Resident Agent Info

Every state, the District of Columbia, one rule

Every company needs someone at the door.

A resident agent is the person or company that receives lawsuits, subpoenas and official state mail for a business entity, at a real street address in the state, during business hours. Every corporation and LLC has to name one and keep it current. This site explains the role and points you to the filing office in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Find your state What a resident agent does

The role in three parts.

The name changes from state to state. The job does not.

  1. What it is

    A standing address for legal papers

    When someone sues a company, the papers have to be handed to a person the state knows about. The resident agent is that person, named on the company's public record so a process server, a court or the state itself always knows where to go.

    Read the full explanation
  2. Why it is required

    Every entity, every state, no exceptions

    Corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships and nonprofits all have to appoint an agent when they form or register in a state, and keep the appointment current for as long as the entity exists there. Let it lapse and the state can act against the company.

    See the general requirements
  3. Where to find yours

    Your state's filing office has the rule

    The statute, the forms and the fees belong to the state's business filing office, usually the Secretary of State. Each state page here gives you that office's address, phone number, hours and website so you can confirm the current requirement at the source.

    Jump to the state list

Resident agent, registered agent, statutory agent.

The statutes do not agree on a name. Most say registered agent; some say resident agent; Arizona says statutory agent; and the generic phrase is agent for service of process. Whatever the label, the same person does the same job. A few examples from the statutes themselves:

  • resident agent

    Maryland: Corporations and Associations Article, section 2-108.

  • resident agent

    Michigan: MCL 450.1241.

  • registered agent

    Nevada: NRS Chapter 77.

  • statutory agent

    Arizona: A.R.S. section 10-501.

Resident agent information by state.

Choose a state for its filing office's street and mailing address, phone and fax numbers, office hours and website, and a plain statement of what the agent must do there. The District of Columbia is included.