Filing Address

Registered agents, mailboxes, and the 3-year bill.

Self as agent · retrieved 5 October 2026

Can I be my own registered agent? Usually yes, if you live there and don’t mind being on the record.

Most states let an LLC member serve as the registered agent. The conditions are the same almost everywhere: you are an individual, you live in that state (or keep an office there), and you list a real street address where a process server can hand you papers. Wyoming’s Secretary of State answers the question in one word. This note covers the sixteen states Filing Address tracks, the three costs of the free option, and when paying an agent is the better trade.

Filing Address research

What the states publish (retrieved 5 October 2026 CT)

Sixteen states: can a member serve?

Who may be the registered agent, and what it costs to switch later
StateWho may serveBe your own?Change fee
Texas§5.201(b): individual resident of Texas who consents, or an organization other than the filing entity. Street office; not solely a mailbox.Yes, as a Texas-resident individual. The LLC cannot appoint itself.Form 401 $15
Florida§605.0113(1)(b): individual who resides in Florida with business address identical to the registered office; written acceptance required.Yes, if you live in Florida.$25
California§17701.13(c): individual who is a resident of California, or a §1505 corporate agent.Yes, if you live in California.Change-only SOI $0
WyomingSOS FAQ: “Can I be my own registered agent? Yes.” 18+, reside in Wyoming, physical Wyoming address, valid email.Yes, if you live in Wyoming. Most out-of-state Wyoming LLC owners cannot.$5
New YorkLLC Law §301: the Secretary of State must be designated agent. §302: an extra registered agent is optional (resident or in-state business address).Not needed. The Secretary of State is the statutory agent; an extra agent is optional.§211-A(a) $30
Delaware§18-104 / Division FAQ: the LLC itself, an individual resident in Delaware, or a qualifying entity. Physical Delaware street; present in business hours.Only with a Delaware residence or office. Out-of-state owners need an agent.Change-only $50
Illinois805 ILCS 180/1-35(a): individual resident of Illinois, or another person authorized to transact business here.Yes, if you live in Illinois.$25
GeorgiaO.C.G.A. §14-11-209(b): individual resident of Georgia, or a qualifying corporation or LLC. Physical street.Yes, if you live in Georgia.Amended annual registration $30
North CarolinaG.S. 55D-30(a)(2): individual who resides in North Carolina with a business office identical to the registered office.Yes, if you live in North Carolina.$5
PennsylvaniaDOS FAQ: Pennsylvania records a registered office, not an agent. §8825 office in the Commonwealth; §109 CROP as the substitute; PO box alone refused.List your own Pennsylvania street address, or use a CROP.$5
New JerseyN.J.S.A. 42:2C-14(c): individual resident of New Jersey, or another person with authority to transact business here.Yes, if you live in New Jersey.$25
ArizonaA.R.S. §29-3115(B): statutory agent with a place of business or residence in Arizona; individual resident or qualifying entity.Yes, if you live in Arizona.$5
WashingtonRCW 23.95.415(1): a commercial agent, a noncommercial agent’s name and address, or the title of a position with the entity, with a Washington street address (RCW 23.95.410).Yes, as a noncommercial agent with a Washington street address.$0
ColoradoSOS requirements (eff. July 1, 2025): individual 18+, Colorado primary residence or usual place of business, verified by Colorado ID or mailed SOS passcode. No commercial or PO box street.Yes, if you pass the Colorado residency check.$10
OhioORC §1706.09(A): natural person resident of Ohio, or a qualifying entity with an Ohio business address. Appointment lists an individual's Ohio primary-residence street; no PO box even with a street address (§1706.09(C)).Yes, if you live in Ohio. Your home street goes on the record.$25
VirginiaVa. Code §13.1-1015(A)(2): Virginia resident who is a member or manager (or a Virginia State Bar member), business office identical with the registered office; or an authorized entity that is not the LLC itself. No PO box (SCC FAQ).Yes, if you are a Virginia-resident member or manager. A non-member friend does not qualify unless a VA lawyer.$0
Statute and SOS summaries. Texas, Florida, California, Wyoming, and Colorado re-checked 5 October 2026 CT; Ohio §1706.09 read 13 October 2026 CT; Virginia §13.1-1015 and SCC FAQ read 14 October 2026 CT; other rows from the linked state notes and their retrieval dates. Change fees are state fees on our fee table, not vendor fees. Not legal advice.

