<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nA registered agent is an individual or business entity that accepts your mail, service of process, and legal documents at your business office during business hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every business entity in the state must maintain a commercial or noncommercial registered agent. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sending all your company\u2019s mail to a different address may seem like a convoluted scheme when you know you need those documents, but the second half of a registered agent\u2019s duties involves document delivery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your registered agent will use either mail forwarding or online document-management systems to make sure that you get your mail and important documents quickly so that you can deal with issues as they arise. Some of the best registered agents also issue compliance alerts so that you\u2019ll never forget to file an annual report. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you have a foreign limited liability company or corporation that conducts business in multiple states, you\u2019ll be required to maintain a registered agent in each of those states. Your options are to either appoint multiple registered agents, or to hire a national registered agent service to cover all your registered agent needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sometimes a registered agent is called a resident agent <\/em>or a statutory agent<\/em>. So if you see either of these terms, just know that they\u2019re old-fashioned terms for registered agents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n