Registered Agent Service

What is a registered agent?

Virtually all states require corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), nonprofits, limited partnerships (LPs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) to appoint a registered agent in the state where the company is formed and, if applicable, foreign qualified. The registered agent is responsible for receiving important legal and tax documents on behalf of the company including: Service of Process (Notice of Litigation), franchise tax forms, and annual report forms.

The registered agent may be an individual or it may be a company approved by the state to serve as agent. It must be located at a street address (not a P.O. Box) in the state where the company is formed or qualified to transact business. The registered agent's name and address are included on the incorporation documents, making them a matter of public record.

What is Service of Process?

Service of Process, also sometimes called Notice of Litigation, is the legal term for the physical delivery of legal documents such as lawsuits, summons, complaints, subpoenas, orders to show cause, writs, notices to quit the premises and certain other documents. Service of Process documents are typically delivered by law enforcement to the registered agent for the business named in the documents/lawsuit. In most jurisdictions, process must be served and accepted in person for “service” to be completed which is one of the reasons that states mandate that businesses name a registered agent with a physical address, open during standard business hours, in the state.

How are Service of Process and other documents handled by BizFilings?

Every Service of Process we receive is handled promptly: when we receive a Service of Process, we scan the documents to make them available to you in your secure Online Status Center account, and immediately notify you via email of the event. Electronic delivery of Service of Process is not only faster than mail forwarding, but also enables easy distribution of the document to in-house or external legal counsel as needed.

Additionally, many states send taxation documents, annual reports and other important state mail to the registered agent. We will log this mail in your company record and forward it to you.

What is BizComply?

BizComply is our web-based compliance management tool that:

• Contains a convenient calendar of critical compliance events.
• Notifies you via email alert reminders before these events need to happen.
• Provides access to a free library of important forms.
• Houses your company's important information in one convenient location.

If you own multiple businesses, you can keep track of each through a single account. And if your business is qualified in other states, BizComply will help you manage requirements for each of those states. You can even add your own company or municipal compliance events to the calendar and schedule email alerts to remind you of these events as well.

As my registered agent, can BizFilings help me with annual reports?

Yes. In states where electronic filing of the annual report is available, BizFilings offers an electronic filing service for annual reports and franchise tax payments, making it easier and more convenient than ever for you to meet the state's annual reporting requirements. We pre-populate the electronic forms with the information we have on file for your company. You simply need to review and edit the information as necessary via our online system, and we submit the filing electronically on your behalf.

Why should I use a registered agent provider?

There are many reasons why business owners, even owners of one- or two-person businesses, choose to use a registered agent service provider:

• You prefer to spend your time and attention on building your business. Compliance requirements can be both time- and labor-intensive, requiring the completion of lengthy or confusing forms using information from various sources. Many business owners prefer to have an outside source maintain that information and deal with compliance so they can focus on building and running their business.
• You want to avoid the risk of non-compliance. Compliance matters are not likely to be your area of expertise, or interest. As your compliance partner, BizFilings will help you stay in compliance, avoid unnecessary state penalty fees, and maintain your company's good standing in your state of incorporation and/or qualification.
• To ensure private receipt of lawsuits and other legal documents. When a company is served with a Service of Process, it is often delivered by local law enforcement. Most business owners do not want police officers showing up in front of customers, employees, or neighbors (in the case of home-based businesses), to serve them notice that their company is being sued. Using a professional registered agent service provider ensures you receive any Service of Process promptly, and privately.
• You don't maintain normal business hours. The registered agent for a business must be available during normal business hours to accept important documents as they are delivered. If you set your own hours, you may wish to consider using a professional registered agent service provider, so that you never miss these important communications.