California
- LLC filing fee
- $70sos.ca.gov
- Annual fee
- $20sos.ca.gov
- Annual filing due
- Statement of Information within 90 days of formation, then every two years (biennial)sos.ca.gov
Prices checked October 2026
Compare registered agents. Pick the right one in minutes.
Facts checked October 13 to 14, 2026.
Published prices, features and terms for 10 registered agent services, side by side, plus every state's own filing fees and deadlines, each with its source.
- 10 providers compared
- All 50 states + DC
- Every price sourced and dated
The short answer
What a registered agent is, in one minute
A registered agent is the person or company your state lists as your business's official contact for legal papers. When someone sues the company, or the state sends a compliance notice, it goes to the agent's address, which must be a physical street address in the state, staffed during business hours. You can name yourself, but your address becomes public and you have to be there to accept papers. Most owners pay a service.
Side by side
Registered agent services compared
| Provider | Registered agent price | Mail scanning | Compliance alerts | Business address | Non-US founders | Our score ↓ | Trustpilot | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tailor Brands |
$199/yearRenewal: $199/year (renews at the same price) | Sold separatelyBusiness address | 8.7/10 | 4.817,815 reviews · Trustpilot | View plansRead review | |||
ZenBusiness |
$199/yearRenewal: $199/yr | Not publishedBusiness address | Not publishedNon-US founders | 8.1/10 | 4.832,795 reviews · Trustpilot | View plansRead review | ||
LegalZoom |
$249/year (first-time registered agent customers)Renewal: Renews at the purchase rate each year; rate subject to change | Not publishedBusiness address | 7.9/10 | 4.633,485 reviews · Trustpilot | View plansRead review | |||
Bizee (formerly Incfile) |
$149/yearRenewal: $149/year (ongoing annual fee) | Not publishedMail scanning | Sold separatelyBusiness address | UnclearNon-US founders: the provider's wording doesn't settle it | 7.7/10 | 4.826,217 reviews · Trustpilot | View plansRead review | |
Swyft Filings |
$149 per quarter ($596/year)Billed quarterly, not comparable with yearly pricesRenewal: $149 per quarter, auto-renews until cancelled | UnclearCompliance alerts: the provider's wording doesn't settle it | Sold separatelyBusiness address | 7.4/10 | 4.77,988 reviews · Trustpilot | View plansRead review | ||
doola |
$297 per yearRenewal price not published | 7.3/10 | 4.52,082 reviews · Trustpilot | View plansRead review | ||||
Northwest Registered Agent |
$125 per yearRenewal price not published | Sold separatelyBusiness address | Not publishedNon-US founders | 6.9/10 | 4.1306 reviews · Trustpilot | View plansRead review | ||
Rocket Lawyer |
$125 with a Plus or Pro membershipRequires a paid membershipRenewal price not published | Not publishedCompliance alerts | Not publishedBusiness address | Not publishedNon-US founders | 6.8/10 | 4.59,838 reviews · Trustpilot | View plansRead review | |
InCorp Services |
$129/yearRenewal: $129 per year flat rate (ToS: 'then current' fee) | Not publishedBusiness address | UnclearNon-US founders: the provider's wording doesn't settle it | 6.7/10 | 4.795 reviews · Trustpilot | View plansRead review | ||
Harbor Compliance |
$99 first year (new customers)Renewal: $159 annually | Sold separatelyBusiness address | Not publishedNon-US founders | 5.9/10 | 3.153 reviews · Trustpilot | View plansRead review |
Prices and features are as published on each provider's own website, checked 2026-10-15 and verified by a second reviewer. "Not published" means the provider's site doesn't state it; "Unclear" means its wording doesn't settle it. "Our score" is out of 10 from a published method built on these facts and the Trustpilot rating, approved 2026-10-14; the default order follows it. Trustpilot is a third-party review site and we don't adjust its numbers. How we score.
Best for
Start from what you need
Each list is ordered by one published fact, stated at the top of the list.
Lowest cost
Ordered by published price, renewal shown beside it.
See the listBusiness address & privacy
What any agent keeps off the record, what it doesn't, and who sells a business address.
See the listStaying compliant
Deadline reminders and annual-report filing, and what each costs.
See the listNon-US founders
Providers whose own pages say they serve founders outside the U.S.
See the listFirst-time founders
Annual report filed for you, business coaching and AI guidance: who includes each.
See the listAll-in-one platforms
Who sells the most business services beyond the agent, with a dashboard.
See the listCost calculator
What will it cost in your state?
Pick a state and a provider. We add the state's own filing fee to the provider's published price, and show where each number comes from.
First year
Delaware LLC filing fee$110
Northwest Registered Agent registered agent$125
Total$235
Each year after
Delaware annual fee (due No annual report required)$0
Northwest Registered Agent renewalNot published
TotalCan't total: a figure isn't published as a yearly price
Totals are our arithmetic on the published figures above. State fees can change and some states charge other taxes; see the Delaware guide. Sources: corp.delaware.gov, Northwest Registered Agent pricing page.
State fees
What the most popular states charge
The state's fee is the same whichever provider you use. Every figure links to the state's own source.
