Best Registered Agent Services

Northwest

Another popular registered agent service is Northwest Registered Agent. Founded in 1998, Northwest now has thousands of registered agent service subscribers across the country.

They have some intriguing attributes that help them stand out in this crowded marketplace.

• With a price point of $125 per year for registered agent service, Northwest isn’t the cheapest company that provides this service, but their price is still hundreds of dollars per year lower than competitors like CSC and National Registered Agents, Inc. In addition, if you require service in multiple states, Northwest offers volume discounts.
• Northwest was the first major registered agent service to locally scan every document they receive on your behalf. Most competitors only scan the official government documents that they’re legally required to scan.
• When it comes to customer support, Northwest takes a personalized approach. Instead of contacting a massive call center to receive outsourced support, Northwest keeps everything in-house, so you know that whenever you have a question, you’ll be able to talk to someone knowledgeable.

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 $225 to form an LLC, so there are many cheaper options for that service.

IncFile

Since 2004, IncFile has become one of the most popular online business formation services, serving more than 1 million business clients in that time.

• While their $119 base rate for registered agent service is reasonable, IncFile’s most attractive quality is the fact that, like ZenBusiness, they offer a free LLC formation package that includes a year of registered agent service.
• If you place a high value on customer feedback, you might want to give IncFile a look. They have thousands of positive customer reviews all over the web, and they’re one of the most popular companies in this industry when it comes to their reputation among their existing clients.

IncFile can’t quite compete with ZenBusiness or Northwest when it comes to customer support, as their response times are quite a bit slower and they often respond without much detail.

Rocket Lawyer

Clocking in next is Rocket Lawyer, which is one of the most popular and recognizable names in the online business services industry. On their website, they claim to have helped more than 25 million customers, making them easily the highest-volume service provider in this guide ― even more so than LegalZoom.

• Rocket Lawyer offers registered agent service as a standalone feature for $149.99 per year, but if you subscribe to their Premium legal services plan for $39.99 per month, you’ll receive 25% off that rate.
• While Rocket Lawyer isn’t necessarily the “best” option for registered agent service, they have something to offer in several different areas. They have solid customer feedback, a good customer support department, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee that ensures everything goes smoothly.

If you find value in their legal services plan, Rocket Lawyer is an intriguing choice for registered agent service. If you don’t need its subscription service, you can probably find a more suitable option elsewhere.

LegalZoom

LegalZoom is one of the industry giants in online business services, as they have next-level name recognition and brand power.

LegalZoom has helped form more than 2 million businesses since they started offering web-based legal services in 2001, which is a level of experience few other companies in this field can match.

• While LegalZoom’s $299/year price point is significantly higher than the other options we’ve discussed in this guide, they still offer a more affordable registered agent service than the “big three” of CT, CSC, and National Registered Agents, Inc.
• Much like ZenBusiness, LegalZoom provides a 100% satisfaction guarantee that’s one of the best in the industry. If you’re unhappy with their services for any reason, they’ll refund all fees paid to LegalZoom at any time within 60 days of your initial purchase.
• They also provide a handy compliance calendar that keeps you informed of important deadlines for things like annual reports, which is a nice way to cap off a well-rounded but expensive offering from LegalZoom.

LegalZoom has plenty of customer reviews available online, and its reputation in this area has improved over the years. While LegalZoom used to receive somewhat mixed feedback, their thousands of reviews are mostly positive today.

CorpNet

CorpNet is another good LLC service that also offers registered agent services. They have plenty of experience but still maintain a personal touch that so many competitors lack.

Their ownership group has formed more than 100,000 corporations and LLCs across the country, and their registered agent service is of high quality as well.

• CorpNet’s biggest advantage is its strong customer reviews. With hundreds of positive reviews available online, they have a solid customer satisfaction reputation.
• Similar to the reassurances offered by LegalZoom and ZenBusiness, CorpNet also provides its customers with a satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not entirely satisfied with the service you receive from CorpNet, they’ll refund your service fees with no questions asked at any time within 30 days of your order.
• When it comes to pricing, CorpNet is not always as affordable as some of the other options in this guide, but CorpNet’s $149 annual rate for registered agent service is competitive.

CorpNet doesn’t stand out in any one specific way, but they offer well-balanced formation packages and have good customer service.

MyCorporation

MyCorporation has been around for over 20 years, and they’ve served more than a million business clients. They receive solid customer reviews, and they also offer good support. While their LLC formation service offering has some flaws, we appreciate their registered agent service’s reasonable price point.

• MyCorporation charges an annual fee of $120 for registered agent service, which does not include any additional features beyond the basics of registered agent service. MyCorporation has a $133 (plus state fee) starting price point for LLC formation service.
• MyCorporation has served a large client volume, with more than 1 million customers since it opened in 1998. Their CEO lists her Twitter handle (@deborahsweeney) on their website, which is a nice level of transparency for customers with questions or concerns.

