What Is A Florida Registered Agent
Florida Registered Agent
A Florida registered agent acts as the official point of contact for alimited liability company (LLC),corporation, ornonprofit. A registered agent is responsible for accepting important correspondence like service of process, compliance notices, and tax documents.
Read ourFlorida Registered Agent guide to learn:
- How to find the best Florida registered agent service
- How to choose a registered agent
- How to change your Florida registered agent
To explore our favorite registered agent service options, take a look at this Best Registered Agent Services review.
SKIP AHEAD:
- What Is a Florida Registered Agent?
- Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in Florida?
- Should I Use a Florida Registered Agent Service?
- What Is the Best Registered Agent Service?
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What Is a Florida Registered Agent?
A registered agent primarily acts as your business's main point of contact with the Florida Department of State. Your registered agent will be responsible for receiving important tax notifications and compliance information.
A registered agent's most important role is to accept service of process. Service of process is the action of informing an individual or entity that there's a pending lawsuit against him or her, or in this case, against one's company.
Business owners must appoint a registered agent when they form an LLC or corporation.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in Florida?
You can be your own registered agent. Your friend can be your registered agent, too. Really, anyone can be a registered agent as long as they meet these three requirements:
- They're at least 18 years old.
- They have a physical address in Florida.
- They're always available during regular business hours at the address you provide.
Should I Be My Own Registered Agent?
Being your own registered agent will work for a handful of business owners. A registered agent needs to be organized, available, and aware. Most importantly, they need to have the time to be all of these things too.
If you miss a filing deadline or lose a document, you could put your compliance status at risk and the state could revoke your LLC or corporate status.
Many business owners choose to hire a professional registered agent service so they can focus on growing their business without the fear of missing a notice or deadline.
Is a Registered Agent Liable?
A registered agent is ONLY liable for any losses incurred by failing to notify the business of service of process documents in a timely manner. The registered agent may have to pay damages to the court in this situation.
Should I Use a Registered Agent Service?
Before you decide to hire a Florida registered agent service — also called a commercial registered agent — it's important to consider the advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages
- Privacy: Your registered agent's address will be listed on the public record — not your personal or office address. This is especially important if your business operates out of your home.
- Focus on Growth: A professional registered agent service will send you regular compliance reminders and notify you of any requirements needed to keep your organization in good standing. You, on the other hand, will be focusing on growing your business.
- Discretion: When a business owner acts as their own registered agent, service of process could be delivered to your home or in front of employees or customers at your office.
- Convenience: Hiring a registered agent service allows you to keep a flexible schedule. A registered agent is required to be available at their given address during normal business hours.
- National Support: If you think you may want to grow your organization nationally, a national registered agent service will be able to continue service there.
Disadvantages
We aren't sure there are any real disadvantages to hiring a registered agent service. The only downside is that hiring a commercial registered agent service costs money, but the time you will save can outweigh that cost. And after all, time is money.
What Is the Best Registered Agent Service in Florida?
ZenBusiness Registered Agent
ZenBusiness provides Florida businesses with excellent services at low prices. They fulfill all Florida registered agent requirements and also offer clients "worry-free compliance" support.
ZenBusiness's online document management system and regular compliance alerts make working with them worry-free. They'll scan and upload all your essential legal documents into a personalized online dashboard that you can access at any time.
ZenBusiness has a reputation for providing excellent customer service and their support team is known for being highly knowledgeable about business formation and maintenance.
To learn more, check out our ZenBusiness Registered Agent Service review.
Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent's competitive prices and great customer service are also a solid choice for Florida businesses.
Northwest's online form system only requires customers to provide information once, which then auto-populates in every form that asks for that info. They also scan every document locally — not just certain documents — to make sure that you never miss a filing. Their discount on multiple-state service is also a nice perk.
On top of all that, Northwest's customer service is praised for being personable, knowledgeable, and timely in their responses.
To learn more, check out our Northwest Registered Agent Service review.
