Almost anyone can be a registered agent. The requirements are simple: you need to be at least 18, have a physical street address in the state where the LLC is registered, and be available at that address during normal business hours. That is it. No license required. No special training.
You can be your own agent. This is free. List your home or office address as the registered agent address. The downside: that address goes on public record, and you must be physically present during business hours to accept legal documents. If you work from home and do not travel much, this works fine for your home state.
A friend or family member can do it. Any adult with an address in the state qualifies. This is technically legal but risky. If your brother forgets to forward a lawsuit notice, you could default on a case without knowing it existed.
A commercial registered agent service. This is what most multi-state LLCs use. Services like Northwest Registered Agent or Registered Agents Inc maintain physical offices in every state and forward documents to you electronically. Costs run $49 to $299/year depending on the provider.
The registered agent is the official point of contact between your LLC and the state. They receive service of process (lawsuit papers), annual report reminders, tax notices, and compliance letters from the Secretary of State. They do not handle your regular business mail.
You can change your registered agent at any time by filing a simple form with the Secretary of State. Most states charge $0 to $25 for this. If you started as your own agent and want to switch to a service later, the process takes about 10 minutes online.
See our comparison of registered agent services across all 50 states.