Happy May! This month, we will be going over the requirements for being or maintaining a registered agent and what the registered agent does for your business.

Q: What is the purpose of the registered agent?

A: The registered agent is the person named to receive important legal and tax documents on behalf of a business in a given state. This includes important mail sent by the state (annual reports or statements), state tax documents, as well as any Notices of Litigation. Virtually all states require corporations, LLCs, LLPs, LPs and nonprofits to appoint a registered agent in the state where the company is formed. And, if a company registers to transact business in another state (via a foreign qualification), it will typically need a registered agent in that state too.

Q: What are the requirements for a registered agent?

A: The registered agent can either be an individual or a company approved by the state to be a registered agent. The registered agent must be located at a street address – P.O. boxes are not acceptable. In most cases, the registered agent also needs to be located in the state where the company is incorporated or qualified to conduct business. Keep in mind that a P.O. box is usually allowed as the mailing address for the business.

Q: Can I serve as my company’s registered agent?

A: Yes, absolutely! However, states require that the registered agent must be available at all times during normal business hours to receive and sign for any important documents. That’s because the state needs to make sure a summons, lawsuit, or other official state documents are actually received by the company and not “lost in the mail.” If you’re confident that you’ll always be on hand during normal business hours at the designated address, you can be your registered agent. But most small business owners prefer to have a third party serve as the registered agent for the state.

Q: Will my business fall out of good standing without a registered agent?

A: Here’s one scenario of what can happen. Let’s say you fail to maintain a registered agent service, or you choose to serve as your own registered agent and either move or aren’t around to receive an official communication. If an official document from the state can’t be delivered to/accepted by your registered agent, then the state may put your business in bad standing until you update the state records with an active registered agent.

Q: What is Service of Process?

A: This refers to the delivery of legal documents such as a lawsuit, summons, subpoena for records, wage garnishment or any other official correspondence from the state. Your business is required to have a registered agent in the state who can receive service of process during normal business hours.