920:
the plaintiff must demonstrate that it made a good faith effort to service the registered agent before it may serve the
Secretary of State. The state laws vary in how to complete service on the Secretary of State and the amount of fees charged. Some of the states that may have this statutory provision are listed below. MoRAA eliminated this provision but some of the states that adopted MoRAA maintained this provision.
996:
seeks to alleviate is that disparate laws, filing requirements, and forms in all of the US jurisdictions where business entities are filed creates a quagmire for any company seeking to register to do business in those jurisdictions. By adopting a common set of laws, the Model
Registered Agents Act seeks to create a uniform and simple process of filing and maintaining a business entity in any jurisdiction adopting it.
53:
776:'s address may also be where the state sends the paperwork for the periodic renewal of the business entity's charter (if required). The registered agent for a business entity may be an officer or employee of the company, or a third party, such as the organization's lawyer or a service company. Failure to properly maintain a registered agent can affect a company negatively.
995:
Eleven US jurisdictions (Arkansas, District of
Columbia, Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming) have since adopted the model act, and Delaware did not adopt the act, but did adopt the "commercial registered agent" provision. The problem this effort
965:
Different states have different requirements for registered agents. Typically, the agent must be a natural person resident of the state in question or, in states that allow entities to serve as registered agents, an entity having a business office within the state and authorized to do business in the
970:
is legally allowed to act as its own registered agent, if at least one of its officers is a resident of the state, but other jurisdictions may require that a business entity designate a third party as its registered agent. Because most states permit one business entity to serve as a registered agent
953:
forms. It is the registered agent's job to forward these suit documents and notices to the entity itself. Registered agents generally will also notify business entities if their state government filing status is in "good standing" or not. The reason that these notifications are a desired function of
919:
Some state business entity laws name the
Secretary of State's office or business entity filing office as the registered agent of last resort, in the event the named registered agent can't be found. By law, service may be made on the office if the entity's registered agent can not be found. However,
928:
Most jurisdictions in the United States require that any business entity that is formed or doing business within their borders designate and maintain a "registered agent". This person may be known as the "resident agent" or "statutory agent", depending on the laws of the individual jurisdiction in
881:
provide that the registered agent may be designated using a separate "Registered Agent
Acceptance" form with the appropriate acceptance and signature. A representative of the business or the individual accepting responsibility as registered agent must sign to accept the responsibility of acting as
906:
A business entity might at some point want to change its previously designated registered agent to another party. This is accomplished by obtaining a form from the secretary of state where the business entity is registered, completing said form, and filing it with that state office along with any
820:
If a registered agent fails to perform their function, it can have dire consequences for the business entity. For example, if a customer fell inside a store and sued the store, and the store's registered agent failed to notify the business entity of a summons to appear in court to respond to the
784:
A registered agent, is a designated person or entity authorized to receive legal and official documents on behalf of a company or LLC, and can be referred to as "Resident Agent", "Statutory Agent", commercial or noncommercial clerk, or by the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) a
991:
laws as they relate to annual reports, registered agents and other laws and forms used to file business entities. The act also creates two distinct classes of registered agent: "commercial" and "non-commercial." The
National Conference of Commissions on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) organized a
915:
Information about persons or entities that are available to act as registered agents in a given state may be maintained by the state's
Secretary of State office. Most states also offer free online database searches to identify a business entity's registered agent.
829:
overturned on appeal because they had been properly served. This is one of the most common reasons that business entities generally will utilize a third party as their registered agent be it a commercial service company, an attorney, or in some cases, a CPA.
907:
requisite fees which may vary from state to state. In some cases the required form may simply be a dedicated change of registered agent form, and in other cases, such as in
Delaware, an actual amendment to the articles of the business entity must be filed.
1268:, Code of Maryland, Corporations and Associations Article, § 4A-204(a)(3) requires the articles of organization of a limited liability company to include "the name and address of its resident agent".
954:
a registered agent is that it is difficult for a business entity to keep track of legislative changes and report due dates for multiple jurisdictions given the disparate laws of different states.
