A Registered Agent is a person or company who accepts legal documents and state notices on behalf of your LLC.
You have many options when appointing a Registered Agent for your LLC, such as hiring a Registered Agent Service, or being your own Registered Agent.
If you want to become the Registered Agent for your own LLC, the process is actually quite simple.
All you have to do is meet the state requirements. Then list your name and address in the Registered Agent fields of your LLC Articles of Organization.
Note: The Articles of Organization is the document that, once filed with the Secretary of State, officially creates your LLC.
Who can be a Registered Agent for an LLC?
In most states, you have 3 options for who can be Registered Agent for an LLC:
- you
- a friend or family member, or
- you can hire a Registered Agent Service (also called a Commercial Registered Agent)
In order to be a Registered Agent, you must meet the state Registered Agent requirements.
What are the Registered Agent requirements?
All Registered Agents are required to:
- be at least 18 years old.
- be a resident of the state where the LLC is located.
- have a physical address in that state (PO Boxes aren’t allowed).
- be present at that address during normal business hours in case Service of Process arrives.
You should also be comfortable with your address being on public record.
What is Service of Process for an LLC?
Service of Process for an LLC is the delivery of legal documents.
Examples of these types of documents include:
- notice of a lawsuit
- subpoena (a demand for documents or testimony)
- summons (requires your attendance at a hearing)
- complaint (the filing that starts a lawsuit)
- writ (requires or prohibits some action)
Service of Process can be delivered by certified mail, or in person.
And people who deliver Service of Process are called Process Servers.
If you meet the requirements, being your own Registered Agent is a great way to save money.
If you don’t meet the state requirements (or you don’t want your address on public record), you’ll need to hire a Registered Agent Service.
In this case, we recommend Northwest Registered Agent. They’ve been in business for over 20 years, and they have excellent customer service. They’ll also let you use their address throughout your Articles of Organization. This helps keep your address off public records.
Special offer: Hire Northwest to form your LLC ($39 + state fee), and you'll get a free year of Registered Agent service.
(Why is Northwest the best? Read our Northwest Registered Agent review)
Where do I list myself as the Registered Agent?
Every state requires an LLC to list a Registered Agent’s name and address in the LLC Articles of Organization. This information goes on public record, so that a Process Server, if needed, can serve your LLC.
To become the Registered Agent for your own LLC, you’ll simply list your name and address in the Registered Agent fields inside your Articles of Organization.
Note: Most states use the term “Registered Agent”, but some use the terms “Resident Agent”, “Statutory Agent”, or “Agent for Service of Process“. They all mean the same thing. And the Registered Agent’s address is sometimes called the Registered Office.
Once your Articles of Organization filing is approved by the state, you’re officially your LLC’s Registered Agent.
How to Become a Registered Agent FAQs
Should a Registered Agent be an Individual or a Business?
It doesn’t matter whether you choose a Registered Agent who is an individual, or one that is a business.
You can save money by choosing an individual (like you, a friend, or a family member) to be your Registered Agent.
However, that person must be a resident of the state where the LLC is formed, and they must be available at a street address there during normal business hours.
Are Registered Agents liable?
No, Registered Agents aren’t liable for any of the LLC’s lawsuits or debts.
Accepting documents on behalf of the LLC doesn’t bring Registered Agents into a lawsuit.
If you are the Registered Agent and someone sues your LLC, they are still only suing the business. The Registered Agent doesn’t get sued. That’s true even if you are the Registered Agent and the owner of the LLC.
And only the LLC gets sued – not you, as the individual owner. That’s because an LLC protects your personal assets.
Can a CPA be a Registered Agent for an LLC?
Yes, a CPA can be the Registered Agent for an LLC as long as they meet the state requirements.
That said, we don’t recommend hiring a CPA as your Registered Agent for a few reasons:
- Hiring a CPA as a Registered Agent can be expensive.
- Registered Agent services aren’t their specialty or top priority.
- Most CPAs only have offices in one to a handful of states
If you’d like to hire a Registered Agent, we recommend hiring a professional Registered Agent Service like Northwest Registered Agent.
Can a Lawyer Be a Registered Agent for an LLC?
Yes, a lawyer can be a Registered Agent for an LLC. That said, we don’t recommend it for a few reasons:
- Hiring a lawyer as a Registered Agent can be expensive.
- Registered Agent services aren’t their specialty or top priority.
- Most lawyers only practice law in one or a few states.
If you’d like to hire a Registered Agent, we recommend hiring a professional Registered Agent Service like Northwest. They operate throughout the entire United States, and Registered Agent Services are their specialty.
Special offer: Hire Northwest to form your LLC ($39 + state fee), and you'll get a free year of Registered Agent service.
(Why is Northwest the best? Read our Northwest Registered Agent review)
Can my spouse be the Registered Agent for my LLC?
Yes, your spouse can be the Registered Agent for your LLC, as long as they meet the state requirements.
That said, whether or not they’re your best option depends on a few factors – like whether your spouse is comfortable with their name and address being on public record.
It’s also important to know that listing your spouse as the Registered Agent doesn’t give them any rights to the LLC. To give them rights to the LLC, you’d need to make them an LLC Member (owner).
For more information, please read Can my spouse be my Registered Agent?
What are the pros and cons of being my own Registered Agent?
The main pro of being your own Registered Agent is saving money.
You’ll also receive state notices and any legal documents directly at your home or business address (instead of having to retrieve them from an online dashboard).
The cons include having your address on public record, and having to be at a set address during normal business hours in case Service of Process arrives.
Additionally, if you receive Service of Process at your own address, it could arrive in front of neighbors or clients, which can be embarrassing.
Can my LLC be its own Registered Agent?
No, most states don’t allow your LLC to be its own Registered Agent.
That said, once your LLC exists, it can be the Registered Agent for another one of your LLCs, or someone else’s LLC in that state. It just can’t be its own Registered Agent.
The exceptions to this rule are:
In these states, an LLC can be its own Registered Agent.
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.