Registered agent cost: what it is and what you should pay
Every LLC must name a registered agent — a person or company with a street address in the formation state, available during business hours, who accepts legal papers (service of process) and state mail on the LLC’s behalf. The role is mandatory; paying for it is not.
The three ways to fill the role
Be your own agent — $0
Free if you (or another member) have a physical address in the state and are reliably there during business hours. The trade-offs: the address becomes public record, and you must never miss a delivery — a missed lawsuit can proceed without you.
Commercial agent service — ~$100–$300/yr
The standard market range quoted across state formation guides is $100–$300 per year. Northwest Registered Agent — the price benchmark most roundups cite — charges $125/year (with volume pricing of $100/year/state at five or more states, per published reviews). You get a stable address, scanned mail, and compliance reminders.
Bundled with formation
Formation services frequently include the first year of agent service, then renew at their standard rate — read the renewal price, not the launch price, before comparing. The agent designation itself is free to file with the state in most states (Florida’s $25 designation fee is part of its $125 filing).
What the fee actually buys
- A private, stable public address — your home address stays off the state database and the junk-mail lists scraped from it.
- Reliable acceptance and same-day scanning of legal documents, which matters because response deadlines run from delivery.
- A compliance calendar for your annual report — the filing whose late fees ($400 in Florida) dwarf the agent fee.
- Multi-state coverage: one provider can serve as agent in every state where you register as a foreign LLC.
Foreign LLC? You need an agent in that state too
Every state you register in requires its own in-state agent — and adds its own registration fee. See both costs together: Foreign LLC registration costs →
When paying makes sense — and when it doesn’t
Paying is the sensible default when the business is your livelihood, you travel or work irregular hours, you formed in a state you don’t live in (Wyoming and Delaware filers must hire an agent there), or your home address is the only address you have. Acting as your own agent is reasonable for a single-state, home-based LLC whose owner is genuinely at that address during business hours and comfortable with the address being public. Either way, never let the appointment lapse: states can administratively dissolve an LLC with no agent on file, and changing agents mid-year usually means a small state change-of-agent filing (often $0–$25 depending on the state).
This page describes typical market prices from published reviews and guides (LLC.org’s Northwest Registered Agent review and state cost roundups, October 2026). It is cost information, not an endorsement of any provider — compare current pricing and terms directly before hiring.
Educational information only. LLC Cost Guide is not a law firm, accounting firm, or filing service, and nothing on this page is legal or tax advice. Fees and deadlines change; confirm the current figures with your Secretary of State (or Division of Corporations) before filing, and consult a licensed attorney or CPA for advice about your specific situation.