992:
drafting committee composed of commissions, ABA, and IACA representatives who drafted the act's language. NCCUSL adopted MoRAA at its 2006 annual meeting. It was amended in 2011.
957:
The failure to maintain a registered agent may cause a jurisdiction to revoke a business's corporate or LLC legal status, imposition of penalty fees on the entity, or both.
1488:
971:
for others, some businesses exist to serve that exact function, charging a fee to act as the registered agent for hundreds or thousands of businesses in a given state.
945:. Generally, the registered agent is also the person to whom the state government sends all official documents required each year for tax and legal purposes, such as
1074:
861:
is assigned in the formation documents filed in a jurisdiction when the entity is originally created. For example, a person forming a corporation in the State of
845:
A registered agent is designated by a business entity by completing a form and filing it with the appropriate government agency, normally a state's
602:
1510:
993:
987:
Business Law
Section and the International Association of Commercial Administrators (IACA) – Business Organization Section (BOS) to standardize
1056:
1456:
318:
560:
1572:
883:
846:
515:
724:
1478:
419:
228:
1142:
407:
351:
310:
1567:
289:
77:
1214:
869:, would designate the registered agent along with the agent's address on the articles of incorporation filed with the
1152:
356:
809:. This is because there are substantive (and substantial) liability protections as well as tax advantages to being "
837:
entity that maintains contact with the registered agent is normally the corporate secretary or governance officer.
821:
lawsuit, then when the case went to trial, nobody would appear to defend the store and the customer would win by a
433:
334:
1021:
1001:
1126:
1031:
929:
which the business entity is registered. The purpose of a registered agent is to provide a legal address (not a
1240:
259:
193:
443:
1477:
Cenziper, Debbie; Fitzgibbon, Will; Anderson Stern, Emily; Korsh, Michael; Crites, Alice (April 5, 2022).
874:
717:
630:
107:
933:) within that jurisdiction where there are persons available during normal business hours to facilitate
326:
102:
87:
1400:
1011:
870:
806:
675:
610:
399:
269:
97:
1006:
1532:
1438:
984:
810:
570:
437:
112:
72:
279:
200:
710:
592:
366:
239:
153:
118:
82:
36:
1372:
1077:, who in the United States provide information about available registered agents in each state
882:
agent. In most states it is a crime to knowingly file a false document with the office of the
535:
67:
1277:
1193:
1098:
660:
597:
1168:
8:
1562:
1483:
635:
389:
361:
215:
188:
183:
173:
1061:
934:
555:
475:
448:
128:
123:
92:
27:
1448:
1148:
877:
respectively. If the agent cannot sign the articles to be filed, some states such as
615:
485:
373:
248:
210:
205:
1443:
1026:
822:
693:
625:
525:
1530:
1016:
988:
967:
930:
858:
798:
765:
665:
620:
343:
168:
1051:
886:, although the penalties vary widely. For example, in Nevada it is a Class "D"
826:
1036:
1556:
1452:
950:
946:
814:
794:
773:
738:
427:
394:
44:
20:
545:
1326:, Code of Maryland, Corporations and Associations Article, Section § 2-108.
1300:
938:
769:
761:
741:
505:
495:
1288:
895:
802:
641:
178:
163:
158:
1041:
698:
464:
414:
1538:. International Association of Commercial Administrators. pp. 4–5
1533:"Model Registered Agents Act - Technical Challenges of Implementation"
1403:(1)(i): "An individual who resides in this state . . . " or an entity.
1476:
1114:
1046:
891:
866:
834:
670:
16:
Someone designated to receive service of process in a legal action
1479:"The gatekeepers who help open America to oligarchs and scammers"
942:
148:
1439:"Inside the Shadowy Firm Pushing the Limits of Business Privacy"
1301:"Serve the Registered Agent | Registered Agent Process Service"
887:
878:
862:
825:. Additionally, the store would likely not be able to get the
311:
Charitable incorporated organisation (England and Wales)
1169:"Filing Maine Articles of Incorporation Requirements (Clerk)"
1215:"How do I find a BOC-3 Process Agent and what do they do?"
