Top 10 Best Florida Registered Agents: Detailed Reviews & Guides
Reviewed by Randolph Vialva, MBA
The article is checked by our editorial team, Which includes entrepreneurs who are painfully aware of how overwhelming and challenging it is to start a business for the first time.
All products recommended by Bizreport are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Hiring a Florida-registered agent will help you ensure that you meet all of your compliance obligations to the state of Florida. You can be your own Florida registered agent, but doing so could add a lot of responsibility to your life that there’s no need to assume.
That’s why we’ve put together this article. It highlights the best Florida registered agent services for small business owners to help you get started. Let’s get into it.
The Definition Of A Registered Agent
A Florida registered agent is like an official point of legal contact for your company. The law says that you need a registered agent in Florida if you have a Florida LLC or a business entity like a Florida corporation.
Your Florida registered agent will help out with legal documents, receive service of process, provide assistance with public records and your annual report, and can even act as your Florida business address if you don’t already have one.
What to Prepare Before Forming An LLC In Delaware?
Delaware is a favorite among individuals wishing to launch enterprises despite being a relatively small state due to its tremendous entrepreneurship chances. Delaware’s lenient tax laws and complete lack of a sales tax make it one of the most business-friendly places in the world.
A limited liability company (LLC) is a type of corporate entity that shields its owners from being held accountable for the debts and obligations of the company. The proprietors of a limited liability corporation are not required to give up their personal assets in the event that the firm files for bankruptcy.
For the purposes of the state’s income tax, LLCs in Delaware fall under the category of partnerships. Unless the LLC has been designated differently for federal income tax purposes, this is the situation.
Delaware LLCs are cost-effective and easy to set up. The state of Delaware, like other states, has several specific LLC requirements and the registration process includes the following steps:
- Choosing a name for the LLC
- Filing the Certificate Of Formation
- Work with a Registered Agent
- Getting tax ID, licenses, and permits
- Formulating the Operating document.
The first step in creating an LLC in Delaware is choosing a business name. The submission of a Certificate of Formation, the official application process for an LLC that gives all relevant information about the business and the owners, constitutes the second step.
Working with a registered agent is not an option; rather, it is mandated by law in the state of Delaware that all business entities, including LLCs, have a registered agent there.
How Does Florida Registered Agent Help With Your Business?
The law says that you must have a registered agent if you run a business in Florida. That means you have to choose between either being your own registered agent or hiring one.
Being your own registered agent can add a lot of responsibilities to your life. This can take away from the time that you have to run your company and contribute to its growth. Plus, if you act as your own registered agent and miss important deadlines or service of process, you could face fines and penalties.
When you hire a registered agent, you don’t have to worry about any of this. Your agent will take care of everything for you so that you can spend your time focusing on your company instead of having to worry about compliance.
What Are The Advantages Of A Florida Registered Agent?
Hiring a Florida registered agent service will make it a lot easier to maintain all of your obligations to the state and stay in good standing so that your LLC or Florida corporations don’t have to spend as much time worrying about hidden fees, state fees, or fines.
Your new registered agent will take care of everything so you don’t have to. Additionally, when you hire a premium registered agent service, you can get more than just a physical address or Florida registered office. You can also get help with ongoing legal issues, business document drafting, and more all through a convenient online account.
This leaves more time for you to focus on running your business by giving you access to a commercial registered agent company that will take care of everything for you.
Read more: Best LLC Services In 2024
Top 10 Best Registered Agent Services In Florida 2024
- Zenbusiness: Best Overall
- Northwest Registered Agent: Most Affordable
- IncFile: Most Well-Rounded
- Rocket Lawyer: Best Ongoing Services
- Harbor Compliance: Best Online Tools
- LegalZoom: Best Reputation
- Better Legal: Best Service
- Incorp: Best Mobile App
- MyCompanyWorks: Best for Same-Day Filing
- Swyft Filings: Easiest Business Formation
Read more: Best LLC Formation Services In Florida (FL) 2024
Top 10 Best Florida Registered Agents 2024
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness is a well-rounded Florida registered agent service that blends affordability with standout customer support.
- Starts at $0 plus state fees
- Premium registered agent and compliances services
- Affordable EIN and expedited filing options
- Less brand recognition than other registered agent services
ZenBusiness is a registered agent service that you can’t go wrong with if you run a Florida LLC or the Florida department or Florida division of a corporation. It’s affordable, easy to use, and will give you access to many helpful online services and resources like free mail forwarding and the ability to act as a business address for important documents. ZenBusiness will supply all the formation necessities with its $0 plus state fees and make sure you have everything you need to start your business.
Customers that use ZenBusiness can also get help with taxes and accounting, which makes this a registered agent in Florida that can help your Florida LLC in many different ways.
Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent provides affordable Florida registered agent services, helpful online resources, and great customer support.
- Affordable
- Has a free registered agent service option
- Provides useful online tools
- LLC formation can be expensive
Northwest is the right registered agent service for many Florida LLCs and corporations. If you hire them, your business will get access to a registered agent online who can help with Florida phone service, service of process, Florida annual reports, LLC formation service, corporate filings, and much more.
