Can my LLC be its own Registered Agent?

It depends on where your LLC is located.

Generally speaking, once your LLC exists, you can list it as the Registered Agent for another LLC that you own, or for someone else’s LLC in that state.

However, most states don’t allow your LLC to be its own Registered Agent.

The exceptions to this rule are:

• Colorado
• Delaware
• Kansas
• Nevada
• Oklahoma
• Tennessee

In these states, an LLC can be its own Registered Agent.

We’ll explain the requirements and risks, as well as how to list your LLC as its own Registered Agent in the states where it is allowed.

What are the requirements for my LLC to be its own Registered Agent?

The requirements for your LLC to be its own Registered Agent are simple:

• You just need to have a physical address in the state.
• And you should be comfortable with your address being on public record.

State law requires that all Registered Agents have a physical address in the state where the LLC is located. PO Boxes aren’t allowed.

This is to make sure that state notices and legal documents can easily be delivered to all businesses in the state.

Additionally, the Registered Agent’s name and address are made public record with the Secretary of State.

Companies can use public records to send you junk mail, or post your address online.

If you aren’t bothered by your address being made public, listing your LLC as its own Registered Agent is a great way to save money.

However, if you’d like to avoid your address being made public, you’ll need to hire a Registered Agent Service.

We recommend Northwest Registered Agent. Northwest has been in business for over twenty years and has excellent customer service. They’ll also let you use their address throughout your Articles of Organization so you can keep your address off of public record.

If you hire Northwest to form your LLC, they’ll give you a year of free Registered Agent Service.

Are there any risks of my LLC being its own Registered Agent?

There are a few risks of your LLC being its own Registered Agent:

• You could miss the delivery of important documents.
• You could be served in front of people you know.
• Your address can be targeted by marketers.

That said, these risks are minor, or aren’t very likely to occur.

You could miss the delivery of important documents

Registered Agents are expected to be available at their listed address during normal business hours (Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm).

If you aren’t at the address listed for your Registered Agent during these times (or you don’t check your mail), you might miss an important state notice or legal document.

If you miss an important state notice, your LLC can lose its Good Standing status and be “shut down” (administratively dissolved) by the Secretary of State.

And while state notices are mailed to the Registered Agent, legal documents are often hand-delivered by a Process Server.

If you miss a legal document (such as a court order), you could miss a court date. This means a judge could rule against your LLC even if you aren’t there. This is called a default judgment.

You could be served in front of people you know

Since a Registered Agent’s job is to sign for important legal documents, this means you could be served in front of your neighbors and clients, which can be embarrassing.

Your address can be targeted by marketers

If you run your business out of your home, listing your LLC as its own Registered Agent means that your home address will be public record.

Being on public record means that your address may be targeted by marketers, leading to large amounts of junk mail.

For many people this is more of an annoyance than a risk. That said, if you’re throwing away large amounts of junk mail, it’s easy to toss out an important document by mistake.

How do I list my LLC as its own Registered Agent?

Again, most states don’t allow you to list your LLC as its own Registered Agent.

In the 6 states that do allow it, you’ll usually list your LLC and its address in the Registered Agent fields within your Articles of Organization.

That said, there are some exceptions. We’ll explain the process for each of the states that allow you to list your LLC as its own Registered Agent.

Colorado

When listing your LLC as its own Registered Agent, Colorado requires that the LLC already exists, and is in Good Standing.

And Colorado’s online system automatically checks the state’s business database to confirm that your LLC meets these criteria.

This means that in order to make your LLC its own Registered Agent in Colorado, you have to first list a different Registered Agent on your Colorado LLC Articles of Organization.

Then, once your Articles of Organization is approved, you can make your LLC its own Registered Agent by filing a Statement of Change Changing the Registered Agent Information. This form can only be filed online.

When choosing a different Registered Agent to list on your Articles of Organization, you have several options:

• you
• a friend or family member
• hiring a Registered Agent Service

Delaware

In Delaware, you’ll list your LLC’s name and address in the Registered Agent and Registered Office fields on your Certificate of Formation.

Then you’ll just sign, scan, and upload your filing to the Secretary of State’s online system.

Note: The Registered Office is the official name for your LLC’s Registered Agent address. And Delaware calls the Articles of Organization a Certificate of Formation instead.

You can follow our step-by-step instructions to complete your Delaware LLC Certificate of Formation.

Kansas

In Kansas, you’ll list your LLC’s name and address in the Resident Agent and Registered Office fields in your Articles of Organization.

To make your Kansas LLC its own Registered Agent:

• Go to the Registered Agent section of your Articles of Organization.
• Select “The business entity you are currently forming” from the drop down.
• Then click “Continue“.
• On the next page, click “Continue” again.

Then continue with your Articles of Organization filing as normal. You can follow our step-by-step instructions to complete your Kansas LLC Articles of Organization.

Nevada

If your LLC will serve as its own Registered Agent in Nevada, you have to do a “fake search” inside of your Articles of Organization filing, and then enter the contact information.

Here’s how to do it:

• Go to the Registered Agent section of your Articles of Organization.
• Enter your LLC name and click “Search“.
• Then click “My Registered Agent not found“.
• Enter the LLC’s name, and select “Noncommercial Registered Agent“.
• Enter the street address in Nevada.
• If your LLC has a mailing address different from their street address, select the box at the bottom and enter it. If not, leave the box unchecked.

Then continue with your Articles of Organization filing as normal. You can follow our step-by-step instructions to complete your Nevada LLC Articles of Organization.

Oklahoma

In Oklahoma, you’ll list your LLC’s name and address in the Registered Agent section of the Articles of Organization.

To make your Oklahoma LLC its own Registered Agent:

• Go to the Registered Agent section of your Articles of Organization.
• Select “Business” under “Type of Agent“.
• Enter your LLC’s name in the field labeled “Business Name” inside of the Agent Name section.
• Enter your street address in the field labeled “Registered Office Address“.

Then continue with your Articles of Organization filing as normal. You can follow our step-by-step instructions to complete your Oklahoma LLC Articles of Organization.

Tennessee

The Tennessee Articles of Organization filing explicitly asks whether your LLC will be its own Registered Agent.

To make your Tennessee LLC its own Registered Agent:

• Go to the Registered Agent section of your Articles of Organization
• Check “Yes” under “Will this entity be its own Registered Agent?“
• Enter your LLC’s address.
• Enter your email address.

Then continue with your Articles of Organization filing as normal. You can follow our step-by-step instructions to complete your Tennessee LLC Articles of Organization.

Should I list my LLC as the Registered Agent?

It depends.

As long as you meet the state requirements, listing your LLC as the Registered Agent can save you money.

However, you might not want to list your LLC as the Registered Agent if you:

• can’t be at a set address during normal business hours,
• don’t check your mail very often,
• travel a lot, or
• work in a heavily regulated industry where you’re more likely to be sued.

In that case, we recommend hiring a Registered Agent Service.

FAQs

Matt Horwitz

Founder & Educator, LLC University®

Matt Horwitz is the leading expert on LLC education, and has been teaching for 15 years. He founded LLC University in 2010 after realizing people needed simple and actionable instructions to start an LLC. He's cited by Entrepreneur Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and the US Chamber of Commerce, and was featured by CNBC and InventRight.
 
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.