Registered Agent Services
Trust doola to safeguard your business with reliable registered agent services in all 50 U.S. states and territories.
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What is a Registered Agent?
A registered agent is a person or company designated to receive service of process and official mail on behalf of your business. Registered agents are also known as statutory agents, resident agents, and agents for service of process.
Each state requires registered business entities (such as an LLC, a corporation, or a nonprofit) to appoint a registered agent on their formation documents. These formation documents (often called “articles of organization” or “articles of incorporation”) are filed with the state. The information listed in the formation documents becomes public record.
doola is your trusted partner for
Registered Agent Services
⚡️ Immediate online access
Upon registration, you will promptly receive a secure account featuring:
- Automatically populated state forms
- Timely notifications for annual reports
- Storage of all scanned documents
- Convenient entry to our comprehensive range of business solutions
🌍 Trusted by professionals globally
Discover the reasons behind the preference for doola among experts:
- Consistent annual pricing
- Local document scans within the same day
- Complimentary mail forwarding
- Inherent emphasis on privacy protection
- Enduring assistance from our global success team
We have the right solution
for your needs
CT Corporation | ||
---|---|---|
Registered Agent and Incorporation Filing | $297 +State Fees |
$788 +State Fees |
Registered Agent and Foreign Qualification Filing | $297 +State Fees |
$808 +State Fees |
Registered Agent and Incorporation Filing and Foreign Qualification Filing | $594+State Fees |
$1259 +State Fees |
Can I be my own Registered Agent?
Yes, it is permissible for individuals and businesses to serve as their own company’s registered agent in all states. In fact, anyone who fulfills a state’s prerequisites for a registered agent can assume this role. Some states even permit a corporation or LLC to act as its own registered agent.
However, the key consideration revolves around whether it’s advisable to fulfill this role yourself. Registered agents bear significant responsibilities that can profoundly affect your business. If you’re unable to consistently receive legal notifications in person at the officially designated address, it’s not recommended to undertake the role of your own registered agent. Opting to use your own name and home address might entail sacrificing a portion of your personal privacy, as registered agent details become part of the publicly accessible records.
Who can be a Registered Agent?
State regulations typically necessitate registered agents to satisfy the subsequent criteria:
Physical Location: Registered agents are required to possess a tangible address within the state, enabling them to receive and acknowledge service of legal documents, often denoted as their “registered office.”
Domicile: Generally, registered agents must either be residents of the state where they are designated as agents or must be businesses that have received authorization to offer registered agent services in that state. Businesses delivering such services are obligated to uphold a physical address within the state.
Availability: Registered agents must be accessible to receive official correspondence and legal paperwork during standard business hours.
Approval: Agents must grant their consent to undertake the role of a registered agent. In numerous states, registered agents are obliged to furnish a signature as evidence of their acceptance of this responsibility. For instance, states like Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, and Wyoming mandate the inclusion of registered agent signatures on formation documents.
Do I need a Registered Agent?
Certainly. Not only is the presence of registered agents almost universally dictated by state regulations, but they also establish a structured method to guarantee that a business can consistently receive official and legal notifications, encompassing service of legal documents.
What is service of process?
Service of process involves delivering a legal notification (like a subpoena or summons) to an individual or a business. These legal notifications necessitate a prompt reply and distinct action from the recipient, which could encompass presenting documents, discontinuing an operation, or making a court appearance.
In cases where the recipient is a business entity, service of process is directed to the company’s officially designated registered agent. For instance, if a business becomes the target of a lawsuit, a process server will hand over a summons to the company’s registered agent.
What is a statutory agent?
“Registered agent,” often referred to as a “statutory agent,” assumes different titles such as “resident agent,” “agent for service of process,” and other designations. The multitude of terms for this role stems from the variations in state regulations and language used to describe responsibilities related to corporate entities. This assortment of terminologies is influenced by individual state statutes. Below is a compilation of the most frequently utilized terms in various states:
Statutory agent: Arizona and Ohio
Resident agent: Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Rhode Island
Agent for service of process: California, Louisiana, New York, and West Virginia
Commercial clerk: Maine (pertaining to domestic corporations)
Registered office provider: Pennsylvania
Registered agent: Predominantly used in most states and DC
What is a national Registered Agent?
