A registered agent is an individual or company that receives service of process (legal documents and government notices), forwards these to your business, and notifies you of upcoming compliance deadlines.
You can appoint yourself, another employee, or a professional service to be your registered agent. You’ll need to decide which is right for you and your business.
What is a registered agent?
A registered agent is a person or company that receives service of process (legal documents and government notices) on behalf of a business, like an LLC or corporation. It’s a state requirement that businesses have a registered agent and regularly update their information.
Many business owners choose to appoint themselves or someone else within the company to act as their registered agent. However, that role comes with extra responsibilities and can be time-consuming.
Alternatively, some business owners decide to hire a registered agent service or lawyer to handle this function for them.
The registered agent’s job is to receive legal, tax and other official mail for your company, forward it to your business address and notify you of any deadlines or actions you need to take. This ensures that important paperwork doesn’t slip through the cracks.
Why do I need a registered agent?
A registered agent is someone or a company that receives legal documents on behalf of your business, such as court papers, tax notices, and government correspondence. This ensures your company receives timely notifications about pending deadlines and action steps you need to take.
All businesses that are formal entities like corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and partnerships must designate a registered agent during incorporation or business registration. However, sole proprietorships and general partnerships are not required to have a registered agent.
If you are a small business owner, having a registered agent can save you time and help prevent a lot of junk mail from getting in the way of your business. Also, if you have multiple states that you do business in, having a service act as your agent for all of them will avoid a lot of hassle.
The choice of your registered agent is one of the earliest and most important decisions you can make for your business. It can have an impact on your company’s reputation, your ability to do business in the future, and even how much money you can make.
How do I find a registered agent?
Choosing a registered agent is one of the most important decisions you will make. This is because your agent is responsible for ensuring that your business doesn’t miss critical paperwork like lawsuits, tax notices, and other legal documents.
You can choose to hire an individual or a professional service to act as your agent. Either way, you’ll need to provide your agent with a business address and be available during regular business hours so they can receive incoming mail and accept the service of process.
It is also recommended that you hire an agent who has been in business for a while and has long-standing relationships with the administrators at the secretary of state’s office. This will ensure that filings are completed quickly and issues are resolved efficiently.
How much does a registered agent cost?
If you have an LLC, corporation or nonprofit in New York, you need a registered agent to accept official documents from the state (service of process and official mail). They need to be available during normal business hours.
Typically, registered agent services cost $99-$300 per year or more. Some companies offer a lower introductory rate for the first year and others bundle registered agent service with other filing and business formation services.
IncFile: If you’re looking for a simple, affordable solution for your registered agent needs, IncFile is a great option. Their free business formation package includes a year of registered agent service and an online dashboard to check and retrieve your legal documents.
Northwest Registered Agent: With Northwest, you get personalized customer support from people who have real expertise in small business. They’re US-based former accountants, lawyers and entrepreneurs.
Whether you’re starting a new business or are an existing one with complex legal issues, Northwest Registered Agent is the best choice for New York registered agent services. Their team will walk you through the process and resolve any issues.
A registered agent is an individual or company that receives service of process, legal documents and government notices on behalf of a business. Typically, this person or company has a physical address in the state where you're registered to do business.
Choosing a registered agent is one of the first decisions that you will make as a business owner. You can either appoint yourself, another person in the company or a third party.
What is a registered agent?
A registered agent is an individual or business entity that you designate to receive legal and tax documents on your behalf. They also serve as a point of contact for the government and provide timely notifications about deadlines or actions that you need to take.
Typically, a registered agent is appointed upon the formation or qualification of a company and can be changed at any time. A company’s appointed registered agent may be a professional service, you, or someone within the company.
Many small businesses hire a registered agent service for multiple reasons. One reason is convenience: They’ll be there every day during standard business hours to accept your legal, tax and government documents.
Another reason is privacy: If you work from home or a separate office, receiving important documents in front of your customers and employees can be uncomfortable and embarrassing. Using a service can eliminate these problems.
Why do I need a registered agent?
Every state requires businesses, especially corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), and limited partnerships (LPs) to appoint a registered agent. The agent is responsible for receiving legal papers and official notices on behalf of the business.
The right registered agent is a reliable partner that can help you keep up with important filings, including annual reports and tax obligations. They also have tools to monitor compliance-related documents and alert you of any changes in your status.
A reliable agent also helps protect your company’s good standing, and the right to defend yourself in a lawsuit. If your company does not have a registered agent, you could lose your business’s status and incur fines or penalties.
It’s best to appoint a professional registered agent when you start a new business or when registering an existing one. This is so you can avoid missing critical filings and potentially ending up in a costly litigation dispute.
How do I find a registered agent?
A registered agent is an individual or company that you designate to receive legal documents on behalf of your business entity, such as a corporation or LLC. These legal documents can include government correspondence, tax notices, and subpoenas.
They are responsible for ensuring your legal documents get delivered to you on time and in the same manner that they would be served in person if you were personally being sued. This is important because if your registered agent is unreliable, you could lose your lawsuit.
This is why it is a good idea to hire a professional registered agent service. These services have been trained and specialized in the area of receiving and delivering time-sensitive documents, so you can rest assured that your filings will be filed on time.
My top pick is Northwest Registered Agent, which meets all your legal requirements and then goes above and beyond to help you file reports on time and worry-free. They also have a great US-based customer support team that is patient and helpful.
What are the benefits of having a registered agent?
Having a registered agent is an essential business compliance requirement that few small businesses forget. It is especially important if your company does business in more than one state.
The main benefit of having a registered agent is that it helps you stay on top of important paperwork and deadlines. Most legal services and registered agents will create a compliance calendar for you, noting all the government filings and deadlines that your company needs to meet.
Many companies also offer a nationwide service, which can help you avoid having to hire a new registered agent in every state your company does business in.
Another benefit of having a registered agent is that they can protect your privacy. Unlike your home address, which goes into the public record, a registered agent’s name and address are not part of that information. This protects you from receiving unwanted junk mail or spam.
