As business owners are forming or foreign qualifying their corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs), they must name a registered agent with the state of formation or qualification. The registered agent must have a physical address in that state, and is responsible for the receipt of important legal and tax documents, such as Service of Process, annual reports and franchise tax forms.

Using a registered agent service provider as the registered agent for your company ensures that these important documents are handled professionally, and can provide a number of other benefits, such as online access to your Service of Process, assistance with annual report filings and access to forms to help you comply with the ongoing formalities corporations and LLCs face.

How do you select a registered agent service provider? Since you will be paying an annual fee to use a provider, you should look for one who is both professional but offers additional value for your money. Below are some criteria you may wish to have in the registered agent for your business.

• Provide professional handling of Service of Process – The registered agent should notify you immediately by telephone and/or e-mail when it receives a Service of Process for your company, in addition to scanning and emailing you an electronic copy. 
• Authorized in every state – Using a company authorized to act as a registered agent in every state is helpful as your company grows, particularly if you someday choose to register to transact business in more than one state, or if you should ever need to relocate to another state.
• Compliance assistance – Some registered agent providers offer their customers assistance in complying with the ongoing formalities that corporations and LLCs face. Examples may include providing access to a compliance management tool, providing an annual report filing service, and providing access to the forms necessary to meet internal compliance obligations.
• Change of agent assistance – If you already have a registered agent for your business, changing your agent requires a state filing and payment of the applicable state filing fee. Many registered agent providers will not only undertake the filing on behalf of your company, but will also cover the state’s filing fee when you utilize them as agent.
• Convenient account access – As a business owner, your time is precious. Look for a registered agent provider that will allow you to access your account and important information online, when it is convenient for you, not them.

Additionally, BizFilings offers a registered agent checklist that can be very helpful to individuals browsing for a new registered agent provider.  As you’re selecting a registered agent, think of the provider not only as fulfilling a legal obligation for your company, but also as a partner in the success of your business.

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