RA
Registered agent: what they do, who needs one
A registered agent (RA) is a legal designation: the person or company authorized to receive lawsuits, government notices, and tax correspondence on the LLC's behalf. Every state requires one. Every state requires the RA to have a physical street address in the state of formation.
What the RA actually does
- Accepts service of process (lawsuits) during business hours
- Receives state correspondence (annual report reminders, franchise tax notices)
- Forwards documents to the LLC owners
- That's it. The RA doesn't handle taxes, file paperwork, or run anything else unless you pay extra.
You can be your own RA — when it makes sense
Acceptable in your home state if you're available at the registered address during business hours, you don't mind your home address appearing in the public state registry, and you won't move during the next ~12 months. Cost: $0. Downside: you're publicly listed.
Commercial RA service — when it makes sense
- Privacy — your home address stays out of the state registry
- Out-of-state formation — you can't be your own RA in a state where you don't have a physical address
- Travel + flexibility — you don't have to be at one address during business hours
- Avoid embarrassment — you don't want a process server showing up at your home
Typical cost: $35 (Northwest first-year promo) to $299 (LegalZoom premium). Most operators land on Northwest at $125/year or ZenBusiness at $199/year.