MyCorporation offers customer support by phone or email, and we’ve never waited long to hear back from them. Their reps are friendly and knowledgeable. Overall, we have no complaints about their support system.

Why We Recommend Registered Agent Services

Handling registered agent duties yourself can be annoying, and when you’re planning out a new business, you’ve got enough on your plate.

Hiring a registered agent service lets you hand off those responsibilities so you can focus your energy where your passion lies: starting and growing your business.

Yes, it’s an added expense to what’s likely a growing list of costs, but these three benefits are totally worth it:

Compliance

• You’ll be adhering to state laws that require having an agent on file.
• Your service will immediately notify you of any correspondence related to your LLC, keeping it compliant and protected.

Privacy

• Any service of process for your LLC will be delivered to the registered agent service’s office rather than at your home or office, sparing you the embarrassment (and potential lost business) of being served with a lawsuit in front of clients and others.

Peace of Mind

• Rather than being confined to your registered office between normal business hours (9 a.m.-5 p.m.), the registered agent service will be available for you, so you can have a nice coffee out or leave for a long weekend or vacation whenever you’d like.
• With some registered agents (like ZenBusiness), the documents and notifications you receive will be stored in a secure online dashboard for safekeeping, like a backup.

5 Important Registered Agent Myths

By now, you’re basically a registered agent expert — or at least a well-informed entrepreneur. Still, there are a lot of registered agent misconceptions floating around out there:

1) Each business only needs one registered agent.

This one is partially true, but only if your LLC operates in just one state. If you execute business transactions in multiple states or want to expand your operations into a new state, your company needs to have a registered agent in each of those states. Most major registered agent services like ZenBusiness provide service in all 50 states, but if you serve as your own agent, designate an attorney or accountant, or hire a friend or family member, this could cause some problems.

2) It’s easy and practical to serve as your own registered agent.

Some business owners successfully serve as their own agents, but the idea that “anyone can do it” simply isn’t true. Individual agents need to be diligent and dedicated, remaining at the place of business during all regular business hours. Missing state communications or service of process isn’t something you want to risk, so if you’re unsure about the responsibilities, we recommend handing them off to a professional service.

3) Professional registered agent service is costly to acquire and maintain.

In reality, hiring a professional registered agent is quite affordable, especially compared to the expense of some other business services. While prices fluctuate from company to company, in general, you can find options for less than $20/month.

4) It’s not necessary to keep official notices from your state government.

This isn’t necessarily a legal requirement, but it’s a good business practice that can save you a lot of trouble in the future, so we strongly recommend it. Any reputable registered agent will hold onto official government notices ― whether they’re for annual reports, tax forms, etc. ― or at least keep a digital record of the delivery. It’s important to be vigilant about keeping records regarding deadlines with your state so you can easily maintain your good standing.

5) Registered agent service is basically just mail sorting.

Sorting through junk mail is the least glamorous and most tedious part of a registered agent’s job, but this is just one small aspect of registered agent service. The key aspect of this role is to contact business owners as quickly as possible if they receive a service of process delivery (and forwarding it and other important notices to them as quickly as possible).

More Registered Agent Resources

How do online registered agent services work?

With any of the registered agent services discussed in this guide, you’ll need to provide them with some essential information about yourself and your business. You will also need to designate which state you need service for and pay the service fees. From there, you can sit back and relax.

Whenever your agent receives government documents or service of process on your behalf, they will alert you of the delivery and immediately forward you the forms. Usually, you will need to renew your registered agent service once per year. Aside from that, there aren’t many requirements to keep this service going.

How can I designate myself as my company’s registered agent?

Designating yourself as your company’s registered agent is a simple process. First, you’ll need to fill out your own information when asked to provide registered agent info in your Articles of Organization or equivalent document for your state. Alternatively, if you use an LLC filing service, it can guide you through the process.

Of course, you’re only eligible to do so if you have a physical street address within the same state your business operates in. Just enter your own name and address in this space, and you’re ready to go.

Once your business is formed, you’ll need to be present and available to receive document deliveries every weekday during standard business hours. If you’re not present, you run the risk of missing a service of process delivery. This could result in a lawsuit progressing against your business without your knowledge.

If your business is already formed, and you want to replace your current registered agent with yourself, the process looks a little bit different. In this scenario, you’ll need to file what’s usually called a “Statement of Change of Registered Agent” form. Just like with forming a new business, you’ll need to enter your own name and address on this form to become your own registered agent.

Keep in mind that we do not typically advise that you serve as your own registered agent. In addition to needing to be present at your listed location during all standard business hours, serving as your own agent means that you could be served with notice of a lawsuit in front of clients.

You’re also likely to receive much more junk mail than you ever have before. Especially considering how low-cost many of these services are, we strongly recommend hiring one instead of being your own agent.