If your business is a corporation, limited liability company (LLC), or other statutory entity, you’ll need to designate a registered agent.
A registered agent is the person or company you designate to receive legal, tax and other official mail on behalf of your business. They accept the correspondence, forward it to you and notify you if there are deadlines or actions you need to take.
What is a registered agent?
If you’re starting a business, you’ll most likely need to appoint a registered agent. This is a requirement in almost every US state.
A registered agent is an individual or business that accepts legal, tax and other official mail on your behalf. They’re also in charge of keeping your paperwork up to date.
Your registered agent can be you or someone else in your company, depending on the state’s requirements. A registered agent should have a physical address in the state, be available during normal business hours, and be legally allowed to conduct business there.
Most states require you to appoint a registered agent as soon as you form an LLC or corporation. If you don’t, the state can revoke your certificate of good standing and dissolve your business.
What is a registered office?
A registered office is the official address of a company or LLP (limited liability partnership) as defined by UK law. This address is added to Companies House’s public register and serves as the point of contact for statutory mail from Companies House, HMRC and other government bodies, including the delivery of notices and reminders.
A company may be registered as a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a limited liability company or a corporation. Each type has different requirements and responsibilities under state law.
The corporate office is the main, central location for a corporation and typically serves as the headquarters where decisions are made by the leadership of the business. It also houses the CEO and other executives.
A company must have a registered office within 30 days of incorporation and the location of this office determines which registrar it submits its incorporation documents to. This office is also where the company prints its name, registered office and other information on letterheads, orders forms and other official publications.
What is a registered agent’s role?
A registered agent is a person or entity you designate to receive government, tax and legal documents for your business. They forward these documents to you, and notify you of deadlines and actions you need to take in response to them.
The role of a registered agent is crucial to ensuring your business is always in compliance with state laws and rules. You may face fines, penalties and revocation of your corporate or LLC status if your company isn’t represented by a registered agent.
In addition to this primary function, the registered agent also has a number of additional responsibilities that can help protect your company. For instance, a registered agent will generally receive all official notices from the state of your corporation’s filing status and franchise taxes.
If you run a business that operates outside of normal business hours or travels frequently, it may be best to hire a commercial service to act as your registered agent. They will be available to check your mail and scan any received documents for you so that you can easily access them in digital form.
What happens if you don’t have a registered agent?
If you operate a business and don’t have a registered agent, your business may risk losing its certificate of good standing. This could be a significant financial burden and affect your operations.
You can choose to list yourself, your employees, a lawyer or a third party to be the registered agent for your business. However, there are a number of benefits to using a professional registered agent service.
A registered agent serves as the state’s contact point for a corporation or LLC to receive legal documents and government notices on behalf of your business. These include franchise tax forms, annual reports, renewal reminders and other important documents that impact your business.
The registered agent’s role is critical, so you want to be sure it’s handled correctly. Not receiving or delivering service of process, court summons, and other paperwork can result in a default judgment against your business.
