Best New York Registered Agent Services of 2025

Searching for the best registered agent service in New York for your business? We’ve evaluated top providers based on factors such as pricing, features, customer support, and reliability to help you make an informed choice. Whether you prioritize affordability, legal advice, or customized service, this guide features the best options available today.

Compare Companies to Find the Best Registered Agent Service in New York

Rocket Lawyer

Rocket Lawyer is a legal services platform that also offers registered agent services as part of its suite of tools. While not the cheapest option, it may appeal to users who want bundled legal help. If you find value in their legal services plan, Rocket Lawyer is an intriguing choice for registered agent services in New York. If you don’t need its subscription service, you can probably find a more suitable alternative.

Pros

✔ Includes access to legal documents and attorney consultations
✔ 30-day money-back guarantee
✔ Discount of 50% with legal plan subscription

Cons

✘ Registered agent service is basic and lacks advanced features
✘ Higher ongoing costs unless you’re on a subscription
✘ Not a core focus of their platform — limited functionality compared to standalone services

Bizee (Incfile)

Bizee, formerly known as Incfile, has been a popular choice for business formation and compliance services in New York since 2004. With over 1 million businesses served, Bizee is best known for its basic LLC formation package (only pay New York state fees), which includes one year of registered agent service.

Pros

✔ Free 1st year with LLC formation
✔ $119/year after the first free year
✔ Good value for basic compliance needs

Cons

✘ Registered agent service must be manually renewed
✘ Customer support is slower and less detailed than top competitors
✘ No refund policy on services once submitted

LegalZoom

LegalZoom is a household name in online legal services, with over 3 million businesses served. Its registered agent service is backed by brand trust and comes with useful compliance tools. While its registered agent service comes at a higher price, the added perks and company reputation may justify the cost for some New York business owners.

Pros

✔ Compliance calendar and deadline reminders included
✔ 60-day money-back guarantee
✔ Large support team with extended hours

Cons

✘ $249/year pricing is one of the highest on this list
✘ No first-year discount or bundling options
✘ Less value for cost compared to smaller, more focused competitors

Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent has been offering registered agent services since 1998 and is known for being a solid choice in New York. Northwest Registered Agent now has thousands of registered agent service subscribers across the country.

Pros

✔ $125/year pricing
✔ Scans all mail, not just government documents

Cons

✘ Not the cheapest option for LLC formation
✘ Limited refund policy
✘ No online compliance dashboard or automation tools

If you want to receive personalized registered agent service at reasonable price points, Northwest Registered Agent might be worth a look. However, keep in mind that Northwest charges at least $39 to form an LLC, so there are many cheaper options for that service in New York.

What is a New York registered agent?

Every business entity in the state of New York is required to have a registered agent. In fact, you won’t be allowed to finish the formation process for your company until you designate your registered agent.

The most important aspect of this role is receiving document deliveries from the state government and process servers, then alerting your business of the delivery before forwarding the documents to you. The role of the registered agent is so important because it establishes a point of contact for your business with the state and others so that they have a reliable place to get in touch with an official representative of your company at any time.

New York doesn’t provide a comprehensive (or even partial) list of registered agents serving in the state. You’ll need to do your own research to determine which agent is right for you. Thankfully, that’s where this guide comes in.

What does New York law say about registered agents?

Each state has its own rules and regulations surrounding registered agents. New York is especially unusual in that the Secretary of State acts as the registered agent for every New York LLC by default. This is required by state law. However, you can add an additional registered agent in your Articles of Organization.

Let’s take a look at the Consolidated Laws of New York, which say:

• Every entity that files with the Secretary of State (both domestic and foreign) must appoint a registered agent.
• The agent must be an individual resident of the state OR a corporation or limited liability company (LLC) with the authority to operate in the state.
• An agent must be continuously maintained and be available during all regular business hours to accept service of process in person.
• If you prefer, you may let the Secretary of State serve as your agent, providing a forwarding address instead.

All of the companies we discussed above meet these regulations and are options for New York registered agent service. When you’ve made your choice, you can indicate your registered agent’s name and address on your Articles of Organization.

What about small, New York-only registered agent services?

As you’ve probably noticed, the registered agent services we’ve listed here serve businesses across the country. But if you Google “New York Registered Agent,” you’ll probably see results for local services, too. These can be local entrepreneurs with a knack for clerical tasks, offices dedicated to serving businesses in their counties, or statewide companies. 

On one hand, using a local service can have its advantages. Some will be cheaper than nationwide firms (but not always). And each state has its own nuances for business compliance requirements — New York included. A registered agent service that services New York alone may have detailed knowledge about those requirements. Granted, most national services do an excellent job of understanding local requirements. But they might not give you the same “homegrown New York” feeling as a local agent service.

That said, national businesses like ZenBusiness give you streamlined solutions. Let’s say you’re using a local New York-only registered agent service, but it’s time to add locations in Pennsylvania. You could search for an additional agent that services Pennsylvania businesses. But that’s going to require a lot of additional paperwork, including new receipts, new automatic payments, more emails … you get the idea. But if you’re using a national service, you can cut down the “new” paperwork and focus on what really matters: growing your business.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you, and there’s no “wrong” answer.

Related:

National Registered Agents, Inc. Review

Nationwide Incorporators Registered Agent Review

TLDR: Best Registered Agents in New York

The role of a New York registered agent is critical to your company’s compliance and legal standing. This position requires dealing with seemingly simple tasks, yet if they’re handled incorrectly, they could cost you a considerable amount of money in fines and could even potentially see the state dissolve your business.

While you can always change your registered agent down the line, we think it’s essential to pick the right registered agent for your business starting at the formation phase. You should also keep an eye on your compliance standing to ensure nothing goes awry along the way.

With ZenBusiness, you can purchase reliable registered agent service at an affordable rate, leaving this role in the hands of experts while you focus on growing your business.