Every Alabama LLC and corporation must keep a registered agent: a person or business with a physical street address in Alabama that accepts lawsuits and official state notices for the company. You can name yourself if you have an Alabama street address and can be reached there, or hire a commercial service. Changing agents later costs $100 in state fees, per the Alabama Secretary of State’s fee schedule as of October 2026.
Our recommendation for most owners is Mainstay Filing, which charges $149 a year for registered agent service in Alabama. The sections below cover the legal rules, the real cost of switching, and how to file the change.
Updated October 2026.
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Best Registered Agents in Alabama (2026)
Here are our top picks for registered agent service in Alabama, ranked. Mainstay Filing comes first for its flat yearly price; the two Alabama registered agent services below it are options if you only need an agent.
| Rank | Provider | Best for | Price | What’s included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | Registered agent service with a flat renewal price | $149/year (renews at $149) | Registered agent service in all 50 states; switching from another agent included (state change fee at cost) |
| 2 | AL Registered Agent.org | Alabama registered agent service only | $99/year | $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
| 3 | Alabama Registered Agent.co | Alabama registered agent service only | $99/year | in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online |
1. Mainstay Filing
Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Alabama. It costs $149/year (renews at $149) and covers registered agent service in all 50 states; switching from another agent included (state change fee at cost). The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.
2. AL Registered Agent.org
AL Registered Agent.org is a Alabama registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
3. Alabama Registered Agent.co
Alabama Registered Agent.co is a Alabama registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.
Alabama registered agent at a glance
| Item | Alabama rule or fee (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Who can serve | An Alabama resident, or a domestic or registered foreign entity, with a business office at the registered office |
| Address rule | Physical Alabama street address; no P.O. boxes for the registered office |
| Fee to change agent or office | $100 (SOS fee schedule) |
| Fee for an agent to resign | No fee |
| LLC Certificate of Formation | $200 state fee |
| Name reservation | Required before formation; $25 by mail, $28 online |
| Annual filing | No SOS annual report for LLCs; business privilege tax return with the Alabama Department of Revenue |
| Filing office | Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities Division (online services) |
Fees come from the Alabama Secretary of State’s Business Entities Division fee schedule and current forms. Check the form you download before you pay, since the office updates PDFs from time to time.
What does a registered agent do for an Alabama business?
A registered agent is the official point of contact the state and the courts use to reach your company. When someone sues an Alabama LLC, the summons and complaint (called service of process) go to the agent at the registered office on file with the Secretary of State. The agent’s job is to accept those papers and get them to the owners quickly.
The same address also receives official notices, such as correspondence from the Secretary of State. Because a missed lawsuit can lead to a default judgment, the agent role matters more than its low price suggests.
The registered office is a matter of public record. Anyone who looks up your company in the Secretary of State’s business entity search can see the agent’s name and street address, which is one reason many home-based owners prefer not to list their own house.
What are Alabama’s registered agent requirements?
Ala. Code § 10A-1-5.31 requires domestic and registered foreign entities to designate and maintain a registered agent and registered office. The agent can be an individual who resides in Alabama, or a domestic entity or foreign entity registered to do business in Alabama, and the agent’s business office must be at the same address as the registered office. That office must be a street address where papers can be personally served on the agent, and it cannot be just a mailbox service or telephone answering service. The Secretary of State’s Change of Registered Agent or Registered Office by Entity form adds the practical rules:
- The agent must be located in Alabama. The form asks for a new agent who is located in the state.
- Street address only. The registered office needs an Alabama street address, and P.O. boxes are not accepted. A separate mailing address may be listed.
- Same address for agent and office. The entity certifies that the registered office street address and the agent’s business street address are the same and located in Alabama.
- Written consent. A new agent must sign the consent to appointment before the filing is submitted.
The agent can be an individual (including an owner or member of the company) or a business entity such as a commercial registered agent company. In practice, whoever you appoint should be reliably present at that address during normal business hours, because a process server can arrive on any working day.
Can you be your own registered agent in Alabama?
Yes. An owner, member, officer or employee can act as the company’s agent as long as that person has an Alabama street address to list as the registered office. Out-of-state owners cannot do this themselves and need an in-state individual or a commercial agent.
Advantages of serving as your own agent
- No annual service fee.
- Legal papers reach you directly, without a third party in the middle.
- Works well for an owner who runs the business from a staffed Alabama storefront or office.
Drawbacks to weigh
- Your street address becomes part of the public business record.
- You need to be reachable at that address on business days, which is hard if you travel, work job sites or move.
- A process server may arrive at your shop or home in front of customers or family.
- If you move, you have to file a $100 change with the Secretary of State to keep the record current.
