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What is a Colorado Registered Agent?
A Colorado Registered Agent is a person or company who agrees to accept legal documents delivered to your business. These documents include notices, summons, and complaints – anything related to a lawsuit.
This is known as receiving Service of Process.
The requirements to be a Registered Agent are:
- Must have a street address in Colorado (P.O. boxes are not allowed)
- Must be available during normal business hours
- Must be willing to accept documents on behalf of the business
- Individuals must be 18 years of age or older
Colorado law requires legal entities (LLCs and Corporations) to have a Registered Agent listed when they file their Articles of Organization/Articles of Incorporation.
Most Websites Hide the Truth
Most websites start with a definition of what a Registered Agent is and end with a sales pitch.
They use scary language like “Your LLC is required by law to list a Registered Agent”… and they don’t say anything else.
Of course it’s the law, but any person, or company, can be your Registered Agent (as long as they have a street address in Colorado).
These websites won’t tell you this fact because they make more money if THEY are your Registered Agent.
Even worse, a lot of incorporation websites force you into hiring them when you form your business. If you look at their pricing page, using them as your Registered Agent is checked off by default and there is no option to uncheck it.
Even worse still, if you look at the fine print (at the bottom of the checkout page), this forced fee is automatically charged to your credit card every year.
They won’t tell you that you don’t have to spend anything on a Registered Agent.
They won’t tell you that you have 3 other options in Colorado (aside from them).
But, we will.
You Have 4 Registered Agent Options in Colorado
If you have a street address in Colorado, your options for a Registered Agent are:
- you can be the Registered Agent for your business
- your LLC can be its own Registered Agent
If you don’t have a street address in Colorado, we recommend using a friend or family member (#3) who does have a street address in Colorado.
If you, or your friends and family don’t have a street address in Colorado (or do have an address and would prefer privacy), then you’ll need to hire a Commercial Registered Agent (#4).
Commercial Registered Agent
If you want to hire a Commercial Registered Agent, we recommend Northwest Registered Agent ($125 per year).
They’ve been in the business for 20 years and have excellent customer support.
Conclusion
Decide if you (or a friend or family member) will be the Registered Agent for your Colorado business.
If not, then hire a Commercial Registered Agent.
If you need to form an LLC in Colorado, watch our free video lessons.
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.
If I currently have a registered agent, but want to switch to be my own with a Colorado address.
What steps do I take?
Thank you,
Jean
Hi Jean, you can do so by filing a “Statement of Change Changing the Registered Agent Information“. The filing is done online at the Colorado Secretary of State’s website. Here are the steps:
1. Go to Colorado Secretary of State: Business Database Search
2. Search your LLC name and click on its ID Number.
3. Click “File a form”.
4. Click “Statement of Change”.
5. Click “Statement of Change Changing the Registered Agent Information”.
Hope that helps!
Hi Matt, Thanks for the great and easy to follow info videos! I’m planning on starting a home business so I would be using the same address for the business as well as the registered agent. Should I have my wife or myself as the registered agent? I would be the only person on the LLC.
You’re welcome Vincent :) You can pick either one. Alternatively, your LLC can be its own Registered Agent or you can hire a Commercial Registered Agent.