A corporate registered agent is a person or company designated in your organization’s articles of incorporation to receive official notifications and legal documents. A corporate registered agent is required by law, and must be registered in the state in which your company is incorporated.

What Does a Corporate Registered Agent Do?

A registered agent receives service of process on behalf of your company, and forwards correspondence from your state’s filing agency, tax agency, and IRS.

Can I Be My Own Corporate Registered Agent?

Yes, as long as you meet the following criteria:

• You are an adult in the state in which your company is registered

• You have a physical address in the state in which your company is registered

• You are available at your physical address Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to receive documents

Although it is legally possible to serve as your own corporate registered agent, as a business owner you may want to limit your personal access and have the freedom to come and go as you please. A third party corporate registered agent ensures you won’t miss important information, such as service of process notices, communication with the Secretary of State, and other official notifications. For instance, your designated corporate registered agent will receive notice of lawsuits on your behalf.

What Are the Advantages of Hiring a Third Party to Act as My Corporate Registered Agent?

There are many benefits to designating someone to serve as your registered agent:

• You won’t be embarrassed by being served with a lawsuit in front of your employees, clients, or neighbors.

• If you work out of your home, a process service won’t be able to surprise you and your family at any hour of the day or night.

• You can list your corporate registered agent’s address in place of your own to prevent attorneys from identifying the officers of your company. A different address also ensures you won’t receive loads of junk mail or solicitations at your company’s registered address.

• An experienced registered agent will be familiar with corporate filings, and can help make sure you are in compliance in the state in which your company is registered.

• Your corporate registered agent will keep track of important documents, such as your articles of incorporation, company minutes, and annual reports. A professional registered agent will also store these documents online and provide access through a secure login.

Choosing a professional registered agent is one of the many important decisions you will make when you incorporate your business. Although you can change your registered agent after incorporating, you can obtain peace of mind and avoid the hassle, time, and expense by choosing a reputable registered agent when you incorporate your company. To learn more about the services provided by a corporate registered agent, visit www.TheDelawareCompany.com or call 1-888-338-2677.