Yes, in most states you can use your Registered Agent’s address as your Business Address.
However, some states require you to provide the Secretary of State with additional information if you use your Registered Agent’s address in this way.
We’ll explain the benefits, and risks, of using your Registered Agent address as your business address so you can make the right choice for your business.
Note: Most states call your Business Address your “Principal Office Address“, so we’ll be using that term throughout this article.
Special offer: Hire Northwest to form your LLC ($39 + state fee), and you'll get a free year of Registered Agent service.
Only need RA service? Use this link instead ($125 per year).
(Learn why we recommend Northwest in our review)
What is a Registered Agent?
A Registered Agent is a person or businescals that agrees to accept state notices and legal documents on behalf of an LLC, then forward those documents onto the LLC.
Basically, your Registered Agent is your LLC’s point of contact in the state where it’s registered to do business.
The state and courts use your Registered Agent to communicate with your LLC.
And, the primary duty of a Registered Agent is to accept Service of Process (which is just the receiving of legal documents) from state agencies and the courts.
What is a Principal Office?
Your LLC’s Principal Office is the location of your LLC.
And, it is usually listed on your Articles of Organization.
Most states define your LLC’s Principal Office as the:
- office of the principal executive officer,
- location where business records are kept.
- headquarters, or
- location where major decisions are made.
However, these criteria were used to define the Principal Office before the internet existed.
Now, many LLCs:
- operate virtually,
- have no physical location (other than a Member’s home address), and
- store business records digitally.
To put it simply, the concept of the Principal Office has lost some of its meaning.
This is why many states now allow you to list your Registered Agent address as your Principal Office.
When should I use a Registered Agent address as my Principal Office?
You should use your Registered Agent address as your Principal Office are if you:
- want to keep your address off of public record, or
- don’t have a physical address to list as your Principal Office.
That said, you must get your Registered Agent’s consent to use their address.
If you want to list a Registered Agent address as your Principal Office, we recommend hiring Northwest Registered Agent.
Northwest practices privacy by default. They’ll let you use their address throughout your entire LLC filing to keep your address off of public record.
Special offer: Hire Northwest to form your LLC ($39 + state fee), and you'll get a free year of Registered Agent service.
Only need RA service? Use this link instead ($125 per year).
(Learn why we recommend Northwest in our review)
Can I use my Registered Agent address as my LLC’s Principal Office in all states?
No, not all states allow you to list your Registered Agent address as your Principal Office address.
That said, most states do allow it as long as you:
- provide the Secretary of State with accurate information, and
- have your Registered Agent’s consent to use their address.
However, if your LLC is in Indiana or Arkansas, the Secretary of State will ask you for additional contact information. This information is kept off of public record.
What are the benefits to using my Registered Agent address as my Principal Office?
The benefit to using your Registered Agent address as your Principal Office is privacy.
If you run your LLC out of your home and want to keep your home address off of public record, we recommend hiring a Registered Agent Service that allows you to use their address.
For example: Let’s say you have an Illinois LLC that sells custom cat portraits on Etsy. You run your LLC completely out of your home. On your Articles of Organization, you listed yourself as the sole member and as the Registered Agent.
This means that your home address is listed as:
-
- Principal Office,
- Registered Office (the Registered Agent address), and
- LLC Member address.
Now anyone who searches for your business can find your home address on the Illinois Secretary of State website, or by doing a simple Google search.
Even if you don’t mind your home address being on public record, it’s important to consider that it may appear on other websites.
Some websites download the records from Secretary of State websites and republish them. This can cause your address to quickly spread across the internet, and you’ll likely be sent large amounts of junk mail.
What are the risks of using my Registered Agent address as my Principal Office?
The risks associated with using your Registered Agent address as your Principal Office are minor, but they do exist.
Basically, you’re listing an address you don’t directly control, and this address can change without your consent.
If this happens, you’ll need to amend your address wherever it is listed.
For example: Let’s say you hired a Registered Agent Service when you were forming your LLC. On your Articles of Organization, you used your Registered Agent’s address as your Principal Office.
Your Registered Agent closes down and you have to hire a new Registered Agent.
Now, you’ll have to update the Secretary of State with your new Registered Agent’s information, and your new Principal Office address. Most states don’t let you do this in one single filing. Meaning, you’ll have to pay to file 2 different forms to update this information.
So long as you don’t routinely change Registered Agent Services (or they don’t move office locations frequently), this shouldn’t be a major issue.
Also, most states allow you to update your Principal Office address in your LLC Annual Report.
FAQs
What do I do if my business doesn’t have a physical address?
If your business doesn’t have a physical address, we recommend hiring Northwest Registered Agent ($125 per year).
Northwest will let you use their address throughout your entire LLC filing.
You can read more about why we think Northwest is the best Registered Agent Service in our Northwest Review.
How do I choose a Registered Agent Service?
When choosing a Registered Agent Service for your business, you’ll want to make sure that the services they provide meet the needs of your business.
You’ll also want to consider things like cost, payment schedule, and cancellation methods.
We recommend Northwest Registered Agent because they:
- allow you to use their address throughout your LLC paperwork,
- have excellent customer service, and
- are reasonably priced ($125 per year).
To help you make the best decision for your business, please read Best Registered Agent Services for Your LLC.
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.