What Is a Registered Agent, and Who Can Be One?

The agent accepts service of process — meaning lawsuits and legal notices — along with state correspondence like annual report reminders and tax notices, then forwards everything to the business. The role carries no management authority over the company; it's strictly about being a reliable point of contact the state and the public can count on.

An individual resident of the state who is at least 18 years old, or a business entity authorized to do business there, can serve. The agent must maintain a physical street address in the state — a home address qualifies — and be present during normal business hours. A P.O. box alone doesn't satisfy the requirement in any state.

Serving as your own registered agent costs nothing extra, but it puts your home or office address on the public record and requires you to be reliably present to accept documents during business hours. Commercial registered agent services, typically running $50 to $300 a year, provide a consistent address, privacy, and mail forwarding — which matters most for home-based businesses or owners who travel.

A change of registered agent is filed as a separate form with the same office that handles entity registration — often called a Statement of Change of Registered Agent — for a modest fee. It's required whenever the current agent resigns, moves out of state, or the business decides to switch to a different agent or service.

Can I be my own registered agent?

Yes, as long as you have a physical street address in the state of registration and can be available during normal business hours to accept documents — many single-member LLC owners start out this way.

What happens if my registered agent can't be reached?

Missed service of process can result in a default judgment against the business, and the state can eventually revoke the entity's good standing or administratively dissolve it for failing to maintain a valid registered agent.

Does every state require a registered agent?

Yes — it's a universal requirement for LLCs, corporations, and most other registered entity types in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., though the exact title (registered agent, resident agent, statutory agent) varies.

Is my registered agent's address public information?

Yes — the registered agent's name and address are part of the entity's public filing record, viewable through the state's business entity search, which is one of the main reasons owners who work from home often choose a commercial registered agent service instead.