52:
1531:
International Association of Commercial Administrators.
1511:"Model Registered Agents Act (2006) (Last Amended 2011)"
1373:"The Best Registered Agent Service for Your LLC in 2023"
1241:"What Are the Tax Benefits of Incorporating a Business?"
26:
For the Wikimedia Foundation's registered agent see the
1278:
Example of "Registered Agent Acceptance" form (Nevada)
960:
760:) is a business or individual designated to receive
1437:Turton, William; Mehrotra, Dhruv (March 5, 2024).
1554:
1194:"Maine Registered Agent (interchangeable terms)"
1436:
974:
857:In most all cases, the registered agent for a
785:"process agent", and all are interchangeable.
319:Scottish charitable incorporated organisation
1350:, California Corporations Code, Section 1701.
910:
772:such as a lawsuit or summons. The registered
718:
19:For the role of process agent in the UK, see
1503:
1338:, Arizona Revised Statutes, Section 10-501.
725:
711:
1524:
1362:, Code of Virginia, Section 13.1-634(B).
1147:. McGraw–Hill Professional. p. 35.
1136:
1134:
983:(MoRAA) is an effort spearheaded by the
1555:
1491:from the original on February 19, 2024
1140:
852:
420:Limited liability limited partnership
335:Industrial and provident society
1131:
1127:Registered Agent terminology by state
517:Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung
788:
28:Wikimedia Foundation contact details
1430:
1238:
961:Who may serve as a registered agent
13:
901:
807:limited liability companies (LLCs)
14:
1584:
1573:Region-specific legal occupations
1399:, New Hampshire Revised Statutes
890:to forge this signature, but in
562:Société à responsabilité limitée
51:
1470:
1459:from the original on 2024-03-09
1418:
1406:
1390:
1365:
1353:
1341:
1329:
1317:
1305:www.servetheregisteredagent.com
1293:
1282:
1271:
937:being served in the event of a
779:
1427:, D.C. Code Section 29-101.10.
1259:
1232:
1207:
1186:
1161:
1120:
1104:
1088:
840:
1:
1081:
923:
1289:Delaware Change of Agent FAQ
1075:List of secretaries of state
758:agent for service of process
444:Massachusetts business trust
7:
1415:, Virginia Code § 13.1-634.
1068:
981:Model Registered Agents Act
975:Model Registered Agents Act
875:Delaware Secretary of State
631:Piercing the corporate veil
327:Community interest company
302:UK / Ireland / Commonwealth
290:Economic interest grouping
10:
1589:
1568:United States business law
1097:, Nevada Revised Statutes
911:Locating registered agents
400:Limited liability company
25:
18:
871:Nevada Secretary of State
611:Internal affairs doctrine
606:and estoppel corporations
1513:. Uniform Law Commission
1245:Small Business Chronicle
1141:Colley, John L. (2003).
985:American Bar Association
966:state. In some states a
935:legal service of process
793:Most businesses are not
35:This article is part of
813:" as opposed to being "
281:Societas unius personae
143:General corporate forms
1377:Nomad Offshore Academy
1173:Maine Registered Agent
593:Business judgment rule
537:Naamloze vennootschap
527:Kabushiki gaisha
344:Limited company
1144:Corporate Governance
1113:, Ohio Revised Code
661:Beneficial ownership
598:Corporate governance
434:Delaware corporation
261:Societas cooperativa
1484:The Washington Post
1247:. Houston Chronicle
853:Initial designation
676:Corporate registers
636:Rochdale Principles
390:Benefit corporation
216:Sole proprietorship
884:Secretary of State
847:Secretary of State
762:service of process
477:Aktiengesellschaft
449:Nevada corporation
1239:Writing, Alexis.