Texas
- LLC filing fee
- $300sos.state.tx.us
- Annual fee
- Not published
- Annual filing due
- May 15 each year (franchise tax report with Public Information Report, filed with the Comptroller)comptroller.texas.gov
Florida
- LLC filing fee
- $125 ($100 filing fee + $25 registered agent designation)dos.fl.gov
- Annual fee
- $138.75dos.fl.gov
- Annual filing due
- January 1 to May 1 each yearefile.sunbiz.org
New York
- LLC filing fee
- $200dos.ny.gov
- Annual fee
- $9dos.ny.gov
- Annual filing due
- Every two years (biennial statement), in the calendar month the articles of organization were filednysenate.gov
Delaware
- LLC filing fee
- $110corp.delaware.gov
- Annual fee
- $0corp.delaware.gov
- Annual filing due
- No annual report requiredcorp.delaware.gov
Wyoming
- LLC filing fee
- $100sos.wyo.gov
- Annual fee
- $60 minimum, or $0.0002 per dollar of Wyoming assets if greater (annual report license tax)sos.wyo.gov
- Annual filing due
- First day of the anniversary month of formation, each yearwyobiz.wyo.gov
Nevada
- LLC filing fee
- $75bizhub.nv.gov
- Annual fee
- $150leg.state.nv.us
- Annual filing due
- Each year, by the last day of the month in which the LLC's organization anniversary fallsleg.state.nv.us
Illinois
Illinois guideBuyer's guide
What a good registered agent does for you
Every state requires one. The differences between providers come down to these four things.
Same-day document scanning
Lawsuits and state notices are scanned to your dashboard the day they arrive, so deadlines start when you know about them.
Know what stays public
Every agent lists its own address in the agent field. Your state may still publish other addresses and names; a business address product can cover some of them.
Compliance reminders
Alerts before annual report deadlines keep the company in good standing. Some providers also file the report for a fee.
Multi-state coverage
Registering in a second state means a second agent. One account with clear per-state pricing saves work.
By state
Rules and fees change by state
Each state guide quotes the statute, the filing fees, the annual deadline and the services that will act as your agent there.
DelawareWyomingFloridaTexasCaliforniaNew YorkNevadaGeorgiaIllinoisOhioArizonaNorth CarolinaAlabamaAlaskaArkansasColoradoConnecticutHawaiiIdahoIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNorth DakotaOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeUtahVermontVirginiaWashington DCWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinAll 50 states + DC
How we score
A score built from facts you can check
Each provider gets a score out of 10 from a fixed method. We don't test services: every input is a published fact, re-checked by a second reviewer and cited, and every score change is approved before it goes live.
Customer satisfaction · 50%
The provider's Trustpilot rating, which also stands in for support quality.
Source: Trustpilot
Breadth and dashboard · 30%
Online dashboard, mail scanning, and how many core business services the provider offers.
Source: Provider product and pricing pages
Value and cost · 20%
Two-year cost at regular prices, and what the comparable package includes.
Source: Provider pricing pages and terms
Approved changes only
When a refreshed price or rating moves a score, an editor approves it before it is published.
Source: Our editorial process
Prices re-checked at least every 90 days, state rules every 180. How we score, in full · About us · How we're funded
Guides
Before you choose
What is a registered agent, and do you need one?The legal role, who can serve, and why a mailbox address doesn't qualify.Why you need a registered agentWhat goes wrong without one, from missed lawsuits to dissolution.How to change your registered agentThe state filing, the fee, and the order to do it in.How to cancel a registered agent serviceNotice periods, auto-renewal and what to file first.Annual reports, explainedWhat the yearly filing is, when it's due and what it costs.Registered agent glossaryService of process, good standing, foreign qualification and more.
Registered agent FAQ
What is a registered agent?
A registered agent is the person or company named on your state filings to receive lawsuits, subpoenas and official state mail for your business. The agent needs a physical street address in the state and must be available there during normal business hours.
Does every LLC need a registered agent?
In nearly every state, yes: the LLC statute requires a registered agent in the state. New York and West Virginia are exceptions, where naming one is optional. Each of our state guides quotes the statute that sets the rule.
Can I be my own registered agent?
In most states you can, if you meet that state's test: usually a resident with a street address in the state who is there during business hours. Your address then goes on the public record. The exact test is in each state guide.
How much does a registered agent service cost?
Among the 10 providers we compare, published yearly prices for the agent service on its own run from $99 (Harbor Compliance, $99 first year (new customers)) to $297 (doola). Several providers include the first year free with a formation package, and some don't publish a renewal price. See the comparison table for each provider's terms.
How do I change my registered agent?
You file a change of registered agent form with your state and pay the state's fee, then cancel the old service. Fees and forms differ by state; our guide walks through it and each state guide lists the fee with its source.
What happens if I don't keep a registered agent?
You can miss service of a lawsuit or a state notice, and the state can mark the company as not in good standing or dissolve it. Why you need one explains the risks.
Do providers pay to appear higher on this page?
No. The table is sorted by our score, which follows a published method built on cited facts, and each tab states the fact it sorts or filters by. Where scores tie, providers are listed in our editorial order. Some links earn us a commission (how we're funded); commissions don't change any score or order.
Not sure where to start?
Pick the one thing that is most important to you. Each list is ordered by a published fact and says which.