Best Registered Agent Services of 2023

Looking for the best registered agent service online to help your business stay compliant and meet important filing deadlines? This comparison of the top 5 registered agent services of 2023 provides a side-by-side view of the main features you should care about when choosing among registered agent services. 

Visit our guides to learn more about registered agents and the benefits of hiring a registered agent service.

Recommended Registered Agent Service: Northwest Registered Agent

Best Registered Agent Services Online

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Northwest

4.7/5

Best Registered Agent Service

  • Premium customer service
  • Streamlined ordering process
  • Privacy by default
  • Local document scanning
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ZenBusiness

Four point five out of five

4.5/5

  • Affordable pricing
  • Convenient online dashboard for documents
  • Positive customer reviews
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Incfile

4.3/5

  • Email and SMS notifications
  • Automatic mail forwarding
  • Learning center with free information
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Rocket Lawyer 

4.1/5

  • Support from legal experts
  • Accessible customer service
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LegalZoom

3.4/5

  • Established brand with high authority
  • Ongoing legal services
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There are dozens of online service providers that will act as your professional registered agent for a fee. We set out to find the best one by researching and ranking some of the most popular providers based on pricing, features, accessibility, and more.

5 Best Registered Agent Services in 2023:

  1. Northwest ($125/yr) is the best registered agent service for small businesses.
  2. ZenBusiness ($199/yr) 
  3. Incfile ($119/yr)
  4. Rocket Lawyer ($149.99/yr) is best if you need ongoing legal services.
  5. LegalZoom ($299/yr)

Northwest Registered Agent is the best registered agent service based on overall quality. Although their pricing is a bit higher than other services, it's worth it; Northwest provides a seamless user experience and premium customer service. Not to mention, the same-day local scans and free digital mail forwarding. 

LegalZoom is one of the most recognized service providers. If you prefer to use a company with strong brand recognition and are willing to pay significantly more, consider choosing LegalZoom. Just remember that you can find better options for less money.

Best Registered Agent Service: Northwest

We recommend Northwest as the overall best registered agent service because it provides a large number of premium features.

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Continue reading our full review of the top registered agent services online below. You'll find more information about Northwest, as well as honorable mentions and the benefits of using a professional registered agent service when you form a business.

You can also watch our video to help you decide which registered agent service is right for you and your business.

1. Northwest Registered Agent

We chose Northwest Registered Agent ($125/year) as the best registered agent service overall. Northwest is well known for its exceptional customer service and knowledgeable staff. Their experienced Corporate Guides offer personalized support and help throughout the business journey.

Like many services that charge a premium, Northwest provides a more full-featured registered agent service than some of the others you will find. Your privacy is protected automatically by minimizing exposure and access to your personal data. And any non-junk mail arriving at your registered agent address is scanned and forwarded to you, not just service of process and documents from the state. 

Includes:

  • Lifetime support from local Corporate Guides® (business experts)
  • Free mail forwarding/scanning
  • Same-day local document scanning
  • Automated privacy features

Additionally, if you choose Northwest as your registered agent service, you'll receive a digital account so you can easily access important business documents and forms. Their site is simple to navigate, and you can receive extra support through their online tools.

Northwest’s registered agent service is more expensive than many competitors, but it’s not significantly more. When you consider what you get for that price, like local business guide support and full-fledged mail scanning and forwarding, it’s a great deal.

Best Registered Agent Service: Northwest

four point seven out of five

Northwest provides elite customer service from knowledgeable professionals. Get business attorney level service at a cost any business can afford.

Northwest Registered Agent

2. ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness offers good customer support and competitive value. 

If you need a registered agent, ZenBusiness offers registered agent services for $199 a year. ZenBusiness doesn't offer free registered agent services with LLC formation.

ZenBusiness customer reviews highlight the company’s ability to provide speedy support and create a high degree of customer satisfaction.

You also can upgrade to the ZenBusiness “complete” registered agent services, which adds a worry-free compliance guarantee. This guarantee includes:

  • Annual filing report alerts
  • Documents submitted on your behalf (you’ll only be responsible for state fees)
  • Two free changes to your filings per year (state filing fees may still apply)
  • Coverage of the costs required to regain good standing if your company should miss a deadline or state requirement

ZenBusiness

four point five out of five

ZenBusiness is a registered agent provider that provides quality service for $199 per year.

ZenBusiness Registered Agent

3. Incfile

Incfile is a great choice on a lower budget. They have served over 150,000 customers since 2004 and their Learning Center is full of helpful information for business owners.

