compliance platform, coverage in all 50 states, D.C. and internationally. |
See the full comparison, with details on each service: Best Registered Agent Services of 2026.
Registered agent basics at a glance
| Question | Short answer (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Who needs one? | LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits formed or registered in a state |
| Address rule | Physical street address in the state; P.O. boxes are not accepted |
| Availability | Someone must be at the address during normal business hours |
| Who can serve? | An adult resident of the state (often yourself) or a business entity authorized to act as agent there |
| Other names | Statutory agent (Ohio), resident agent (Maryland) |
| Cost | Free if you serve yourself; commercial services charge an annual fee |
| Is it public? | Yes, the agent’s name and address appear in the state’s business records |
What is a registered agent?
A registered agent is a business’s official point of contact with the state. When someone sues the company, the court papers are delivered to the registered agent. When the Secretary of State, the tax department or another agency sends a formal notice, it goes to the registered agent’s address on file. The agent’s job is to accept those documents during business hours and pass them to the company right away.
The requirement exists so that a business can always be found. Without a reliable address on record, the state and the courts would have no dependable way to notify the company of legal action or compliance problems.
What a registered agent receives
- Service of process: summonses, complaints and subpoenas in lawsuits
- State notices, such as annual report notices and good-standing warnings
- Tax correspondence from state revenue agencies
- Other official mail sent to the address on the public record
Who needs a registered agent?
Any business entity created by a state filing needs one: LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability partnerships and nonprofit corporations. You list the agent when you file your formation document, as covered in our how to start an LLC guide, and you must keep one for as long as the entity exists.
A company that registers to do business in additional states (a foreign registration) needs a registered agent in each of those states too. Sole proprietorships and general partnerships that never file formation documents do not need one. The how to start a business guide explains the differences between these structures.
What are the registered agent requirements?
The details are set by each state’s business laws, but the core rules line up across the country:
- Physical address in the state. A street address where documents can be handed over in person. P.O. boxes are not accepted, and some states also reject mail drops, virtual offices and shipping-store boxes.
- Business-hours availability. Someone has to be present at that address during normal business hours to receive deliveries.
- Eligible agent. An individual who is an adult resident of the state, or a business entity authorized to do business in the state.
- Consent. Many states require the agent to consent to the appointment, sometimes by signing the formation document.
Maryland is a good example of how specific the rules can be. The Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation requires an individual resident agent to be at least 18 and a Maryland resident, and the address cannot be a P.O. box. Maryland Business Express adds that a business cannot act as its own resident agent. Ohio uses the term statutory agent (Ohio Revised Code 1706.09) for the same role.
Can you be your own registered agent?
Yes, in every state, as long as you live in the state and have a street address there where you are reliably available during business hours. Many single-owner businesses start this way. The trade-offs:
| Acting as your own agent | Using a commercial registered agent |
|---|---|
| Free | Annual fee |
| Your home or office address goes on the public record | The agent’s address goes on the public record |
| You must be present during business hours, every business day | The service handles deliveries; you can travel or work elsewhere |
| A process server may deliver a lawsuit at your workplace or home | Legal papers go to the agent, not to your customers or family |
| You must live in the state | Works for out-of-state owners and multi-state companies |
| If you move, you must file a change with the state | The address stays the same if you move |
If you do not live in the state where you form or register the business, you need someone else: a person who lives there or a commercial registered agent.
How much does a registered agent cost?
Serving as your own registered agent costs nothing. A friend, relative or attorney may do it for free or for a fee. Commercial registered agent services charge a yearly subscription; for example, Mainstay Filing charges $149 a year as of October 2026. When comparing services, check the renewal price, not just the first-year price, and what is included in mail handling.
Changing agents usually involves a state filing fee as well. The amount depends on the state and the form, so check the state page linked below for the official fee.
What happens if you don’t keep a registered agent?
Letting the registered agent lapse puts the business at risk in two ways. First, the state can move the company out of good standing and eventually dissolve or revoke it administratively, which can end the liability protection the entity provides. Ohio law, for example, allows the Secretary of State to cancel an LLC that fails to maintain a statutory agent after giving notice.
Second, the company can miss a lawsuit. If no agent can be found, many states let the person suing deliver the papers through the Secretary of State instead. The case can then move forward, and the business may only learn about it when a default judgment is entered.
How do you change your registered agent?
- Choose the new agent and confirm they meet your state’s address and availability rules.
- File the state’s change of registered agent form, often called a statement of change or an amendment. Some states also let you change the agent on the annual report.
- Pay the state filing fee, if your state charges one.
- Keep the old agent in place until the state records the new one, so there is no gap in coverage.
- Update the agent in every state where the business is registered.
Registered agent requirements by state
Pick your state for its agent rules, the official form and fee to change agents, and our recommendation for that state.
Related guides and free tools
- How to start an LLC: the full formation process, step by step.
- How to start a business: structures, licenses, taxes and insurance.
- Business name search: check whether your business name is available in your state.
- Business name generator and the namechk domain and username checker: find a name and check matching domains and social handles.
FAQs about registered agents
What does a registered agent do?
A registered agent receives service of process, such as lawsuits and subpoenas, plus official notices from the state and tax agencies on behalf of a business. The agent must be available at a physical address in the state during normal business hours and must forward the documents to the company promptly. The agent’s name and address appear in the state’s public business records.
Do I need a registered agent for my LLC?
Yes. Every state requires an LLC to name a registered agent when it files its Articles of Organization and to keep one for as long as the LLC exists. The same applies to corporations, limited partnerships and LLPs. If the LLC registers in other states, it needs a registered agent in each of those states as well.
Can I be my own registered agent?
Yes, if you are an adult who lives in the state and you have a street address there where you are available during business hours. It is free, but your address becomes public, lawsuits can be delivered to you at work or home, and you must stay available every business day. Out-of-state owners need someone else to serve.
Can a registered agent use a P.O. box?
No. Every state requires a physical street address in the state where documents can be delivered in person. Some states go further and reject mail drops, virtual office addresses and shipping-store mailboxes. A commercial registered agent supplies a qualifying address if you do not have one or prefer not to list your own.
How much does a registered agent cost?
Acting as your own registered agent is free. Commercial registered agent services charge an annual fee; Mainstay Filing, for example, charges $149 a year and renews at $149 as of October 2026. Changing to a new agent can also involve a state filing fee, which varies by state, so check your state’s official fee schedule.
What is the difference between a registered agent, statutory agent and resident agent?
They are the same role under different names. Most states say registered agent, while Ohio uses statutory agent and Maryland uses resident agent. In each case the agent is the person or company designated in state records to accept service of process and official notices for the business at a physical address in the state.
What happens if my registered agent resigns or I forget to replace one?
The state can place your business out of good standing and may eventually dissolve or revoke it administratively. Lawsuits can also proceed without your knowledge, because many states allow service through the Secretary of State when no agent can be found. Appoint a new agent and file the change with the state as soon as possible.
CHK_ YOUR NAME RIGHT NOW
Use our engine to quickly check your content right now!
Disclosure: We may earn a commission from services recommended on this page.
