Alabama lesson 2 of 6
Appoint your Alabama registered agent
Every Alabama LLC must continuously maintain a registered agent with a registered office inside the state, and that address is what determines which county's Probate Judge handles your formation filing.
Who can serve
The registered agent can be an individual Alabama resident or a business entity authorized to do business in Alabama, with a physical street address in the state for the registered office. A PO box alone does not satisfy the registered office requirement.
Why the address matters twice
In most states the registered agent's address only matters for service of process. In Alabama it also determines the county Probate Judge you file your Certificate of Formation with, since the filing goes to the Probate Judge of the county where the registered office is located.
Pick your registered agent's county carefully if you plan to move your principal place of business shortly after formation, since it fixes which county's Probate Office your original filing sits in.
Changing the agent
A change of registered agent or registered office is filed with the Secretary of State. Keep the appointment current, since a lapsed or unreachable registered agent puts the LLC's ability to receive legal notices at risk.
Key takeaways
- The registered agent needs a physical Alabama street address, not a PO box.
- The registered office address determines which county Probate Judge handles your formation filing.
- File a change with the Secretary of State promptly whenever the agent or address changes.
Official sources
Or let us file your Alabama LLC for you
Everything above is yours to use for free. If you would rather hand it over, we prepare and file the Certificate of Formation, act as your registered agent, and track your ongoing deadlines.
Last reviewed: September 2026 - reviewed by Gullia Filing Legal & Formation Team