The three costs of the free option

  1. Your address goes on the public record. The agent’s name and street address are part of the formation or change filing, and those filings show up on the state’s business search. Changing agents later stops new filings from showing it; it does not pull your address out of the old ones. You cannot mask it with a mailbox, because the office has to be a real street location.
  2. You have to be reachable at that address. Wyoming describes a physical location where an individual can accept service of process. Delaware’s FAQ expects presence during normal business hours. A process server who cannot find you does not stop the lawsuit; missed service is how default judgments happen.
  3. You are tied to the state. Residency is the gate in nearly every row above. Move away, and you need a change filing and a new agent. Form a Wyoming or Delaware LLC while living elsewhere, and you never qualified to begin with.

When being your own agent is fine

In that case, skip the vendor fee. You still owe the state’s annual report or franchise filing; being your own agent does not change it.

When paying an agent is the better trade

You work from home, you formed in a state you don’t live in, you travel, or you just don’t want a process server at your front door. The money is small next to that:

Full renewal math is on the 3-year cost note. If you already listed yourself and want out, the steps are on the change-of-agent note.

Questions

Can I be my own registered agent for my LLC?

In most states, yes, if you are an individual who lives in that state (or, in a few states, has a business office there) and you list a physical street address in that state where you can be served. Wyoming’s Secretary of State FAQ answers “Can I be my own registered agent?” with “Yes” and lists the conditions: at least 18, reside in Wyoming, a physical Wyoming address, and a valid email (retrieved 5 October 2026 CT). Texas Bus. Orgs. Code §5.201(b), Florida §605.0113(1)(b), and California Corp. Code §17701.13(c) all allow an individual resident of the state.

Can I be my own registered agent if I live in another state?

Generally no. The individual-agent options in the statutes we checked are tied to residency or an in-state office: Texas (resident of this state), Florida (resides in this state), California (resident of this state), Wyoming (reside in Wyoming), Colorado (Colorado primary residence or usual place of business, verified with a Colorado ID or SOS passcode since July 1, 2025). If you formed a Wyoming or Delaware LLC from somewhere else, you need someone with a qualifying in-state street office.

Can my LLC be its own registered agent?

It depends on the state. Delaware’s §18-104 and the Division of Corporations FAQ list the LLC itself as an option when it has a Delaware office. Texas §5.201(b)(2)(B) says an organizational agent must be an organization other than the filing entity, so a Texas LLC cannot appoint itself, but its individual member who lives in Texas can serve.

What do I give up by being my own registered agent?

Mostly privacy and flexibility. The agent’s name and street address go into the formation or change filing, which is a public record on the state’s business search. Wyoming says the registered office must be a physical location where an individual can accept service of process, and Delaware’s FAQ expects presence during normal business hours. If you move, travel for long stretches, or work from a home you do not want on a public filing, the free option gets expensive in other ways.

Can I use a virtual mailbox address and be my own agent?

No. Being your own agent still requires a qualifying street office. Wyoming lists PO boxes, drop boxes, virtual addresses, mail forwarding locations, and UPS or FedEx stores as not qualifying. Texas §5.201(c) says the registered office may not be solely a mailbox service. If you want your home off the record, the swap is a commercial agent, not a mailbox.

How much do I save by being my own registered agent?

The vendor fee you skip. Northwest publishes $125/year ($375 over three years). Bizee standalone is $149/year ($447 over three). ZenBusiness standalone is $99 then $199 ($497 over three). State annual-report or franchise fees are owed either way and are not saved by being your own agent.

What if I start as my own agent and switch later?

File your state’s change of registered agent. Fees on our table: Wyoming $5, Texas Form 401 $15, Florida $25, Colorado $10, Washington $0. Northwest publishes that it files the change and pays the state fee when you appoint them. Your old home address stays in the historical filings either way.

