A registered agent service receives legal papers and official state notices on behalf of your LLC or corporation, at an address on the public record. You can hire one as part of a formation bundle, from a specialist agent company, or from an enterprise compliance firm. Ten providers follow in no particular order.
Every LLC or corporation filing asks you to name a registered agent, and plenty of founders type in their own name without thinking about what that means. As one provider's page puts it, in most US states the registered agent must have a physical address where communications can be sent and be available during normal business hours.
The ten companies below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order. Every description comes from each provider's own website, as of Nov 2026. This page describes what each company says it offers; it isn't legal advice, and your state's own rules are the ones that count.
Registered agent providers at a glance
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| A Registered Agent | Registered agent and formation company | A legal point of contact plus annual reports |
| Cogency Global | Specialist registered agent company | Receiving legal and tax documents for an organisation |
| CorpNet | Business filing and formation service | Agent service beside formation and annual filings |
| CSC | Enterprise corporate services and compliance firm | Agent and service of process for larger groups |
| doola | Formation and bookkeeping platform | Agent coverage bundled with formation and an EIN |
| Harbor Compliance | Software and services for compliance | Agent service with state forms pre-filled |
| InCorp | Registered agent and incorporation company | Same-day document delivery in every state |
| MyCorporation | Business formation and filing service | Agent service plus guides for new owners |
| Swyft Filings | Business formation and compliance service | Keeping your home address off public filings |
| ZenBusiness | Formation service with registered agent add-on | Adding an agent when you form your LLC |
Ten companies that will act as your agent
A Registered Agent
Best for: Founders who want a legal point of contact for their business, with an agent service whose page says it takes care of the annual report too.
Cogency Global
Best for: Organisations of any size that want a specialist to receive legal and tax documents on their behalf, with an APAC site for work abroad.
CorpNet
Best for: Small business owners who'd like nationwide registered agent services alongside formation, annual reports, BOI reporting and other state filings from one provider.
CSC
Best for: Larger companies and legal teams that want registered agent and service of process handled alongside entity management, tax and other corporate services.
doola
Best for: Founders who want LLC or C-Corp formation, an EIN and registered agent coverage in all 50 states as one package, with bookkeeping and taxes on top.
Harbor Compliance
Best for: Organisations that want legal documents received at a physical office, state forms pre-filled with the agent address, and software to track licences.
InCorp
Best for: Businesses in several states that want documents scanned and delivered the day they arrive, a compliance calendar and monitoring for unauthorised entity changes.
MyCorporation
Best for: First-time owners who'd like registered agent service from the company that files their LLC or corporation, with a learning centre of startup guides.
Swyft Filings
Best for: Home-based founders who'd rather keep their home address private and receive legal notices securely, from a service that operates in all 50 states.
ZenBusiness
Best for: New LLC or corporation owners who want a registered agent from the same service that forms the company and handles ongoing compliance filings.
Formation bundle, specialist agent or compliance firm
The provider pages fall into three groups. ZenBusiness offers to get a registered agent service for your LLC or corporation, doola promises registered agent coverage in all 50 states inside its formation package, and CorpNet lists nationwide registered agent services among a long menu of filings. MyCorporation's site even has a page explaining what a registered agent is, which tells you who it's written for.
Then there are companies where the agent service is the headline. Cogency Global's page is titled Hire a Registered Agent, InCorp's title is Registered Agent Service, All 50 States, and Swyft Filings says Stay Compliant with Our Registered Agent Service.
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At the enterprise end, CSC's title runs Registered Agent, Compliance, Tax, Fund, Capital Market, Digital, and Cyber-Risk Solutions, so you can guess its usual client. Harbor Compliance sits between the two, pairing its agent service with compliance software that tracks licences and renewals.
So the same job can be one line in a formation bundle, a stand-alone specialist service, or one desk inside a big compliance firm. Which one makes sense depends mostly on how many entities and states you're dealing with.
What a registered agent handles for your company
In the providers' own words, the agent serves as the legal point of contact for your business. Across the pages on this list, that covers:
- Service of process, the formal delivery of a lawsuit or legal papers, passed on to you quickly.
- State mail, such as annual report reminders and official notices.
- Business-hours availability at a physical address in the state, which most provider pages describe as a requirement.
- Privacy for home-based owners, because the agent's address goes on the public record instead of yours.
- Deadline tracking, which several providers add as a compliance calendar or email alerts.
- More than one state, if your company registers to do business outside its home state.
How to pick, or switch, a registered agent
- List every state where your company is registered, and check the provider covers each one.
- Ask how documents reach you: scanned and emailed the same day, an online account, or post.
- Check whether annual report reminders or filings are included, or sold separately.
- Read what happens at renewal and how to cancel, since the agent stays on your state record until you change it.
- If you're switching, ask whether the new provider files the change of agent form for you.
- Keep the agent's details with your company records, next to your formation papers and your EIN.
Still deciding whether you need an LLC at all? My guide to LLC vs sole proprietorship covers what changes when you form one.
Do you make a registered agent or business compliance service? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on picking a registered agent
Start with how many companies and states you've got. One LLC in one state? A formation service that bundles the agent is the simplest route, as long as you're happy to keep it with them. Several entities, or a business registered in more than one state, gets more from a specialist agent with same-day document delivery and a deadline calendar. Larger groups with legal teams usually end up with an enterprise compliance firm. Whichever you choose, check how quickly papers reach you, because passing on legal notices fast is the whole point of the service.
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Frequently asked questions
What is a registered agent service?
It's a company that acts as the registered agent for your LLC or corporation, receiving legal papers and official state notices at its address and passing them on to you.
Why do LLCs and corporations name a registered agent?
Provider pages explain that states want a reliable address, open during business hours, where legal papers and official mail can be delivered. Check your state's own website for its exact rules.
Can I be my own registered agent?
Often you can, if you have an address in the state and you're there during business hours. Many owners use a service instead so their home address stays off the public record. Your state's rules decide.
Is a registered agent the same as a virtual mailbox?
No. A registered agent receives legal papers and state notices for the company. A virtual mailbox handles everyday post. Some companies offer both.
Can I change my registered agent later?
Yes. You usually file a change of agent form with the state, and some providers list that filing among their services.
Does one registered agent cover every state?
Only the states it operates in. Several providers on this list say they cover all 50 states; if you register in more than one, check each is covered.
