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Your business must appoint a registered agent to receive documents in legal matters, including notice of lawsuit. Our reliable registered agent service fulfills this requirement. You get:
In almost all U.S. states and territories, corporations and limited liability companies must appoint and maintain a statutory or registered agent throughout their lifetime. The agent helps you maintain good standing with the state, and without one, your business could face legal consequences or suspension.
In this article, you’ll learn what registered agent duties and qualifications are and what happens if the agent fails to fulfill their responsibilities. You’ll also discover Harbor Compliance—a reliable registered agent service that can help your business stay on top of its obligations.
A registered agent’s primary duty is to receive and forward legal documents and official government communications, including service of process and annual report forms, on behalf of your business.
To fulfill their role, a registered agent provides a physical address that serves as the official location for receiving correspondence, establishing a consistent point of contact with the secretary of state. If they change their address, the agent is required to inform the principal, who should update the details with the relevant agency. You can also authorize your agent to notify the relevant state department whenever there’s a change of address.
The responsibilities of a registered agent also include maintaining regular business hours. This implies availability to promptly receive and process any documents, providing reassurance that no critical information will be missed.
Besides fulfilling their duties, a statutory agent may offer some additional services as well. This is especially the case with commercial agents that have teams and systems in place, enabling them to provide elective services, such as:
Note that these services aren’t part of a registered agent’s legal mandate. They are optional offerings some commercial agents provide to enhance their portfolio and support your business operations, and you should not expect every agent to provide them.
In most states and territories, the following are eligible to serve as a registered agent:
In some jurisdictions, such as New York, businesses can appoint the secretary of state as their registered agent. A business cannot serve as its own registered agent in most states.
Regardless of who serves as a registered agent, certain general requirements must be met:
Before appointing a registered agent, consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of each option. Check out the table below for more details:
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Individual |
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| Commercial service provider |
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Even though appointing an individual may seem effortless and inexpensive, it has several downsides. To eliminate these limitations, consider a commercial service like Harbor Compliance.
Harbor Compliance offers a robust Registered Agent Service that caters to businesses across all U.S. states and territories. Our service ensures prompt receipt and electronic transmission of all your legal and governmental notifications. Here’s how it works:
An agent’s efficiency mainly depends on their process and delivery method. For instance, some agents might use certified mail, which isn’t the fastest approach. A far better option is electronic delivery, which lets you receive the notice soon after the agent accepts it.
Beyond helping you meet registered agent requirements, Harbor Compliance provides ancillary solutions to address other statutory obligations. The table below lists some of our most popular services:
| Category | Services |
|---|---|
| Nonprofit formation | |
| Expedited document filing and retrieval | |
| Business licensing support |
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| Beneficial ownership information reporting | |
| Tax-related services | |
| Lifecycle support |
Harbor Compliance eliminates the aforementioned limitations of appointing an individual or secretary of state as your registered agent, providing peace of mind while offering other services to help you meet different obligations.
The benefits of partnering with us include:
You can assign Harbor Compliance registered agent duties in three specific scenarios:
If you’re starting a new entity and require a comprehensive service that can help you navigate the complexities of business formation, you can choose from our three formation services:
We’ll complete the paperwork and appoint Harbor Compliance as your registered agent, helping you start on a solid foundation.
If you prefer to file the statutory documents yourself, you can order our Registered Agent Service separately and appoint us in three steps:
Expanding your business into a new state can be complex due to the unique regulatory requirements of each state. You may face challenges such as understanding the specific paperwork required and meeting the deadlines for filing necessary documents. Our Foreign Qualification Service is designed to alleviate these challenges. Complete the signup wizard, and we will:
If you’re considering replacing your current agent, you might be concerned about the transition process, whether your agent will receive notifications during the change, and how to update the state department about the change.
Our Change of Registered Agent Service is designed to make this transition smooth and effortless. Here’s how it works:
We’ll update the relevant state department on the change, letting you focus on other business commitments.
Here are some commonly asked questions about registered agent duties. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, visit our extensive Information Center.
Beyond receiving and forwarding correspondence, a registered agent can also sit on a board of directors, be an incorporator, or someone within your organization.
Generally, a registered agent is not liable for the obligations of the S Corporation. Still, if the registered agent fails in their duties to the corporation, they could be held liable for damages incurred by the organization.
Not all trusts require a registered agent—this requirement is more common for business entities like corporations and LLCs. Still, it’s beneficial to appoint a statutory agent if you’re a trustee—it ensures you have a consistent and reliable point of contact with state agencies.
If a business doesn’t have a registered agent, it may face serious consequences, including
If you need a reliable partner who can help you meet statutory obligations, consider Harbor Compliance. Order our Registered Agent Service, and our seasoned experts will manage your official correspondence, allowing you to respond to legal action on time and save your business from the consequences of missed notices.
If you have other regulatory concerns, you leverage our free Harbor Compliance Score™. You can also reach out to us to enquire about our additional concerns or schedule a demonstration of our robust software to see how it can help you manage statutory obligations.
For more information about our services in different jurisdictions, refer to the following table:
