Get a Mississippi Registered Agent

Before you can form a limited liability company (LLC), corporation, or other state-registered business in Mississippi, you’ll need to appoint a registered agent. But what is a registered agent? What are they required to do, and who can be one? 

What is a Mississippi registered agent?

A registered agent is an individual or company that is designated by the entity to receive important legal documents on behalf of the business. This position is needed because it helps ensure that the correct people within a business are notified in the event of time-sensitive events, such as service of process for lawsuits, important tax notices, and garnishment notices against employees.

Who can be a registered agent in Mississippi?

A Mississippi LLC and other state-registered businesses must have a registered agent and must confirm this with the state, as per MS Code § 79-35-5 (2019). The filing must give:

• The name of the represented entity’s commercial registered agent; or
• If the entity does not have a commercial registered agent, the name and address of the entity’s noncommercial registered agent.
• Affirmation of the appointment by the agent.

Mississippi also allows separate registration for commercial registered agent services. This allows those looking to form businesses an easy way to find a company that can act as their registered agent. MS Code § 79-35-6 (2019).

Benefits of Using a Mississippi Registered Agent Service

Many business owners decide to use a registered agent service instead of being their own agent. Here are some of the reasons to consider hiring a service to act as a registered agent:

•  Availability – A registered agent needs to generally be available at the principal address during normal business hours. This could tie you to the office all day and prevent you from meeting up with clients, running errands, etc.
• Avoiding Embarrassment – If you serve as your own registered agent and a lawsuit is filed against the business, you could have papers served to you at your office in front of clients.
• Reminders – Some registered agent services (like ZenBusiness) provide reminders of upcoming state requirements, such as annual report filings. Forgetting compliance events like this can cause issues with the state of Mississippi.
• Penalties and Fees – By not continuously maintaining a current registered agent, the business may be penalized, fined, or even dissolved by the state.

How is a registered agent appointed in Mississippi?

You’ll need to name your registered agent when you complete the official paperwork with the state to form your business, so you’ll need to decide who your registered agent or registered agent service will be before then. Of course, you need to inform whomever you’re appointing and get their permission to serve in that role.

How much does it cost for a registered agent in Mississippi?

The cost of a registered agent in Mississippi varies based on whether you choose an individual or a professional service. If you opt to be your own registered agent or designate someone you know, the costs can be minimal, primarily associated with the potential need to maintain a physical street address or office space during business hours. For many small business owners, being their own agent requires no out-of-pocket cost but requires time and attention instead. 

On the other hand, professional registered agent services usually come with a fee. These fees can range from $100 to a few hundred dollars annually, depending largely on the level of services they offer. While using a professional service might seem like an added expense, the benefits they provide — like helping ensure compliance, protecting your professional image, and offering added peace of mind — often justify the cost for many businesses.

Cost of Changing Registered Agents

To change your registered agent in Mississippi, you only have one option: File an amendment to your business formation documents. To do so, you’ll need to create an account on the Business Services home page of the Mississippi Secretary of State website. Log in, scroll down to the “File an Amendment on an Existing Business” button, and follow the instructions. The fee for making an amendment to a state-registered business is $50 as of this writing.

How do I find registered agent services in Mississippi?

Finding a registered agent in Mississippi is straightforward. If you’re considering an individual as your agent, you can simply ask a trusted friend or associate who resides in Mississippi and meets the basic requirements. If you’re leaning toward professional Mississippi registered agent services, a quick online search for “registered agent Mississippi” will yield a plethora of options. 

When evaluating these services, look for customer reviews, their years of experience, and any additional services they offer, like compliance alerts for required reports, free mail forwarding, or online storage of your important documents. Regardless of the route you choose, ensure that your registered agent is reliable, accessible, and understands the responsibilities associated with the role.

Our registered agent service can fill this role for you quickly and reliably.

How to Change Your Mississippi Registered Agent

In order to change your registered agent in Mississippi, start off by logging in to your account in the online filing system. If you don’t have an account, you will need to create one. Then, follow these steps:

1. Select “File an Amendment for an Existing Business” and enter your Mississippi business ID number.
2. Select “File an Amendment for an Existing Business” again on the next page.
3. The next page will show the business information currently on file. Change your registered agent information and submit.
4. You will come to a page with pending filings. Click the filing you just completed, then select “Submit Payment.” The fee is $50.

In addition to paying online via card, you can print your filing and mail it, with a check or money order, to P.O. Box 136 Jackson, MS 39205-0136. The Secretary of State also provides step-by-step instructions for filing an amendment.

You can’t change your registered agent by updating your annual report or Certificate of Formation. You must file an amendment as outlined above.

If you’re too busy, or if you’d feel more comfortable letting someone else take the reins, you have the option of hiring a company or individual to file your paperwork for you. It’s a great way to save time and stress.

Submit your form? Pay your fee? Then you’re good to go! Your change will usually be processed within 24 hours, so you should see your new registered agent on file the next day.

Mississippi Secretary of State Contact Information

Resignation of a Mississippi Registered Agent

There are numerous reasons you might need to give up your Mississippi registered agent role, but only one way to resign.

Registered agents play an important role in the life of a business, handling sensitive legal and tax documents, so it’s essential that agents follow proper resignation procedures. Otherwise, you could leave your company with unplanned fines or penalties, and you could be individually liable.

Fortunately, for Mississippi businesses,  it’s easy.

Follow these steps and the hardest part of your resignation won’t be the process itself, it’ll be saying “so long” to your former business.

Notifying the Mississippi Business

Don’t put your company in a difficult situation by submitting a resignation without prior notice. You’re actually required by Mississippi state law (§ 79-35-11) to send a statement of resignation to your business at least 30 days before submitting it to the Secretary of State. This ensures that the company will have ample time to change its registered agent and avoid potential fines and penalties. It also might be a good idea to speak with business representatives in person to formulate a transition plan.

After you inform your business, wait 30 days, and then you can get started on your official resignation with the state.

Submitting Your Resignation

Your notice to the business must be written and mailed, but you’ll need to file your resignation with the state online. Head over to the Secretary of State’s online filing portal. You’ll need to create an account if you don’t have one already. Then, once you’ve logged in and selected the appropriate form, follow the onscreen prompts to enter the following information:

• The business name
• The business’s principal office
• Your name
• Confirmation of your resignation
• The date

And that’s it! It’s a pretty streamlined process. What’s even better is that there’s no filing fee, so you can put away your checkbook for now.

Online filings are processed immediately, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be off the books right away. Unless the business changes its registered agent sooner, you’ll retain your duties for 31 days. So be aware that you could continue receiving documents and service of process for up to a month after you resign.

Handing off Your Responsibilities

When you put down your registered agent responsibilities, someone else has to pick them up, or your business will lose its good standing with the state. Help your business keep its momentum by carefully planning your transition.

This starts with finding a successor who’s ready to take over right away. Even a small gap in registered agent coverage can result in severe penalties. For example, if your business goes without a registered agent for 60 days after you resign, it risks being administratively dissolved, no longer allowed to do business in the state. This is why it’s important to give the company an advance notice.

Whomever the business appoints as your replacement must meet Mississippi’s registered agent requirements. As a reminder, every Mississippi agent must:

• Be an individual resident of Mississippi or a corporation authorized to do business in the state
• Have a physical Mississippi address (P.O. boxes aren’t allowed)
• Have a mailing address in Mississippi
• Be present and available at the registered office address during normal business hours

An individual member of the business may serve as its registered agent; however, there are times when the best option is to outsource those duties to a professional service.

We recommend using a registered agent service, which can take over registered agent duties, freeing up more time for the business’s managers to focus on running the business.