Guides
What a registered agent is
A registered agent is the person or company that receives official and legal documents for your LLC at a physical address in the state where it was formed. Every LLC must have one by law, in every state. With Dottie it costs $59 a year, and if you already have one you don't pay it.
Key facts
- Required by law for every LLC, in every state, from day one.
- It must have a physical street address in the state where the LLC was formed.
- It is the LLC's legal address: lawsuits, state notices and the IRS EIN letter go there.
- Its address appears in the public record instead of yours.
- Dottie's registered agent: $59 per year. Already have one? You don't pay it.
What a registered agent does
- Receives legal documents if someone sues the LLC (known as service of process).
- Receives notices from the state, such as annual report reminders.
- Receives official mail for the LLC, including the EIN confirmation letter from the IRS.
- Keeps a physical address in the state, available during business hours.
Why you cannot skip it
The state cannot form an LLC without a registered agent, and the LLC must keep one for as long as it exists. If it stops having one, the state can mark the company as not in good standing and eventually dissolve it — and you could miss a legal notice without knowing.
Someone who lives abroad cannot act as their own registered agent, because it requires a physical address in the state. That is why non-resident founders use a registered agent service.
Dottie's registered agent
- Dottie Acts as your LLC's registered agent in New Mexico or Wyoming: its legal address for official notices.
- Dottie Receives official mail for your LLC, including the EIN letter, and uploads it to your folder in the app.
- Dottie Renews it every year and reminds you before it is due.
$59 per year, charged from the first year together with the formation. If you already have a registered agent in the state, give Dottie its name and address and you don't pay ours.
Questions
Does every LLC need a registered agent?
Yes. Every LLC must have a registered agent with a physical address in its state, by law, from the moment it is formed and for as long as it exists.
Can I be my own registered agent if I live abroad?
No. The registered agent needs a physical address in the state where the LLC was formed, so non-residents use a registered agent service.
How much does a registered agent cost?
Dottie's is $59 per year. If you already have one, you don't pay it.
Who receives my EIN letter?
The IRS mails it to the LLC's address. If Dottie is your registered agent, we receive it and upload it to your folder in the app.
General information, not legal or tax advice. State fees and rules can change; Dottie always quotes the current amount before you pay.