Registered agent by state
Every LLC must have a registered agent — a person or company with a physical in-state address that accepts legal mail on behalf of your business. Requirements, cost, and who qualifies vary by state. Find yours below.
Alabama
Required — must be an Alabama resident or registered company with a physical street address in AL
Alaska
Required — physical Alaska address (no PO boxes)
Arizona
Required — Arizona calls this a "Statutory Agent
Arkansas
Required — Arkansas address
California
Required — California calls this an "Agent for Service of Process
Colorado
Required — Colorado calls this a "Registered Agent" with a CO street address
Connecticut
Required — CT physical address
Delaware
Required — must have a Delaware registered agent
Florida
Required — FL street address
Georgia
Required — GA street address
Hawaii
Required — HI street address
Idaho
Required — ID street address
Illinois
Required — IL street address
Indiana
Required — IN street address
Iowa
Required — IA street address
Kansas
Required — KS street address ("Resident Agent" in Kansas terminology)
Kentucky
Required — KY street address
Louisiana
Required — LA street address
Maine
Required — ME street address ("Clerk" in Maine terminology, similar to a registered agent)
Maryland
Required — Maryland calls this a "Resident Agent
Massachusetts
Required — MA "Resident Agent" with a Massachusetts street address
Michigan
Required — Michigan "Resident Agent" with a MI street address
Minnesota
Required — MN street address
Mississippi
Required — MS street address
Missouri
Required — MO street address
Montana
Required — MT street address
Nebraska
Required — NE street address
Nevada
Required — NV street address
New Hampshire
Required — NH street address
New Jersey
Required — NJ street address
New Mexico
Required — NM street address
New York
Secretary of State serves automatically as agent for service of process
North Carolina
Required — NC street address
North Dakota
Required — ND street address
Ohio
Required — OH street address (Ohio uses "Statutory Agent")
Oklahoma
Required — OK street address
Oregon
Required — OR street address
Pennsylvania
Required — PA street address
Rhode Island
Required — RI street address
South Carolina
Required — SC street address
South Dakota
Required — SD street address
Tennessee
Required — TN street address
Texas
Required — TX street address
Utah
Required — UT street address
Vermont
Required — VT street address
Virginia
Required — VA street address
Washington
Required — WA street address
West Virginia
Required — WV street address
Wisconsin
Required — WI street address
Wyoming
Required — WY street address
What is a registered agent?
A registered agent (sometimes called a statutory agent, resident agent, or agent for service of process) is the designated recipient of official state and legal correspondence for your LLC. This includes service of process (lawsuit notices), state tax notices, annual report reminders, and correspondence from the Secretary of State.
Every state requires LLCs to maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in the state of formation — PO boxes are not accepted anywhere. The agent must be available during normal business hours to receive documents.
Can you be your own registered agent?
In most states, yes — any LLC member or manager who has a physical street address in the state can serve as the registered agent. The catch: that address becomes part of the public record. If you use your home address, it will appear on state filings searchable by anyone. Many LLC owners use a commercial registered agent service ($49–$300/yr) to keep their home address off public documents and to ensure someone is always available to receive legal mail.
How much does a registered agent cost?
DIY: $0 in state fees, but your personal address is public. Commercial services range from $49/yr (Northwest Registered Agent) to $299/yr (LegalZoom). A commercial service also provides mail forwarding, compliance reminders, and a professional address on your public filings. For most LLC owners, the privacy and reliability of a service is worth the $49–$99/yr cost.