What is a Registered Agent?
A registered agent is the official point of contact for your business — required by every US state.
A registered agent is a person or company you appoint to receive legal documents and government mail on your business's behalf. Every US state requires one for LLCs and Corporations.
What does a registered agent do?
Four core responsibilities, in plain English.
Receive service of process
If your business is sued, the lawsuit is delivered to your registered agent — not to your home or office.
Receive state and federal correspondence
Annual report reminders, tax notices, franchise fee bills, and compliance letters all flow through your agent.
Forward documents promptly
Time-sensitive filings often have short response windows. Your agent must notify you the moment something arrives.
Maintain a physical in-state address
PO boxes don't qualify. The agent must be reachable at a street address during normal business hours.
Who can be your registered agent?
Three options — each with trade-offs.
Yourself
Free, but your home address goes on the public record and you must be available 9-to-5 every weekday at a physical address in the state of registration.
A friend or family member
Same physical-address and availability requirements apply to whoever you appoint — and now their address is public, too.
A professional service
Someone whose entire job is being available, scanning documents, and notifying you instantly. Your home address stays private.
Why most founders use a service
Acting as your own registered agent sounds free — until it isn't.
Privacy
Your home address never appears on public state filings, marketing lists, or process servers' databases.
Always available
Travel, vacation, or a back-to-back meeting day won't cause you to miss a service of process and lose a default judgment.
Multi-state coverage
Operating in more than one state? You need a registered agent in each. A service gives you nationwide coverage from one provider.
Instant digital notifications
Documents are scanned and pushed to you the moment they arrive — no waiting on the postal service to forward mail.
What if you don't have one?
Your business loses good standing
- The state can administratively dissolve your LLC or Corporation.
- You lose limited liability protection — your personal assets become exposed.
- Lawsuits can result in default judgments because you weren't served.
- Banks and contracts often require a Certificate of Good Standing — which you can't get.
We'll be your registered agent.
Nationwide coverage in all 50 states. We scan every document, notify you instantly, and keep your address off the public record — all included with your entity.