do i need a registered agent for my llc in california [Expert Guide]

Last updated : Sept 11, 2022

Can I use myself as a registered agent?

You can act as your own Registered Agent for a corporation or LLC as long as you have a physical street address in the state where your corporation or LLC is formed. The actual corporation or LLC being formed, however, cannot name itself as its own Registered Agent.

How much does a registered agent cost in California?

A California Registered Agent Service specializes in receiving Service of Process (legal mail) on behalf of your LLC. Most Registered Agent Services in California cost between $100 and $300 per year.

Can a friend be a registered agent for my LLC?

The short answer to this question is Yes, but perhaps it is not the best answer. While it is usually possible in most states to legally serve as your own registered agent (or appoint a friend/family member), it is advisable to designate a third-party to perform this important role.

How do I appoint a registered agent in California?

You must make a filing with the California Secretary of State - Business Programs Division to appoint a new registered agent for your company. In most states, changing your agent is a simple filing. Generally, there is a nominal filing fee to change your California registered agent.

Can you be your own agent LLC California?

You can be your own registered agent in California, but you'll have to list your name and address in the public record. Many business owners don't want the hassle that comes with this (unsolicited phone calls, junk mail offers, etc.). Hiring a registered agent keeps your information out of the public record.

Who can be a registered agent?

A registered agent can be an owner or otherwise a member of a corporation. In addition, solicitors are often designated as registered agents. Furthermore, there are service companies that are set up for the sole purpose of functioning as a registered agent.

What does a registered agent do?

A registered agent is a person or service who will receive legal documents on behalf of your business, such as subpoenas, regulatory and tax notices, and correspondence. In many states, lawsuits must be served in person. Having a registered agent makes this a clear and orderly process.

How do I find the registered agent for an LLC in California?

The address of a Registered Corporate Agent is available on the Secretary of State's Business Search, and if provided by the corporation, additional contact information may be available on the Secretary of State's Private Service Companies webpage.

How do I start an LLC in California?

To form an LLC in California, go to bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov, log in, select Register a Business under the Business Entities Tile, Articles of Organization - CA LLC and follow the prompts to complete and submit.

Should I put my husband on my LLC?

The straightforward answer is no: You are not required to name your spouse anywhere in the LLC documents, especially if they aren't directly involved in the business.

Who is the organizer of an LLC?

An LLC organizer is involved in the formation of the LLC. The organizer signs and files the Articles of Organization. The organizer of an LLC may be separate from the members or managers of the company.

Is registered agent address public?

By using a registered agent service provider as your registered office, instead of your company's business address, you never have to worry about this. Your business is home-based. As previously mentioned, the registered agent address is a matter of public record. That means anyone, including marketers, can access it.

Can anyone be a process agent?

A process agent is a person or entity that is appointed to receive, accept and acknowledge service of process on behalf of another party.

How do I change my registered agent in California?

To change your registered agent in California, you must complete and file a Statement of Information form with the California Secretary of State. The California Statement of Information can be submitted by mail, online (corporations only), or in person.

How do I close an LLC in California?

1. File all delinquent tax returns and pay all tax balances, including any penalties, fees, and interest.
2. File the final/current year tax return.
3. Cease doing or transacting business in California after the final taxable year.

Is the manager of an LLC the owner?

A limited liability company (LLC) managing member is both an LLC owner and someone who keeps the business running on a day-to-day basis. The managerial aspect generally includes having the authority to make decisions and enter into contracts on behalf of the business.

What is a California registered agent 1505?

Any active corporation that is registered with the California Secretary of State can file this Form 1505 to become authorized to be a corporate agent for service of process for other business entities that are registered with the Secretary of State.

What is an operating agreement LLC California?

Your California LLC Operating Agreement is a legal document establishing ground rules for how your LLC will make decisions, be managed, and allocate profits. It allows your LLC to override California's expansive default rules and may even help reinforce your LLC's limited liability status in the event of a lawsuit.

Is LegalZoom legit?

LegalZoom is one of the best online legal services on the market today. It's a reputable and reliable solution for a wide range of different solutions for business, professional, and personal legal needs.

What is an authorized agent for a company?

An authorized agent or authorized company representative is a person who is a principal executive officer or other corporate officer with signatory powers as per the company's by-laws or per a vote of the directors if the company is a corporation; a general partner or proprietor if the company is a partnership or sole ...