799:business entities
789:Services provided
748:(also known as a
735:
734:
616:Limited liability
578:
577:
487:Ansvarlig selskap
374:Unlimited company
211:Shelf corporation
206:Shell corporation
194:Limited liability
1580:
1547:
1546:
1544:
1543:
1537:
1528:
1522:
1521:
1519:
1518:
1507:
1501:
1500:
1498:
1496:
1474:
1468:
1467:
1465:
1464:
1434:
1428:
1422:
1416:
1410:
1404:
1394:
1388:
1387:
1385:
1384:
1369:
1363:
1357:
1351:
1345:
1339:
1333:
1327:
1321:
1315:
1314:
1312:
1311:
1297:
1291:
1286:
1280:
1275:
1269:
1263:
1257:
1256:
1254:
1252:
1236:
1230:
1229:
1227:
1225:
1211:
1205:
1204:
1202:
1200:
1190:
1184:
1183:
1181:
1179:
1165:
1159:
1158:
1138:
1129:
1124:
1118:
1108:
1102:
1092:
833:The person at a
823:default judgment
768:is a party in a
746:registered agent
727:
720:
713:
681:Registered agent
626:Drag-along right
566:
551:
541:
531:
521:
511:
501:
491:
481:
471:
440:
423:
403:
347:
338:
330:
322:
314:
303:
293:
285:
275:
271:Societas privata
265:
255:
236:
235:
55:
32:
31:
1588:
1587:
1583:
1582:
1581:
1579:
1578:
1577:
1553:
1552:
1551:
1550:
1541:
1539:
1535:
1529:
1525:
1516:
1514:
1509:
1508:
1504:
1494:
1492:
1475:
1471:
1462:
1460:
1435:
1431:
1423:
1419:
1411:
1407:
1395:
1391:
1382:
1380:
1371:
1370:
1366:
1358:
1354:
1346:
1342:
1334:
1330:
1322:
1318:
1309:
1307:
1299:
1298:
1294:
1287:
1283:
1276:
1272:
1264:
1260:
1250:
1248:
1237:
1233:
1223:
1221:
1213:
1212:
1208:
1198:
1196:
1192:
1191:
1187:
1177:
1175:
1167:
1166:
1162:
1155:
1139:
1132:
1125:
1121:
1109:
1105:
1093:
1089:
1084:
1071:
1066:
989:business entity
977:
968:business entity
963:
926:
913:
904:
902:Change of agent
859:business entity
855:
843:
791:
782:
766:business entity
754:statutory agent
731:
686:
685:
666:Civil procedure
656:
648:
647:
621:Tag-along right
588:
580:
579:
564:
549:
539:
529:
519:
509:
499:
489:
479:
469:
438:statutory trust
432:
421:
401:
345:
342:
336:
328:
320:
312:
301:
291:
283:
273:
263:
253:
233:
231:by jurisdiction
230:
229:Corporate forms
221:
220:
201:Private limited
169:Holding company
144:
136:
135:
117:
63:
62:By jurisdiction
30:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1586:
1576:
1575:
1570:
1565:
1549:
1548:
1523:
1502:
1469:
1429:
1417:
1405:
1389:
1364:
1352:
1340:
1328:
1316:
1292:
1281:
1270:
1258:
1231:
1206:
1185:
1160:
1153:
1130:
1119:
1103:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1080:
1079:
1078:
1070:
1067:
1065:
1064:
1059:
1054:
1049:
1044:
1039:
1034:
1029:
1024:
1019:
1014:
1009:
1004:
998:
976:
973:
962:
959:
925:
922:
912:
909:
903:
900:
854:
851:
842:
839:
790:
787:
781:
778:
750:resident agent
733:
732:
730:
729:
722:
715:
707:
704:
703:
702:
701:
696:
694:Company portal
688:
687:
684:
683:
678:
673:
668:
663:
657:
654:
653:
650:
649:
646:
645:
638:
633:
628:
623:
618:
613:
608:
600:
595:
589:
586:
585:
582:
581:
576:
575:
574:
573:
568:
558:
553:
