What is a Registered Agent?
A registered agent acts on a company's behalf in receiving legal documents such as Service of Process (i.e., Lawsuits, Liens, Subpoenas, etc.), Annual Reports, Tax Correspondence, and other mailings from regulatory agencies. In some jurisdictions, a registered agent may be referred to as a resident agent or statutory agent.Nearly all states require that a company, specifically corporations, limited liability companies (LLC), limited partnerships (LP) and other corporate entity types, appoint and maintain a registered agent with the Secretary of State (or equivalent agency). The registered agent is a matter of public record and is listed with the relevant state agency.
A registered agent must maintain a physical presence (street address) within the state and be available during all business hours so that consumers may properly serve claims upon a company. A post office box (PO Box) does not constitute a physical presence by statutory requirements.
The majority of companies choose to use a professional registered agent, such as Registered Agent Solutions, inc. (RASi), for numerous reasons including:
- Accountability - A professional registered agent does not travel or go on vacation, change or terminate employment, or relocate out of state.
- Privacy - Avoid having your clients, vendors, or employees encounter a Sheriff or Process Server serving claims at your place of business. For home-based companies, keep your residential address private and not a matter of public record.
- Efficiency - Make sure that the right person receives any legal documents in a timely manner to protect your company from any delays that could result in a default judgment against your company.
- Adaptability - As your company experiences growth and expands into other States, you have a one-stop source to handle all of your registered agent needs. Additionally, save money by not having to pay state fees to update your registered agent information each time your company moves.
- Compliance - RASi provides clients with value-added services including our online web application tools which simplify the maintenance of corporate compliance with State laws and filing deadlines.
A registered agent is typically appointed upon formation or qualification of an entity, however can be changed at any time. RASi provides registered agent services in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, as well as internationally.