A Florida Registered Agent or Florida Registered Agent Service is required by law for every business entity in the state of Florida. A registered agent is someone who agrees to accept legal papers on behalf of the business if it is sued. The agent must have a physical address in Florida and be available during normal business hours.
In my Florida Registered Agent guide, I’ll walk you through the detailed process of when you should get a registered agent for your Florida business, how to pick one and whether you should use a professional service to help. Check out my guide on how to setup a Florida LLC with all the details you’ll need.
Best Florida Registered Agent Service
ZenBusiness will be the best option for setting up a registered agent service in Florida. They can also help you with getting your LLC formed so if you’re looking for the best option, check them out today!
As I’ve been saying here, the best registered agent service is going to be Northwest Registered Agent but you can also look at Harbor Compliance who has a great service too. I’ve just found that as a registered agent company that’s been doing this for many years they will be the best registered agent service you can find at the best possible price.
What is a Florida Registered Agent?
A Florida Registered agent is not only required but important for any business entity that you’re starting. Whether you’re looking to form a new LLC or if you’re looking to find a service to help you a registered agent is responsible for three main things:
- They act as a legal representative for your company. This means that if you are ever sued then the registered agent is the first point of contact and will receive any papers related to the lawsuit.
- They provide a physical address in Florida for your company. This is important as it’s required by law and it’s where legal documents will be sent if you’re ever served with a lawsuit.
- They are available during normal business hours to accept any legal papers that need to be served. This is important as if you’re ever served with a lawsuit then the registered agent needs to be available to accept it.
A few other things to consider: The address that your registered agent uses can be publicly listed on the public filings so if you decide you’re going to act as your own registered agent or registered agent service – keep that in mind.
Why do I need a Florida Registered Agent?
The main reason you need a Florida Registered Agent is that it’s required by law to have one. They will provide a Florida business address that is going to help you keep your personal and business affairs separate. A business address is important but you don’t want to have your registered agent’s address also be your home address.
If you act as your own Florida registered agent you may end up having legal papers served at your home vs. using one of the many Florida Registered Agents that you could use to accept services that are required for any business entity in Florida.
When should I obtain a Florida Registered Agent?
I always recommend doing this at the beginning of your Florida LLC life. The reason I recommend this is because it’s required by law for any business entity to have a registered agent service or registered agent be tied to the individual or business entity. If you wait to do this after and try and combo some kind of virtual mailbox service that offers free mail forwarding – it’s not going to end well.
Start with the right registered agent service which I always recommend using Northwest Registered Agent as your forming your LLC because they typically will include the first year of the new registered agent service as a part of the package. If you’re looking to change or want to find an alternative to Northwest Registered Agent, you can but they are typically the best option for any Limited Liability Company that you’re looking to setup.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent In Florida?
Technically yes you can but the better question is should you do this. I always recommend that you should not act as your own registered agent for the reasons we talked about above. If you’re going to need a Florida Registered Agent then you should use a Florida Registered Agent service that will make your life a lot easier. The last thing you need is your home address in the public filings of the Florida Department Business Filings or Florida Secretary of State’s office. Public records are no joke and anybody can look up your business entity name and find the Florida Registered Agent Services you’ve hired and if it’s just you and your home address – they will have your street address and can show up to the physical street address during regular business hours to serve you legal documents.
How Much Does a Registered Agent Cost?
The cost of hiring a Florida Registered Agent can range from $50 to around $200 per year. You’ll want to make sure that you’re not only comparing the price but also the service that each one offers as well.
Depending on what you’re looking to do here, I’d recommend getting a premium registered agent service that you can use for the long term. Once you have a registered agent service setup there is no reason to make a change.
How Do I Elect A Registered Agent In Florida?
If you’re looking to elect a registered agent in Florida, you’ll want to do this as part of the process when setting up your LLC. This is pretty easy and if you’re using an online registered agent service like Northwest Registered Agent or Harbor Compliance they will take care of the entire process for you.
How Do I Change My Registered Agent In Florida?
You can check out the sunbiz.org site that the Florida team has setup for you here. You can change your Florida registered agent if you’d like to using one of the many services or you can act as your own registered agent if something went sideways with one of the services you decided to go with.
Conclusion
You should now feel comfortable and confident in getting your registered agent service setup in Florida. If you’re in the beginning of your process to setup your LLC go setup a new registered agent service for your business. It’s something that’s required by law and you’ll be glad that you’ve been able to get this piece of your business covered.
Registered Agent FAQ
Does Florida require a registered agent?
Yes. You’ll need to either act as your own registered agent or have a registered agent service help you make sure you’re following Florida law.
Does registered agent mean owner?
No. You do not want to have your registered agent as an owner of your Florida LLC business. The registered agent name should not be an owner of the business unless you’re business partner is also a lawyer who can act as a registered agent on your behalf. That seems rare but it is possible.
What is a registered agent service?
This is a service that will act as your registered agent and make sure you’re following Florida law and the compliance rules around a Florida business needs to follow said laws.
Best Registered Agent
The best option for your registered agent service
