registered agent

by ted g.
(lake oswego, OR, USA)

what is a registered agent?

Answer

The registered agent is the person to whom a court process server can deliver legal papers to and satisfy the requirements of legal service.

With an individual, it's simply to determine who must be served with legal papers--the person him or herself.

With an LLC, the state requires that the LLC appoint someone with a physical address in the state to serve legal process on if necessary.

If you work from home, you can serve as your own registered agent, and list your home address.

The downside to this is that your home address becomes public knowledge, and if your LLC is ever sued, the process server will come to your house to serve you.

If you have a business office, you can list that address, but again, understand that you will be served at your business office if your LLC is ever sued. That may or may not be a problem.

Finally, you can appoint another person or company located in your state to act as your registered agent. There are fees involved, but this spares your privacy and any embarrassment from having a process server show up at your home.

Legalzoom, among many other companies, offer registered agent services, either alone or as part of an LLC formation package.