Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is a Registered Agent?

A. Virtually all states require corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), nonprofits, limited partnerships (LPs) and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) to appoint a Registered Agent in the state where the company is formed and, if applicable, foreign qualified. The Registered Agent is responsible for receiving important legal and tax documents on behalf of the company including: Service of Process (notice of litigation), franchise tax forms, and annual report forms.

The Registered Agent may be an individual or it may be a company approved by the state to serve as agent. It must be located at a street address (not a P.O. Box) in the state where the company is formed or qualified. The Registered Agent's name and address are included on the formation documents. This information is a matter of public record.

Appointing BizFilings as your Registered Agent provides your company the assurance that this important service is handled correctly and efficiently.

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Q. What is Service of Process?

A. Service of Process (SOP), also sometimes called notice of litigation, is the legal term for the delivery of copies of legal documents such as summons, complaints, subpoenas, orders to show cause, writs, notices to quit the premises and certain other documents. As your Registered Agent, we accept these legal notices on your behalf, rather than having law enforcement officials serve you these documents at your place of business in front of employees and/or customers.

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Q. How are Service of Process and other legal documents handled by BizFilings?

A. Every Service of Process (SOP) we receive is handled promptly and with the utmost professionalism. When we receive an SOP, we scan the documents to make them available to you in your secure Corporate Status Center account, and immediately notify you via email of the event. Electronic delivery of SOP is not only faster than mail forwarding, but also enables easy distribution of the document to in-house or external legal counsel as needed. If the original or a hard copy is requested, a shipping and handling fee of $16.95 will apply.

Additionally, many states send taxation documents, annual reports and other important state mail to the Registered Agent. We will log this mail in your company record and forward it to you.

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Q. What is BizComply?

A. BizComply is a web-based compliance management tool that:

• Contains a convenient calendar of critical compliance events.
• Notifies you via email alert reminders before these events need to happen.
• Provides access to a free library important forms.
• Houses your company's important information in one convenient location.

If you are an owner of multiple businesses, you can keep track of each business through a single account. Additionally, if your business is qualified in other states, BizComply will help you manage the compliance requirements for each of those states. You can even add your own company or municipal compliance events to the calendar and schedule email alerts to remind you of these events as well.

Unlike other Registered Agent providers that charge a significant fee for a similar service (if they offer one at all), BizFilings includes the BizComply tool with its Registered Agent service at no additional charge to you. Learn more about BizComply.

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Q. As my Registered Agent, can BizFilings help me with annual reports?

A. Yes. In states where electronic filing is available, BizFilings offers an electronic filing service for annual reports and franchise tax payments, making it easier and more convenient than ever for you to meet the state's annual reporting requirements.

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Q. Why should I use a Registered Agent provider?

A. There are many reasons why business owners, even owners of one- or two-person businesses, choose to use a Registered Agent provider.

A few of the reasons to use a Registered Agent provider include:

• You prefer to spend your time and attention on building your business. Compliance requirements can be both time- and labor-intensive, often requiring the completion of lengthy and sometimes confusing forms using information from various sources. Most business owners prefer to have an outside source deal with the minutia of compliance so they can focus on building and running their business.
• You want to avoid the risk of non-compliance. Compliance matters are not likely to be your area of expertise, or interest. BizFilings' expertise is in compliance and we are intimately familiar with state and federal regulations and deadlines. As your compliance partner, BizFilings will help you stay in compliance, avoid unnecessary state penalty fees, and maintain your company's good standing in your state of formation and/or qualification.
• To ensure private receipt of lawsuits and other legal documents. When a company is served with a Service of Process, it is often delivered by local law enforcement. Most business owners do not want police officers showing up in front of customers, employees, or neighbors (in the case of home-based businesses), to serve them notice that their company is being sued. Using a professional Registered Agent ensures you receive any Service of Process promptly, and privately.
• You don't maintain normal business hours. The Registered Agent for a business must be available during normal business hours to accept important documents as they are delivered. If you set your own hours, you may wish to consider using a professional RA provider, so that you never miss these important communications.
• For additional reasons to use a professional Registered Agent provider, we encourage you to read "10 Good Reasons to Use a Registered Agent Provider."

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Q. How does your Registered Agent service differ from other providers?

A. Unlike other Registered Agent providers that provide only the bare minimum for their advertised fee and charge additional fees for every "service" offered as an option, BizFilings includes all the services you need for one low price and a value you won't find anywhere else.

Here are a few of the ways we stand out from other Registered Agent providers, and why more business are choosing - or switching to - BizFilings for Registered Agent services:

• Experience and Expertise - Our family of companies has been helping business owners stay in compliance and in good standing for over 100 years. We offer nationwide service and are intimately familiar with the regulations, requirements, and deadlines specific to the state or states in which you do business.
• Compliance Email Alerts - Want to be reminded of important deadlines for compliance or tax filings? No problem. We'll send you reminder emails in advance of important compliance events and you can add and schedule your own reminders for company events you don't want to forget but don't want to have to remember. (View Sample)
• BizComply Compliance Management Tool - Our exclusive, industry-leading online compliance calendar tool lets you schedule and track all your company and compliance events throughout the year in one convenient place. A customer favorite, this invaluable compliance planning and organization tool also includes a free business forms library with downloadable forms and a company dashboard that allows you to view your company's vital information and store important documents. (View demo)
• Registered Agent Watch Email - Our monthly Registered Agent Watch email keeps you up-to-date on the status/standing of your business in your state(s), informs you of upcoming filing deadlines, offers quick filings for annual reports and other services, and provides useful compliance tips to help you save time and money on compliance matters.
• Superior Customer Service - You will not find a better, more qualified, or more helpful customer service staff than the team at BizFilings. Available by phone, email, or online chat, our knowledgeable representatives are happy to help you with any question you have about compliance or about your account.

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