Whether you’re starting a new LLC or updating the registered agent for your existing business, it’s important to choose the best Florida registered agent for your needs.

This article will help you to choose the registered agent that best fits your business, go over the basic functions of registered agents, and answer common questions about registered agents.

If you haven’t yet formed your LLC, you can get one year of registered agent services for free if you form your LLC with Northwest Registered Agent ($29 + state fees). (This is a great deal!).

Best Florida Registered Agent Service

When choosing a registered agent service, you want someone who understands the importance of staying compliant and being diligent about legal processes and paperwork. That’s why Northwest Registered Agent is our #1 registered agent service choice for Florida businesses.

We recommend Northwest Registered Agent, which offers everything that you need to form your LLC along with Registered Agent services. The company boasts over 20 years of operations helping small businesses start or grow.

Northwest has a 100% Error-Free Guarantee with outstanding customer support, exceptional services, and high prices to match. If data privacy and access to customer support are top on your list, the extra costs of working with Northwest Registered Agent may be well worth it for you and your business.

What Does a Florida Registered Agent Do?

A registered agent does a few things for a company. Their main task is to be present when or if the company needs to receive tax or legal paperwork. These would be documents that can’t be sent to a mailbox or delivered to a front desk; rather, documents that must be handed directly to the person who represents the company.

A simple example would be a service of process, which is the delivery of legal documents in a lawsuit. These service documents must be delivered directly to the company’s representative – the registered agent – to ensure they are received.

This may seem like a small task, but the caveat that makes this a critical position is that the registered agent is required to be at the documented location to receive these papers during all “regular business hours.” This is the main reason that most people choose to use a registered agent service rather than operating as their own agent.

Other forms that your registered agent may receive on your behalf are:

• Tax forms
• Legal documents
• Official government correspondence
• Service of process

Another function of a registered agent is to file official documents with the state in which the LLC or corporation is established. In most states, businesses are required to file an annual report once per year to keep the business in “good standing” with the state.

Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in Florida?

The short answer is yes, you can be your own registered agent.

Whether or not that’s the best plan for you or your company is another question entirely. If you are looking to spend the absolute, bare minimum amount of money on your business, then being your own registered agent may not be a terrible choice. Still, even in that scenario, we don’t recommend it.

Benefits of Using a Registered Agent Service

There are only a few realistic options when it comes to whom you file as your registered agent:

• Yourself
• An attorney
• A registered agent service

As mentioned above, being your own agent has pitfalls and isn’t recommended. What’s more, an attorney in this position would be quite expensive and is generally only a viable option if you had them form your business for you.

So, that leaves you with the option of using a service. Here are the biggest benefits of using a professional registered agent service:

Privacy

When you form an LLC or corporation, your formation data goes into a state database which is open and searchable to the public. The information in this database can include:

• Business name
• Formation date
• Registered agent name
• Registered agent address

While you can’t stop the state from publishing this information, you can retain the privacy of your name and your address by using a registered agent service. Since this information is public, marketing companies use these databases to gather information to market their products and services to business owners. Your mailbox will thank you for keeping your business address private.

Another major privacy benefit is having legal documents delivered to your agent and not you personally. If, for some reason, someone brings a lawsuit against your company, would you rather have your agent call you with these documents or have them served to you in front of your customers, clients, or employees?

Easy Compliance

Along with privacy, another of the main benefits of using a registered agent service is that they will help to keep your business in “good standing” with the state.

Some states require LLCs and corporations to file annual reports or other timely documents. While these generally aren’t difficult tasks, they are often easily forgotten or lost in the day-to-day work that your business hands you.

Your registered agent will send you reminders that this work needs to be completed, and some will even provide you with the proper documents to make your work even easier.

How Do I Elect a Registered Agent in Florida?

In Florida, you must elect a registered agent when filing your LLC. The registered agent is assigned on your Articles of Organization’s Florida LLC formation document. If you are filing your LLC with an LLC formation service, they will take care of all of this for you.

A registered agent must have a physical address and be a resident of Florida, be available during normal business hours, be able to receive official notices (like report reminders and tax notifications), and accept service of process.

Once you decide who your registered agent will be, you will need to do the following:

1. File your LLC’s Articles of Organization online at the Florida Department of State’s Sunbiz E-Filing Portal and assign your registered agent. The New Florida LLC fees require a $25 Registered Agent Designation and a $100 filing fee, with a total of $125. When filing your Articles of Organization, you will need to fill out your registered agent’s name and contact information. Your assigned registered agent must consent to their appointment by filling out the “Registered Agent Signature” section with their signature.
2. If filing by mail, you must submit a physical copy to the Florida Department of State by downloading the Articles of Organization Form For Florida LLC form. You’ll be asked to provide your registered agent’s information under Article III. Your registered agent must consent to their appointment by signing the form before submitting the form. Mail the copy with an attached cover letter containing your name, address, and telephone number to send with the Articles of Organization along with a check for the $125 fee (filing + Registered Agent Designation fees) to the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations – New Filing Section. You can find the proper mailing address below.

How Do I Change my LLC’s Registered Agent in Florida?

If you choose to change your registered agent, there are several things you can do to update your previous registered agent to a new one in Florida.

• File Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent
  The best and easiest way to change your registered agent is to file the Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent or Both for Limited Liability Company. There is a cover letter at the beginning for you to fill in basic contact information. Your new registered agent must consent to their appointment by signing the form prior to submission. Once you complete the Change if Registered Agent form, submit the form via the Florida Department of State – Division of Corporations – Registration Section along with the $25 Change of Registered Agent fee. You can also submit your Change of Registered Agent document by mail.
• File Your Florida LLC Annual Report
  Registered agents can also be changed on annual report forms. If you’re filing for your Florida LLC’s Annual Report, you can use this reporting period by updating your registered agent without filing additional paperwork. Update your new registered agent’s information on the report. This is the simplest way to change your registered agent, but it must be done within the yearly filing period.
• File Florida Articles of Amendment
  You can also file the Florida Articles of Amendment to change your registered agent and make any changes to the original content of your LLC Articles of Organization. Download and fill out the Articles of Amendment to Articles of Organization form. Mail the form, along with the check of $25 filing fee, to the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations – Amendment Section. Unless you also need to update your business purpose or add LLC members/managers, this method is entirely optional since it’s not easy filing a legal amendment for your business.

If you choose to use or switch to a registered agent service, they should complete and file the changes for you. For more information about our recommended Registered Agent service for your LLC, check out our Northwest Registered Agent review.

Florida Department of State Contact Information

Mailing Address

Florida Department of State
Division of Corporations
P.O. Box 6327
Tallahassee, FL 32314

Physical Address

Division of Corporations
Florida Department of State
The Centre of Tallahassee
2415 N. Monroe Street, Suite 180
Tallahassee, FL 32303

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Phone: (850) 245-6052

Email:

New filings: NewFilingsCorpHelp@DOS.MyFlorida.com

Registration: RegistrationsCorpHelp@DOS.MyFlorida.com

Amendments: AmendmentsCorpHelp@DOS.MyFlorida.com