543:
533:
523:
513:
503:
493:
483:
473:
459:
458:
454:
453:
452:
451:
446:
441:
430:
425:
417:
412:
411:
410:
408:Low-profit LLC
397:
392:
384:
383:
379:
378:
377:
376:
371:
370:
369:
364:
359:
354:
340:
332:
324:
316:
305:
304:
298:
297:
296:
295:
287:
277:
267:
257:
243:
242:
240:European Union
234:
227:
226:
223:
222:
219:
218:
213:
208:
203:
198:
197:
196:
191:
186:
176:
171:
166:
161:
156:
151:
145:
142:
141:
138:
137:
134:
133:
132:
131:
126:
119:European Union
115:
110:
105:
100:
95:
90:
88:Cayman Islands
85:
80:
75:
70:
64:
61:
60:
57:
56:
48:
47:
41:
40:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1585:
1574:
1571:
1569:
1566:
1564:
1561:
1560:
1558:
1534:
1527:
1512:
1506:
1490:
1486:
1485:
1480:
1473:
1458:
1454:
1450:
1446:
1445:
1440:
1433:
1426:
1421:
1414:
1409:
1402:
1398:
1393:
1378:
1374:
1368:
1361:
1356:
1349:
1344:
1337:
1332:
1325:
1320:
1306:
1302:
1296:
1290:
1285:
1279:
1274:
1267:
1262:
1246:
1242:
1235:
1220:
1216:
1210:
1195:
1189:
1174:
1170:
1164:
1156:
1154:0-07-140346-9
1150:
1146:
1145:
1137:
1135:
1128:
1123:
1116:
1112:
1107:
1100:
1096:
1091:
1087:
1076:
1073:
1072:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1053:
1050:
1048:
1047:New Hampshire
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1018:
1015:
1013:
1010:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
999:
997:
994:
990:
986:
982:
972:
969:
958:
955:
952:
951:annual report
948:
947:franchise tax
944:
940:
936:
932:
921:
917:
908:
899:
897:
894:it is only a
893:
889:
885:
880:
876:
872:
868:
864:
860:
850:
848:
838:
836:
831:
828:
824:
818:
816:
815:self-employed
812:
808:
804:
800:
796:
786:
777:
775:
771:
767:
764:(SOP) when a
763:
759:
755:
751:
747:
743:
740:
739:United States
728:
723:
721:
716:
714:
709:
708:
706:
705:
700:
697:
695:
692:
691:
690:
689:
682:
679:
677:
674:
672:
669:
667:
664:
662:
659:
658:
655:Related areas
652:
651:
644:
643:
639:
637:
634:
632:
629:
627:
624:
622:
619:
617:
614:
612:
609:
607:
605:
601:
599:
596:
594:
591:
590:
584:
583:
572:
569:
567:
563:
559:
557:
554:
552:
548:
544:
542:
538:
534:
532:
528:
524:
522:
518:
514:
512:
508:
504:
502:
498:
494:
492:
488:
484:
482:
478:
474:
472:
467:
463:
462:
461:
460:
456:
455:
450:
447:
445:
442:
439:
435:
431:
429:
428:S corporation
426:
424:
418:
416:
413:
409:
406:
405:
404:
398:
396:
395:C corporation
393:
391:
388:
387:
386:
385:
382:United States
381:
380:
375:
372:
368:
365:
363:
360:
358:
355:
353:
350:
349:
348:
341:
339:
333:
331:
325:
323:
317:
315:
309:
308:
307:
306:
300:
299:
294:
288:
286:
282:
278:
276:
272:
268:
266:
262:
258:
256:
251:
247:
246:
245:
244:
241:
238:
237:
232:
225:
224:
217:
214:
212:
209:
207:
204:
202:
199:
195:
192:
190:
187:
185:
182:
181:
180:
177:
175:
172:
170:
167:
165:
162:
160:
157:
155:
152:
150:
147:
146:
140:
139:
130:
127:
125:
122:
121:
120:
116:
114:
111:
109:
108:United States