That last point is easy to overlook. An owner who lists a home address and then relocates pays the same $100 state fee as someone switching to a professional service, so it can make sense to start with a commercial agent whose address will not change.
How much does it cost to change a registered agent in Alabama?
The Alabama Secretary of State charges $100 for agent changes, according to the Business Entities Division fee schedule (as of October 2026). The same $100 appears on the current Change of Registered Agent or Registered Office by Entity form. One filing covers a change of agent, a change of office address, or both.
| Filing | Who files | State fee |
|---|---|---|
| Change of Registered Agent or Registered Office by Entity | The company | $100 |
| Change by Current Agent (agent’s name or office address) | The agent | $100 (agent change fee) |
| Registered Agent Resignation Notice | The agent | No fee |
If you pay by card through the state’s online services, a convenience fee may be added; the form notes these are generally 2% to 5% of the total. A dishonored check carries a separate $30 fee.
How do you change your registered agent in Alabama?
- Pick the new agent and confirm they have an Alabama street address. If you use a commercial service, have them confirm the exact address and name to list.
- Find your Alabama entity ID number (format 000-000) through the Secretary of State’s business entity search. The form requires it, and you need a separate form for each entity ID.
- Complete the Change of Registered Agent or Registered Office by Entity form. List the current agent and office for verification, then the new agent and new street address.
- Get the new agent’s signature on the consent to appointment, and sign as an authorized person for the entity.
- Submit with the $100 fee. The form can be mailed to the Secretary of State or emailed to the address printed on it, with card, check or prepaid-account payment details.
- Keep the stamped copy and update your own records, operating agreement and bank contacts with the new agent’s details.
Commercial agents usually handle this paperwork for new clients. Mainstay Filing, for example, includes the switch from your current agent in its Alabama registered agent service, with only the $100 state fee passed through at cost. You can find every Alabama agent form on the Secretary of State’s business downloads page.
What else should Alabama business owners know?
Alabama requires a certificate of name reservation before you file a Certificate of Formation, according to the Secretary of State’s LLC page. Before you reserve, check the name in the state database with our Alabama business name search guide, and use the business name generator if you are still choosing one.
Alabama has no Secretary of State annual report for LLCs. The recurring filing is the business privilege tax return (Form PPT for LLCs) with the Alabama Department of Revenue, due the same day as the federal income tax return, which is April 15 for calendar-year companies. The tax is based on net worth in Alabama, with a maximum of $15,000 for most entities, per ALDOR. Under Act 2022-252, for tax years beginning after December 31, 2023, an LLC whose calculated tax is $100 or less does not have to file. Corporations also pay a $10 Secretary of State annual report fee with their return.
For the full formation sequence, see how to start an LLC in Alabama, or our broader guide to starting a business in Alabama.
FAQs
Is a registered agent required in Alabama?
Yes. Alabama LLCs, corporations and other registered entities must keep a registered agent and registered office on file with the Secretary of State. Foreign entities registered to do business in Alabama need one too. The agent must be located in Alabama, and the registered office must be a physical street address rather than a P.O. box.
How much does it cost to change a registered agent in Alabama?
The Alabama Secretary of State charges $100 to change a registered agent or registered office, according to its Business Entities Division fee schedule as of October 2026. The fee is the same whether you change the agent, the office address or both on one form. Card payments through online services can add a small convenience fee.
Can I be my own registered agent in Alabama?
Yes, if you have an Alabama street address and can be reached there during business hours. Your address then appears in the public business record. Owners who live outside Alabama, travel often or want to keep their home address private usually appoint a commercial registered agent instead.
Can I use a P.O. box as my Alabama registered office?
No. The Secretary of State’s forms require a street address in Alabama for the registered office and state that P.O. boxes are not accepted. You can list a separate mailing address, but the physical office must be a real location where the agent can receive legal papers.
How does a registered agent resign in Alabama?
The agent files a Registered Agent Resignation Notice with the Alabama Secretary of State. The fee schedule lists no fee for an agent resignation. After an agent resigns, the company should appoint a replacement promptly by filing the $100 change form, so it is never left without an agent on record.
Does an Alabama sole proprietorship need a registered agent?
No. A sole proprietorship that has not formed an entity with the Secretary of State has no registered agent requirement. The obligation applies to entities created or registered through the state, such as LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships and registered foreign companies.
What is the best registered agent in Alabama?
Our recommendation is Mainstay Filing, at $149 a year with the same renewal price and agent switching included. Another option is AL Registered Agent.org at a flat $99 per year. Either way, confirm the agent has an Alabama street address and a reliable way to deliver scanned documents.
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