What a registered agent does
The registered agent is the person or company your state and the courts contact when they need to reach your nonprofit, for lawsuits, official notices, and state mail. The agent has to have a physical address in the state where you incorporate and be available during normal business hours. You name your agent right on your Articles of Incorporation.
Can you be your own registered agent?
Yes, in most states, as long as you have a physical street address there (not a PO box) and can be available during business hours. Serving as your own agent is free. The tradeoffs: your address becomes part of the public record, you have to be reliably reachable, and if you move you must update the state. For a home-based founder who is often out, that can be a hassle.
When to hire a commercial agent
A commercial registered agent, usually $100 to $150 a year, makes sense if you do not have a physical address in the state, you want to keep your home address off the public record, you move often, or your founders live out of state. They receive mail on your behalf and forward it to you.
What the role is called in your state
The job is the same everywhere, but the name changes. Most states say registered agent. Ohio says statutory agent. Michigan says resident agent. Pennsylvania uses registered office. California and New York use agent for service of process. Our state start-up guides use the right term and rules for each state.
How to name or change one
You list your agent when you file your Articles. To change agents later, most states have a short, low-cost filing. Keep the agent current, because if the state cannot reach you, you can fall out of good standing.