Written & reviewed by NotALawyer Review AI · Updated June 26, 2026
A registered agent is the person or company your business officially names to receive legal documents — like a lawsuit or a notice from the state — on its behalf. Every LLC and corporation has to list one when it forms, and the agent must be a real person or service with a physical street address in the state where you registered, available during normal business hours. You can be your own agent, name a co-owner, or hire a paid service.
The registered agent is the official inbox for 'service of process' — the court papers you get if your business is sued — plus state notices like annual-report reminders and tax letters. The whole point is that the state and the courts always have a reliable place to reach your business.
Agents need a street address in the state of formation and someone available during business hours to sign for documents, so a P.O. box won't qualify. If you register your LLC in more than one state, you'll generally need an agent in each.
Naming yourself is free, but your address becomes part of the public record and you have to be reliably available during the day. For a business run out of your home, or an owner who travels, that can mean missing a lawsuit notice — which can lead to a default judgment you never saw coming.
Commercial registered-agent services typically charge a yearly fee to give you a stable address, scan your mail, and forward documents. People often use one to keep a home address off public filings, or because they don't keep fixed office hours.
Say you form a single-member LLC for a weekend catering side business and list yourself as agent at your apartment. If you move and forget to update the state, official mail — including a lawsuit — could go to the old address. Keeping your agent information current is part of staying in good standing.
More on this topic: the Small Business hub
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