Who can be a registered agent in florida

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Florida Registered Agent Service

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Per Florida Statute Section 607.0501, Florida registered agents need to have physical addresses in Florida, be open during business hours, accept documents on your behalf and get them to you. In other words, your registered agent’s address acts as the official place where any service of process and official mail for your Florida LLC, Florida corporation or Florida nonprofit will be sent.

However, the right registered agent service can also do much more. At Northwest, we go above and beyond the minimum to ensure top speed, security, privacy and support.

Becoming your own registered agent for your Florida business is simple. Being a registered agent means you can be the person designated to accept official notices and service of process for your business. There are only a couple of requirements that you must meet to be your own registered agent. The registered agent may be an individual or a Florida business. However, your business may not be its own registered agent. The address you provide must be a street address, not a post office box.

How Do I Become My Own Registered Agent In Florida?

It is easy to designate yourself as a Florida registered agent when you form your Florida corporation or LLC. Just list your own name and address on the Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization that you file with the Florida Corporations Division. You will also need to sign as the registered agent.

You can download the Articles of Incorporation or Organization on the Florida Corporations Division website. If you’ve decided not to hire a Florida registered agent service, fill in your own name and address as the registered agent.  Make sure you also sign the form in the space designated for the Registered Agent. Once your articles are filed by the state, you are the registered agent and you are responsible for accepting service of process for your business. Although being your own registered agent will cost you $0 upfront, it’s important to remember that as the registered agent for your business, your name and address are public information. Anyone who searches your business on the state’s website will see your name and address listed. If you value privacy and hate junk mail and solicitors, you won’t want to serve as your own registered agent in Florida…

What If I Already Have A Florida Registered Agent?

If you have an existing Florida business and would like to change your Florida registered agent to yourself, all you have to do is file a statement of change form with the Corporations Division. You can download a Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent online. There is a separate form for a Florida LLC or a Florida corporation. You will need to fill in the old registered agent information and list yourself as the new registered agent. Make sure to fill in your name and street address. Sign the form as the new registered agent accepting the appointment. Mail the completed form and cover letter to the Corporations Division. There is a $25 filing fee for LLCs and a $35 fee for corporations.

Once you are the registered agent, you need to maintain business hours and be available to accept service of process on behalf of your business. Your address becomes public information and is listed as the contact for the Department of State.

There are two ways to change your registered agent in Florida.

1. Hire us and we’ll complete the change of agent form for you for free.
2. Do it yourself and file a Statement of Change of Registered Office or Agent or Both form with the Florida Department of State.

Northwest is the choice of professionals for registered agent service. But why? At Northwest, we do business the right way. We’re dedicated to getting you your docs fast, protecting your privacy and offering you support. Here’s how:

• Same-Day Scans, Instant Notifications: We accept and scan your docs at our local office the same day. We notify you instantly and reach out to you if your essential mail goes unread.
• Privacy by Default®: For every client and every service, we minimize the exposure of and access to your personal data. We never sell your data. We list our own business address on public docs to better keep your personal info safe. Our commitment to privacy puts our clients first.
• Free Limited Mail Forwarding: As your registered agent, we automatically accept and scan your state and legal mail. Sometimes, however, we receive personal or business mail from clients or companies trying to connect with your business. We’ll accept and scan these for you as well—up to 10 documents a year FREE. We’ll also scan additional mail at a per doc rate of $15.
• Unlimited Mail Forwarding: Expecting much more business mail? For $20 a month, we also offer unlimited Florida mail forwarding. Our unlimited option includes a Florida business address with a unique suite number—great for listing on your website, establishing a business presence, or giving a home or online business a more professional appearance.
• Corporate Guides®: Have questions? We have answers. Our guides are business experts whose sole job is to provide phone and email support for all your toughest business questions.

Why Do I Need A Florida Registered Agent?

• State law requires all legitimate, registered businesses to appoint one.
• The secretary of state will reject your business filing if you don’t appoint a registered agent.
• A registered agent requirement gives the public and the state a reliable way to contact your business.

