A Registered Agent and an Incorporator are two different roles.
One forms a Corporation.
The other receives legal mail (called “Service of Process”) on behalf of a Corporation.
Note: While someone can be both the Incorporator and the Registered Agent, these are two distinct roles. Becoming one doesn’t automatically make someone the other.
You may have seen the words “business to serve as RA” in the Florida LLC filing.
In the online filing for your Florida Articles of Organization (called Sunbiz), you’ll find the following section for “Name and Address of Registered Agent”.
A Registered Agent is a person or company who agrees to accept legal mail or state notices on behalf of your LLC. If you hired a Registered Agent, you’ll put their name in the field marked “business to serve as RA”.
A Registered Agent is a person or company who agrees to accept legal mail and state notices on behalf of your Corporation.
You can think of a Registered Agent as a “receiver” and “forwarder” of important documents on behalf of a business, like a Corporation or an LLC.
Note: A Registered Agent is also known as a Statutory Agent, Resident Agent, or Agent for Service of Process. Some states use different terms, however they all mean the same thing.
No, you don’t need a Registered Agent for a Sole Proprietorship (aka Sole Prop).
While formal business entities (like an LLC) are required to have a Registered Agent, informal business entities (like Sole Proprietorships) aren’t required to have one.
A Registered Agent is a person or company who agrees to accept legal mail and state notices on behalf of your Non-Profit Corporation.
Note: A Registered Agent is also known as a Statutory Agent, Resident Agent, or Agent for Service of Process. Some states use different terms, however they all mean the same thing.
Non-Profits are required to have and maintain a Registered Agent for as long as the Non-Profit exists.
Yes, an LLC taxed as an S-Corp needs a Registered Agent.
Some people refer to their LLC as being an S-Corp, but this is incorrect.
An LLC is a formal business entity (a business that has to be registered with the state).
Despite having the term “Corporation” in the name, an S-Corp isn’t a business entity.
Instead, an S-Corp is a way that a business can choose to be taxed (called a tax election or a tax treatment).
Simply put, the reason you need a Registered Agent for your LLC is that it’s required by state law.
The longer answer is that Registered Agents are an important part of how our legal system works, and they provide a reliable point of contact for legal matters.
We’ll explain a Registered Agent’s role and why your LLC is required to have one.
An Agent for Service of Process is a person or company who receives legal documents and notices from the state for an LLC.
Said another way, an Agent for Service of Process is a receiver and forwarder of documents.
If your business gets involved in a lawsuit, an Agent for Service of Process will accept legal mail (called “Service of Process”) for your LLC. Then they will send you the documents, so you can follow the court’s instructions and decide if you want to hire an attorney.
A Resident Agent is a person or company who receives legal documents and notices from the state for an LLC.
Said another way, a Resident Agent is a receiver and forwarder of documents.
If your business gets involved in a lawsuit, a Resident Agent will accept legal mail (called “Service of Process”) for your LLC. Then they will send you the documents, so you can follow the court’s instructions and decide if you want to hire an attorney.
A Statutory Agent is a person or company who receives legal documents and notices from the state for an LLC.
Said another way, a Statutory Agent is a receiver and forwarder of documents.
If your business gets involved in a lawsuit, a Statutory Agent will accept legal mail (called “Service of Process”) for your LLC. Then they will send you the documents, so you can follow the court’s instructions and decide if you want to hire an attorney.
