Virginia lesson 2 of 6
Appoint your Virginia registered agent
Every Virginia LLC must continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in the Commonwealth. This is the address where the SCC and courts send notices and legal papers.
Who can act as agent
Virginia is more specific than most states about individual agents. An individual serving as registered agent must be a Virginia resident and must also be a member or manager of the LLC, or a Virginia-licensed attorney. A registered agent that is itself a business entity, such as a commercial registered agent company, must be authorised to transact business in Virginia.
The registered office
The registered office must be a physical Virginia street address, in the same city or county listed for the registered agent, where the agent can be reached during business hours. A PO box alone does not satisfy the requirement.
Because an individual agent must also be an owner or manager or a licensed attorney, many owners without a Virginia-resident manager use a commercial registered agent service instead.
Changing agent later
A change of registered agent or registered office is filed with the SCC, most easily through the Clerk's Information System. Keep it current: notices sent to an outdated address still count as delivered.
Key takeaways
- An individual agent must be a Virginia resident who is also a member, manager, or licensed attorney.
- A corporate registered agent must be authorised to transact business in Virginia.
- The registered office needs a real Virginia street address in the same locality as the agent.
Official sources
Or let us file your Virginia LLC for you
Everything above is yours to use for free. If you would rather hand it over, we prepare and file the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1011), act as your registered agent, and track your ongoing deadlines.
Last reviewed: September 2026 - reviewed by Gullia Filing Legal & Formation Team