Lesson 6 of 15
Choosing a registered agent
The registered agent is the official point of contact for legal and state correspondence.
What the agent receives
- Service of process if the company is sued
- State notices, including annual report reminders
- Tax correspondence from state agencies
Who can be your agent
An individual resident of the state with a physical street address there, or a company authorised to provide agent services in that state. A PO box does not qualify. The address must be attended during normal business hours.
Yourself or a service
Acting as your own agent costs nothing but puts your address on public record and ties you to being available in business hours. A commercial service keeps your address private, scans mail, and forwards deadlines, which matters if you travel, work from home or operate from outside the US.
If service of process is delivered and nobody responds, a court can proceed without you. That is the real risk of an unattended agent address.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my agent later?
Yes. States have a change of agent filing, usually with a small fee.
Do I need an agent in every state?
You need one in your formation state and in every state where you are registered as a foreign entity.
Prefer to have someone handle the filing?
You can file directly with the state using the steps above. If you would rather have Gullia Filing prepare and file your formation documents, run the name check and act as your registered agent, we handle the process end to end.