Can I Be My Own Registered Agent In Florida?

Yes, you can be your own registered agent in Florida. However, after considering the registered agent requirements most business owners elect to hire a registered agent service instead. Why? Well although being your own registered agent will cost you $0, a Florida registered agent’s name and address becomes part of the public record.  Additionally, the registered agent is required to be available to accept service of process during normal business hours 5 days a week.

Where Is Northwest’s Registered Office In Florida?

We provide a commercial registered office location in Tampa, FL. Our office is right on the water, just past the lobby on the first floor.

Can I Use Your Florida Registered Office Address For Everything On My Business Filing?

Absolutely! We’re the only national registered agent that allows our clients to list our addresses for everything when you’re doing a filing to keep your private addresses off of public records.

Can I Have My Business’s Mail Delivered To Your Florida Office?

Yes! Just sign up for our unlimited Florida Mail Forwarding option ($20/month). You’ll get a unique suite number and a Florida business address you can use for mail, advertising and more.

Don’t need a unique suite number? Our Florida registered agent service comes with free limited mail forwarding. We’ll list our business address (no unique suite number) on your public docs to better protect your privacy. And, we’ll scan the occasional business mail we receive—up to 10 documents a year, for FREE. You can request any additional documents to be forwarded at a per document rate of $15.

Do I Hire A Registered Agent Before Or After I Start My Business In Florida?

You should hire us first and then do your business registration filing, because you can’t form an LLC or corporation without a Florida registered agent service. Also, we provide all the forms and instructions you need to complete your filing instantly after you place an order.

How Are Florida Registered Agents Served?

• A process server, the sheriff, or any third party will walk into our office and hand us legal papers (service of process).
• The process server then gives an affidavit to the court that they “served” us.

Serving a registered agent is legal proof that you were notified. Regardless of whether you look at the docs or even receive them from your registered agent service. You were notified. We take this responsibility very seriously.

How Do I Search For A Registered Agent In Florida?

If you want to formally notify a business through their Florida registered agent service, just send a certified letter directly to the registered agent name and registered office address. Here is how you can look up that information:

• Use our tool to do a Florida business name search via the FL Department of State.
• Type in the name of the company whose registered agent you are trying to look up.
• Look for the FL registered agent name and registered office street address.

How Do I Resign From Being A Registered Agent In Florida?

In Florida, to resign as a registered agent, you need to submit a Resignation of Registered Agent, cover sheet and payment for processing to the Florida Department of State. For a more detailed walkthrough, you can refer to our guide on how to resign as a registered agent in Florida.

1

Step One

You sign up online, clicking on one of the buttons or links that says “HIRE US.”

2

Step Two

We collect the first year’s fee for registered agent service up front.

3

Step Three

For new businesses, once your business registration filing with the Florida Division of Corporations is complete, we’ll become your Florida registered agent.

4

Step Four

About a year later, we’ll send an invoice for another year of Florida registered agent service. If you want to keep using us, great; if you don’t, you can easily cancel.

5

Step Five

It’s easy to add registered agent services in other states if your business expands. We have offices in every state. We don’t farm out work (or your info) to other companies—wherever you are, WE are your registered agent.

6

Step Six

We make your account a real go-to resource for you, not just for Florida registered agent service or paying a bill but for keeping up with corporate paperwork formalities like the Florida annual report.

Information Your Florida Registered Agent Should Help You Understand:

• Florida filings are submitted to the Division of Corporations.
• Domestic and foreign corporations cost $70 to form or register. They file an annual report each year that comes with a $150 price tag.
• Domestic and foreign LLCs cost $125 to form or register, but annual report fees are slightly lower: $138.75.
• Nonprofits (both foreign and domestic) pay $70 to form or register and $61.25 a year for their annual report.

At Northwest, we can also form your LLC or form your corporation in Florida for $100 plus state fees. As part of our commitment to Privacy by Default®, we put our business address on your filings to better protect your privacy. And you always have the support of our Corporate Guides®.