  • One free year of registered agent services with LLC formation
  • $119 annual fee after the first year

Incfile also provides a convenient registered agent dashboard, which allows you to track and instantly access important business documents. In addition, the company sends email and SMS notifications so you can stay updated on the status of your documents.

Honorable Mention: Incfile

four point six out of five

Incfile is one of the best registered agent services if you are working with a limited budget, and want a lot of added features.

Incfile Registered Agent

4. Rocket Lawyer

Rocket Lawyer has provided services to over 800,000 businesses. For business owners who anticipate needing legal help, their legal services plans can include registered agent services for free for the first year.

Includes:

  • A 25 percent discount with a premium subscription
  • $149.99 annual fee for non-members

Rocket Lawyer is known for providing high-quality legal services, help, and advice for business owners and entrepreneurs. The company is incredibly experienced with a large number of customers. Rocket Lawyer also promises a 100% satisfaction guarantee with their registered agent services.

Exclusive Deal: Need affordable incorporation, registered agent, and legal services? TRUiC partnered with Rocket Lawyer to offer our users a discounted price of $349.99 + State Fees (Regularly $649.97 + State Fees)! Learn more about the New Business Bundle, which includes a year of registered agent services.

5. LegalZoom

LegalZoom has high brand awareness, higher pricing, and a strong foothold in the registered agent services industry.

Includes:

  • $159 annually with LLC formation
  • $299 annually

LegalZoom's registered agent services include features such as business data protection, a compliance calendar, and unlimited cloud storage. Although their prices are higher than the competition, you may feel more comfortable choosing their service since they have more experience and brand recognition.

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Benefits of Using Registered Agent Services

A registered agent acts as your business’s main point of contact with the state by accepting and sending legal documents. While it’s possible to serve as your own registered agent, there are several benefits of hiring a registered agent service:

  • Compliance. Your registered agent service will help your business stay on top of state requirements.
  • Peace of Mind. With a registered agent service, you can focus your time, energy, and attention on growing your business.
  • Flexibility. A registered agent service will enable you to choose your own business hours instead of having to make yourself available between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. every weekday.
  • Privacy. The public record will list your registered agent service’s address — not your personal or office address.

Registered Agent Review Methodology

Choosing the best registered agent service for your small business comes down to three things:

  • Type of business you have
  • Needs of your business
  • Additional services you may want for your business

The TRUiC team evaluates each registered agent service based on the following:

  • Pricing: Does the company offer essential registered agent services at an affordable price for small business owners?
  • Features: Does the company’s registered agent service include vital features that will help businesses stay compliant with the law? (E.g., receiving important business and legal documents, providing easy access to online documents, etc.)
  • User Reviews: Have previous customers rated and reviewed the registered agent service positively, and is the service receptive to negative reviews?
  • Customer Support: Is the service’s staff knowledgeable, friendly, and responsive to customers? Will they provide entrepreneurs with peace of mind throughout their business journey?
  • Accessibility and Transparency: Is the information on the services’ websites easy for the user to navigate and understand? Is the checkout process straightforward, user-friendly, and void of hidden fees?

Overall, our main goal is to recommend the services that provide the best value for our users so they can more easily launch and grow successful businesses.

FAQs

Is a registered agent really necessary?An orange arrow pointing down

Yes. All US states require LLCs, partnerships, and corporations to have a registered agent and/or registered office. Depending on the state, registered agents are also known as resident agents, agents for service of process, or statutory agents.

What does a registered agent do?An orange arrow pointing down

A registered agent is an individual or business entity that helps keep your business compliant by receiving tax and legal documents on behalf of your company. Learn more about what registered agents do.

Can I be my own registered agent?An orange arrow pointing down

Yes, you can be your own registered agent. You could also appoint a trusted friend or family member, as long as they are 18 years of age or older, has a physical address in the state where the company is formed and is available (in person) during standard business hours (i.e., Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).

Should I hire a registered agent service?An orange arrow pointing down

There are plenty of advantages to hiring a professional registered agent service

  • Helps you stay compliant with the law
  • Provides you with peace of mind so you can focus on your business’s success
  • Allows you to maintain flexible business hours
  • Protects your privacy

What is the best registered agent service?An orange arrow pointing down

Our top-rated registered agent service is Northwest Registered Agent due to their premium customer service and plethora of features.

Written By

The TRUiC Team

TRUiC’s team of researchers, writers, and editors dedicate hours to ensure howtostartanllc.com’s articles are accessible and actionable for both established and aspiring entrepreneurs. The team is made up of experts on a variety of topics from company formation to business growth. They consistently optimize the website’s content to ensure that all of the information is accurate and up-to-date.

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