Related: is the agent address public record · home address as registered agent · registered agent in every state · what happens without a registered agent · PO box as registered agent · physical vs mailing address · registered agent vs virtual mailbox · change of agent · 3-year RA cost · all state notes.

Sources

Official vendor, secretary of state, or statute pages. Third-party “best of” lists were not used. Retrieval dates are on each row.

  1. Wyoming SOS FAQ — can I be my own registered agent (yes: 18+, reside in WY, physical WY address); registered office may not be a PO box, drop box, virtual address, mail forwarding, UPS, or FedEx (change $5) Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  2. Texas Bus. Orgs. Code §5.201 — registered office must be a street address for personal service; may not be solely a mailbox or telephone answering service Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  3. Florida §605.0113 — registered office and registered agent (agent business address identical to registered office) Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  4. California Corp. Code §17701.13 — LLC must maintain an office and an agent for service of process in this state; agent is an individual resident of California or a §1505 corporation Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  5. CO SOS Registered Agent Requirements Effective July 1, 2025 (usual place of business = physical street; commercial or P.O. Box cannot be RA street address) Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  6. C.R.S. §7-90-701 (continuous registered agent; who may serve; consent required) Retrieved 2026-09-16.
  7. Delaware Division of Corporations — FAQs regarding registered agents (physical street address; present during normal business hours) Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  8. 6 Del. C. §18-104 (registered office; registered agent; virtual office / mail forwarding ban) Retrieved 2026-09-02.
  9. New York DOS — forming a limited liability company (Secretary of State as agent) Retrieved 2026-09-02.
  10. N.Y. Limited Liability Company Law §301 (Secretary of State as statutory agent) Retrieved 2026-09-02.
  11. N.Y. Limited Liability Company Law §302 (optional registered agent) Retrieved 2026-09-02.
  12. 805 ILCS 180/1-35 (continuous registered agent and office; resignation; 60-day replacement) Retrieved 2026-09-03.
  13. O.C.G.A. §14-11-209 (continuous registered office/agent; street address and county on change; resignation) Retrieved 2026-09-04.
  14. G.S. 55D-30 (continuous registered office and registered agent) Retrieved 2026-09-07.
  15. PA DOS FAQ — Does Pennsylvania utilize registered agents? No; annual report $7; LLC window Jan 1–Sep 30 Retrieved 2026-09-08.
  16. 15 Pa.C.S. §8825 (continuous registered office; change; CROP alternative) Retrieved 2026-09-08.
  17. 15 Pa.C.S. §109 (commercial registered office provider in lieu of registered address) Retrieved 2026-09-08.
  18. N.J.S.A. 42:2C-14 (continuous office and agent for service of process in this State) Retrieved 2026-09-10.
  19. A.R.S. §29-3115 (statutory agent; place of business/residence in this state; acceptance required) Retrieved 2026-09-11.
  20. RCW 23.95.415 (commercial vs noncommercial designation; prior consent in a record required) Retrieved 2026-09-14.
  21. RCW 23.95.410 (addresses in filing: street address in this state; mailing if different) Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  22. Florida Sunbiz — LLC fees (annual report $138.75; after May 1 $538.75; change $25; new Florida/foreign LLC $100 filing + $25 registered agent = $125) Retrieved 2026-10-06.
  23. Northwest Registered Agent — registered agent ($125/year; $100/year per state at 5+) Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  24. Northwest — change of agent (files change paperwork and pays required state filing fee when appointed; $125/year) Retrieved 2026-10-07.
  25. Bizee — registered agent (standalone $149/year; free year 1 with formation packages) Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  26. ZenBusiness — registered agent ($99 first year; renews $199/year; FAQ: separate registered agent in each state where the business is registered or qualified) Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  27. Ohio Rev. Code §1706.09 (continuous statutory agent; resident individual or entity with Ohio business address; usual place of business excludes a PO box even with a street address; 30-day notice then cancellation; reinstatement within two years) Retrieved 2026-10-13.