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LLC | Corporation | Nonprofit
How to Elect a Registered Agent in Florida
In Florida, LLCs, corporations, and nonprofit organizations elect their registered agents on the formation document for each type of business entity.
Consent to Appointment
Your registered agent must consent to their appointment by physically or electronically signing the formation document.
Elect a Registered Agent for Your LLC
Complete the Articles of Organization. Your registered agent information will go into Article 3.
The cost to file the Articles of Organization is $125.
File by Mail
Submit your Articles of Organization to the address below:
New Filing Section
Division of Corporations
P.O. Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32314
File Online
Form your LLC on the Florida Sunbiz website.
You do not need to set up an account with Sunbiz to file online.
Elect a Registered Agent for Your Corporation
Complete the Articles of Incorporation. Your registered agent information will go into Article VI.
The cost to file the For-Profit Articles of Incorporation is $70. (This includes the $35 fee to designate a registered agent.)
File by Mail
Submit your For-Profit Articles of Incorporation to the address below:
New Filing Section
Department of State
Division of Corporations
P.O. Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32314
File Online
Form your corporation on the Florida Sunbiz website.
You do not need to set up an account with Sunbiz to file online.
Elect a Registered Agent for Your Nonprofit
Complete the Articles of Incorporation (Not for Profit). Your registered agent information will go into Article VI.
The cost to file the Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation is $70. (This includes the $35 fee to designate a registered agent.)
File by Mail
Submit your Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation to the address below:
Department of State
Division of Corporations
P.O. Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32314
File Online
Form your nonprofit on the Florida Sunbiz website.
You do not need to set up an account with Sunbiz to file online.
How to Change Your Registered Agent in Florida
To legally change your Florida registered agent, simply fill out the appropriate Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent or Both Form and submit it to the Florida Department of State along with the filing fee.
- Statement of Change (LLC)
- Statement of Change (Corporation and Nonprofit)
This can be done by mailing your completed form to the relevant address below:
LLC
Registration Section
Division of Corporations
P.O. Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32314
Corporation and Nonprofit
Amendment Section
Division of Corporations
P.O. Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32314
The filing cost is $25 for LLCs and $35 for both corporations and nonprofits.
Consent to Appointment
Your new registered agent must consent to their appointment by signing the applicable Statement of Change form.
Florida Registered Agent FAQ
Who can be a registered agent?
In the state of Florida, anyone may serve as your registered agent as long as they're a state resident and available at their listed address during standard business hours during the week. We do, however, recommend all LLCs, registered nonprofits, and corporations use a registered agent service.
How much does a Florida registered agent cost?
Although using a registered agent service can cost between $50 and $300 per year, it could save you time, money, and stress in the long run.
How much does it cost to change my registered agent?
Changing your Florida registered agent with the Department of State costs $25 for LLCs and $35 for both corporations and nonprofits.
Does registered agent mean owner?
No. A business owner can be a registered agent, but a registered agent is not necessarily a business owner.
Can anyone be a registered agent?
Anyone can be a registered agent as long as they meet these requirements:
- They're at least 18 years old.
- They have a physical address in Florida.
- They're always available during regular business hours at the address you provide.
Should I be my own registered agent?
If you plan on having a lot of free time to handle administrative work and you plan to always be at the address you provide during business hours, day after day, week after week, then it would be ok to be your own registered agent. Most business owners can't make that commitment, but there are always unique cases.
If you plan to hit the ground running and grow your business like nobody's business, then we HIGHLY recommend hiring a registered agent.
Is a registered agent liable?
A registered agent is ONLY liable for any losses incurred by failing to notify the business of service of process documents in a timely manner. The registered agent may have to pay damages to the court in this situation.
What is service of process?
Service of process is the action of informing an individual or entity that there's a pending lawsuit against him or her, or in this case, against one's company.
What is a statutory agent?
A statutory agent is another name for a registered agent.
What is a resident agent?
A resident agent is another name for a registered agent.
What is a service of process agent?
A service of process agent is another name for a registered agent.
Florida Business Resources
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What Is A Florida Registered Agent
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