106:
104:
101:
99:
96:
94:
91:
89:
86:
84:
81:
79:
76:
74:
71:
69:
66:
65:
59:
58:
54:
50:
49:
46:
45:Corporate law
43:
42:
38:
34:
33:
29:
22:
21:Process agent
1540:. Retrieved
1526:
1515:. Retrieved
1505:
1493:. Retrieved
1482:
1472:
1461:. Retrieved
1442:
1432:
1424:
1420:
1412:
1408:
1401:§ 293-A:5.01
1396:
1392:
1381:. Retrieved
1379:. 2023-10-09
1376:
1367:
1359:
1355:
1347:
1343:
1335:
1331:
1323:
1319:
1308:. Retrieved
1304:
1295:
1284:
1273:
1265:
1261:
1249:. Retrieved
1244:
1234:
1222:. Retrieved
1218:
1209:
1197:. Retrieved
1188:
1176:. Retrieved
1172:
1163:
1143:
1122:
1110:
1106:
1094:
1090:
1057:Pennsylvania
1052:North Dakota
980:
978:
964:
956:
949:notices and
939:legal action
927:
918:
914:
905:
856:
844:
832:
819:
811:incorporated
803:corporations
797:but instead
792:
783:
780:Nomenclature
770:legal action
757:
753:
749:
745:
742:business law
736:
680:
640:
603:
561:
546:
536:
526:
516:
507:Aksjeselskap
506:
497:Aktieselskab
496:
486:
476:
465:
352:by guarantee
280:
270:
260:
249:
154:Conglomerate
98:South Africa
1032:Mississippi
896:misdemeanor
849:'s office.
841:Designation
795:individuals
642:Ultra vires
362:proprietary
179:Partnership
174:Joint-stock
164:Corporation
159:Cooperative
1563:Agency law
1557:Categories
1542:2014-03-03
1517:2018-04-11
1463:2024-03-10
1383:2023-10-24
1310:2024-07-20
1082:References
1012:California
924:Regulation
699:Law portal
547:Osakeyhtiö
466:Aktiebolag
415:Series LLC
1453:1059-1028
1115:§ 1701.07
587:Doctrines
357:by shares
73:Australia
1489:Archived
1457:Archived
1251:6 August
1099:§ 14.020
1069:See also
1017:Delaware
1007:Arkansas
931:P.O. Box
892:Michigan
867:Delaware
835:business
827:judgment
801:such as
671:Contract
604:De facto
436: /
250:Societas
68:Anguilla
37:a series
1495:May 17,
1224:21 June
1199:21 June
1178:21 June
1062:Wyoming
1037:Montana
943:lawsuit
571:more...
189:Limited
184:General
149:Company
129:Germany
113:Vietnam
1451:
1151:
1042:Nevada
1002:Alaska
888:felony
879:Nevada
863:Nevada
565:(SARL)
540:(N.V.)
530:(K.K.)
520:(GmbH)
468:
457:Others
422:(LLLP)
367:public
346:(Ltd.)
321:(SCIO)
292:(EEIG)
252:
124:France
83:Canada
1536:(PDF)
1444:Wired
1219:FMCSA
1027:Maine
1022:Idaho
774:agent
756:, or
500:(A/S)
490:(ANS)
402:(LLC)
337:(IPS)
329:(CIC)
313:(CIO)
284:(SUP)
274:(SPE)
264:(SCE)
93:India
1497:2024
1449:ISSN
1425:E.g.
1413:E.g.
1397:E.g.
1360:e.g.
1348:e.g.
1336:e.g.
1324:e.g.
1266:E.g.
1253:2015
1226:2024
1201:2024
1180:2024
1149:ISBN
1111:E.g.
1095:E.g.
979:The
744:, a
556:S.A.
550:(Oy)
510:(AS)
480:(AG)
470:(AB)
254:(SE)
941:or
873:or
865:or
817:".
805:or
737:In
78:BVI
1559::
1487:.
1481:.
1455:.
1447:.
1441:.
1375:.
1303:.
1243:.
1217:.
1171:.
1133:^
898:.
752:,
103:UK
39:on
1545:.
1520:.
1499:.
1466:.
1386:.
1313:.
1255:.
1228:.
1203:.
1182:.
1157:.
1117:.
1101:.
726:e
719:t
712:v
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