A group of registered agents, with at least one representing each state, forms a national registered agent. Opting for a national registered agent entails securing a local registered agent in every state where your business operates, a requisite as stipulated by state regulations.
What is a USA Registered Agent?
A registered agent service in the USA is a professional entity that maintains registered offices across all states in the United States. Additionally, this service has the capability to submit official documents on behalf of your company. This implies that if you are residing in another country and intend to establish a business within the United States, a provider offering USA Registered Agent services can assist you in establishing your company in the specific U.S. state(s) that align with your foreign business expansion plans.
What is a BOC-3 process agent?
A BOC-3 process agent refers to an individual or a business entity assigned on your Motor Carrier Operating Authority license application (referred to as a BOC-3). Their role involves receiving legal documents on behalf of your company. It is obligatory to engage such an agent in each state where your business operations extend.
Can I use my Registered Agent as my business address?
Absolutely! When you avail registered agent services, their address is utilized in your public documents, ensuring the confidentiality of your own address.
Why hire a Registered Agent service?
A professional registered agent service is structured to be at your disposal for the acceptance of documents, allowing you to dedicate your attention to more significant matters. These services also offer additional advantages. They incorporate their address into your public documents, thus safeguarding the confidentiality of your own address. An adept service should promptly scan and forward your documents on the same day, furnish you with alerts for adhering to state compliance reports, and grant you effortless access to forms and services essential for the maintenance of your business.
Here are commonplace scenarios wherein engaging a registered agent service proves advantageous:
Operating in multiple states.
Lack of a physical address.
Anticipated address changes during expansion.
Desire to withhold personal address from public exposure.
Irregular availability during standard office hours.
Preference for instantaneous document access from any location.
Preference for electronic document scans as backups.
Need for reminders regarding state compliance obligations.
Quest for added peace of mind.
How do I choose a Registered Agent?
If the intention is to enlist a registered agent service, there are several crucial aspects to consider. Ideally, the selected registered agent service should fulfill the following criteria:
Consistent pricing: Some companies might present lower initial costs but impose significant hikes during annual renewals. Typically, perusing online customer feedback can unveil whether this is a concern.
Electronic document delivery: For materials requiring swift attention, waiting for physical mail forwarding is less than ideal.
Immediate document scans: Given the time-sensitive nature of many documents, it is imperative that your chosen registered agent service swiftly receives and scans incoming documents.
Customer support: Should you encounter queries or challenges, the availability of real-person assistance through phone support should be assured.
Access to free resources : Your selected registered agent service should grant convenient access to state forms and templates essential for crucial documents, such as operating agreements and meeting minutes. Numerous entities charge steep fees for these resources, so confirming the availability of such complimentary resources is prudent.
Supplementary business services: While your current requirement might pertain solely to registered agent service, the future could bring the need for additional services. Hence, identifying a provider offering valuable supplementary business services like mail forwarding, virtual office solutions, annual report compliance, and business formation is advisable.
How do I change my Registered Agent?
To alter the registered agent for your LLC or corporation, you must complete the necessary paperwork with your state authorities. The specific requirements vary by state, and you might be required to submit a form for changing agents, an amendment document, or an updated annual/biennial report, depending on your jurisdiction.
Do you accept Amazon Verification Cards?
Yes, we do and we can scan and upload the amazon verification card and send you the code so you can set up your US Amazon Account.
Do you accept Google Business Address Verification Postcards?
Unfortunately, this is not possible. Google’s terms of service mandate that the verification postcard must be dispatched to the actual physical address where your business operations are conducted.
How do I resign from being a Registered Agent?
You have the option to step down from your role as a registered agent for an LLC or corporation whenever you choose. This involves informing the respective business entity and, in the majority of states, submitting an official statement of agent resignation to the state authorities. It’s important to note that the procedures, forms, and costs associated with resigning as a registered agent can significantly vary from one state to another.
But for the reasons mentioned above, we strongly recommend you work with a professional vs being your own registered agent.
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