If you are the owner and operator of any type of company, with the exception of a sole proprietorship, you already know that in order to register with your prospective state, you must designate a registered agent. It is a basic part of your formation paperwork regardless of whether you are filing a partnership, a limited liability company, or one of the various forms of incorporation. But, what is a registered agent, why do you need one, and how do you go about finding one?

A registered agent is simply a person or a business that have been appointed by a company to receive government-related correspondence on the behalf of the latter entity. This typically involves service of process notices, which are the summonses and complaints associated with lawsuits in which the aforementioned company is named as a plaintiff. However, a registered agent is also responsible for filing state-specific compliance-related documents on a company’s behalf, in a timely manner, and the receipt of related certificates and materials. They are also solely in charge of forwarding all correspondence to the company’s principals.

Sometimes, a business’s principals may believe that it is a good idea to act as the registered agents for their own companies, however, that is not always wise. Just think, your business’s physical address will be the place where process will be served, and, it will be served on you or one of your business partners. This means that clients or customers may be witnesses to such a spectacle, and that’s embarrassing. It is usually better to use a third party service instead.

Better yet, what if you don’t choose a registered agent at all? Well, the notion may be tempting, but you can receive major legal consequences if you do not do so. Not only is it illegal, but you are sure to miss paperwork that is crucial to keeping your company in good legal standing. Plus, you will not be able to form a lawsuit, draw up contracts, or conduct pretty much any typical business practices.

So, what is required of a registered agent? First of all, the person appointed must be a resident of the state in which your company is registered. If the appointee is a business entity, it must be domiciled in the same state. He, she, or it must have a physical address in that state to which paperwork can be delivered. Post office boxes do not count.

Lastly, and most importantly, he, she, or it must be open and available throughout all normal business hours so that deliveries can be made efficiently and timely to the agent on your behalf.

At Lafayette Process Servers, we take immense pride in assisting you with the legal operation of your business by offering our registered agency service to companies throughout Louisiana. We are available from nine to five every weekday and sustain three separate offices in Lafayette, Baton Rouge, and Jefferson Parish. We are able to provide your corporation, LLC, or partnership with an experienced registered agent that will take care of all state registry minutia and handle any process of service that your company may receive. We will alert you quickly, and never leave you in the dark, sending you copies of everything. Call us today to discuss your company’s particular needs when it comes to hiring a registered agent.

 

This content is to be used for information only, we are not attorneys

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