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Thanks for this great article

Thanks for your comment Allyson Konruff, have a nice day.
- Marica Mangicavallo, Staff Member

what in the world is a registered agent and do you need one for your online business that's what we're going to talk about in today's video let's do this hi my name is jim hart i'm the founding attorney here at hawthorne law where we help online businesses to get their legal house in order so that you can focus on what you do best and that is building a business that truly matters in the world today i want to talk to you about the exciting world of registered agents if you're running an online business and have tried to form your own llc then you have reached the point where you were probably asked what the name and address of your registered agent is and then you're probably wondering what that means and whether you even need a registered agent to begin with am i right now if you're like most online entrepreneurs you may run over to your nearest facebook group and start asking questions and chances are you're going to get responses like this gem from people that say things like i agree with such and such it's cheaper to do it yourself and to answer your question yes you can be your own registered agent all it means is that you will be the one in charge of receiving any notification to your resident's business address about any legal action such as a lawsuit or summons that are put against you basically whatever service provider you use just wants you to pay them to be a glorified po box when you can just receive mail yourself to your own address the person that answered this question clearly went to law school and clearly knows what they are talking about nope so what exactly is a registered agent and why should you consider spending a couple hundred bucks a year to hire one first off a registered agent is simply a person or business entity that is designated by your business to accept service of process and official business mail on your behalf and and i realize that's probably kind of a legal answer to what a registered agent is but basically let's just rewind this a second a registered agent is who you designate to receive all the really important mail that you need to get with regards to your business on your behalf all right let's go back a registered agent must have a physical address in the state you do business and must be open during normal business hours as an online business owner it is entirely likely that you started your business so that you could be free to work where you want when you want and how you want and if that means you want to travel or work odd hours or spend lots of time out of the house with your family and kids then you can have the freedom to do that that's why you started the business to begin with but if you serve as your own registered agent then you could run into issues if you aren't available to receive official legal mail this mail could include official federal and state correspondents subpoenas for information from your business tax notices from the irs and local taxing authorities lawsuits summonses to appear in court wage garnishment notices for your employees if you have them and other important legal documents including corporate filing notifications so if it isn't already clear why you should hire a corporate registered agent for your online business here are some other reasons why you might want to do this one privacy when you hire a corporate registered agent on your behalf you don't have to list your home as your address in the public records number two when you have an online business you may not have a physical location and you can't use a po box for your registered agent so you can use a corporate register agent to serve in that role number three you're free to live your life knowing that someone is always available during normal business hours to take care of all these issues on your behalf and finally multiple locations you can expand to multiple states without having to actually have a physical presence in those states which is a huge benefit if you're looking to take your business national now that being said there are some downsides of failing to hire a registered agent number one you may not receive the information that you need in a timely fashion this could get you into problems which leads to number two you risk your legal standing in your state for your llc or corporate entity number three you could be assessed fines or penalties for your non-compliance for failure to have an appropriate registered agent number four your entity could be administratively dissolved without you even knowing it and finally and probably this is the worst possible situation you could find yourself in you could be notified of a lawsuit failure to get that notice and you then could be held in default which means that you could sustain a huge money judgment against you for failing to properly appear in that lawsuit i realize that's probably worst case scenario but hey it could happen if you don't have an appropriate registered agent so should you be your own registered agent it really depends do you have a physical office where employees are located where they're working during normal business hours and they could get all this mail for you then maybe not but if you are a solopreneur who wants to live a life on your terms where you want when you want how you want then i would advise you to consider hiring a corporate registered agent for the one or two hundred bucks a year it's gonna cost you to do it you're gonna be glad you did if you like this video here's another video right here that covers some additional mistakes that people make when setting up their own llc's thank you so much for watching and we'll see you in the next video take care folks

Thanks BottisioG your participation is very much appreciated
- Marica Mangicavallo

About the author

Marica Mangicavallo

I've studied oenology at North Carolina Central University in Durham and I am an expert in pre-columbian era. I usually feel envious. My previous job was respiratory therapy technicians I held this position for 2 years, I love talking about swimming and embroidery. Huge fan of Jensen Ackles I practice gymnastics: artistic and collect breweriana.