Every US LLC and corporation needs a registered agent. It’s not optional, and it’s not a formality you can skip — the state will dissolve a company that doesn’t have one. So it’s worth understanding what you’re actually signing up for.
The job in one sentence
A registered agent is a person or company with a physical address in your state of formation who agrees to receive legal and government mail on your company’s behalf.
That’s it. When someone sues your company, or the state sends an official notice, it goes to your registered agent — who then gets it to you.
The state needs a reliable, public way to reach your company. A registered agent guarantees there’s always a real address — open during business hours — where official documents can be delivered and legally count as “served”.
What makes a good one
Not all agents are equal. The cheap “just an address” services often drop the ball on the part that matters: getting the mail to you fast.
Can you be your own agent?
Technically yes, if you have a physical address in the state and are available during business hours. In practice, most founders don’t — especially non-residents. Being your own agent also puts your home address on the public record and means a process server can show up at your door.
Using a professional agent keeps your address private and makes sure nothing slips through. Taxly is your registered agent in every state we serve, and every piece of mail is scanned to your dashboard the day it lands.
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