Customers enjoy working with this resident agent because they provide domestic Florida LLCs with all of the process server and other official state mail help they need alongside great customer service.
IncFile
Incfile is a registered agent service that offers excellent online tools and strong security. It also has great reviews from customers.
- Provides good online security
- Has great reviews
- Offers a free registered agent service option
- No discounts for volume
When you hire IncFile, instead of being your own registered agent, you’ll get a professional who can help your Florida department or Florida division meet all of its obligations. The team will help with free mail forwarding, phone service during normal business hours, compile your Florid annual report, and even provide a registered agent signature service for you.
When you add that to the lifetime customer support and registered agent’s address you can get from IncFile, this company becomes a clear winner.
Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer offers a host of ongoing services during regular business hours and beyond them, in addition to providing a Florida registered agent option that stands out from the crowd.
- Excellent ongoing services
- Strong customer support
- Subscription-based pricing available
- Need a credit card for your free trial
Rocket Lawyer can help your Florida corporation or LLC with many different legal tasks, such as corporate filings, document drafting and review, and more. Hiring this registered agent means that you’ll always have a partner that you can rely on to get advice for your Florida business when you need it.
This company also offers subscription-based pricing, which many of its competitors don’t. That can be an advantage if you value certainty and don’t want to pay extra each time you need to speak with your registered agent in Florida or an attorney.
Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance is extremely easy to use and carries a national reputation. That makes it a good option for Florida registered agents for companies that do business across multiple states.
- Simple and straightforward interface
- Affordably-priced
- National Reputation
- Doesn’t offer premium services
Harbor Compliance is a registered agent in Florida that is extremely easy to get started with. Whether you need a business address, help with your next Florida annual report, or just someone to accept service of process during business hours, this commercial registered agent could be right for you.
Customer reviews also talk about the benefit of having this registered agent’s name associated with their business because of its national reputation.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom has an industry-leading reputation and offers many additional services for your Florida business address in addition to a highly-rated Florida registered agent service.
- Excellent reputation
- Provides ongoing services
- Strong customer support
- Can be more expensive than other options
LegalZoom has a registered agent name that’s one of the very best in the industry. It also provides a wealth of ongoing services, including help with business formation, document drafting, dispute resolution, and more.
If your current registered agent isn’t giving you tax advice or treating you like you’re their only company, then hiring Legal Zoom may be a better option for your business in Florida.
Better Legal
Better Legal will give you access to many helpful ongoing services and resources without breaking your budget. Customers also rate their Florida registered agent service highly.
- Provides ongoing services
- Has helpful online resources
- Affordable prices
- Limited customer support
Better Legal offers standout customer service and provides access to many online resources that can help your business in the state of Florida thrive. Whether you need advice from an attorney or your Florida registered agent must be able to act as your business address, this registered agent in Florida can help your company thrive during normal business hours and beyond.
InCorp
InCorp offers Florida registered agent services through a helpful mobile app. It also provides additional services like foreign qualification and annual report reminders for limited liability companies.
- Easy to get started
- Has a mobile app
- Offers foreign qualification
- Limited in other services and resources
If you like to manage your business from the palm of your hand, then this registered agent in Florida could be your best bet. Incorp has a great mobile app that will help your Florida business stay up-to-date with its registered agent’s information and statutory agent state fees no matter where you are.
This agent service in Florida also provides supplementary services like foreign qualification and has the ability to act as a physical street address or provide more detailed registered agent information if you need it.
MyCompanyWorks
MyCompanyWorks is a Florida registered agent option that’s easy to get started with. It also has a basic package that provides more value than most registered agent services.
- The website is easy to use
- Good customer support and reviews
- Good value
- Only has a paid registered agent service
MyCompanyWorks provides access to registered agents that are always easy to reach and communicate with when you need to do so. The company’s website for registered agents and resources is also extremely easy to use.
Customers routinely write about how this business goes above and beyond. It could do the same for you.
Swyft Filings
With Swyft Filings you’ll get great turnaround times for items like a Florida annual report and important legal documents. That’s one of the reasons why this registered agent service has high reviews from customers.
- Great turnaround time
- High customer satisfaction ratings
- Easy to contact the customer support staff
- Can be expensive
Swyft Filings stands out with ultra-fast turnaround times for important matters like corporate filings and legal documents for your LLC. If your registered agent must be able to turn around the service of process and other documents quickly, this provider could be the right option – especially because it’s a registered agent with consistently high reviews.
How To Start Florida Business With Registered Agent?
If you haven’t started your LLC or corporation yet, then it could make sense to do so with one of these registered agent options. Several of the providers on our list will give you a free year of registered agent service when you do so.
Getting started is easy. Simply pick a provider, visit their website, and adhere to the instructions displayed on the screen. They’ll tell you how to fill out all of the paperwork you need and will submit it on your behalf to the state of Florida.
How Does A Florida Registered Agent Cost?
The cost of hiring a registered agent doesn’t have to break your budget. The average price of a registered agent is $99 – $300 per year in Florida.
However, that price could change based on some of the decisions that you make while hiring your provider. For example, if you also start your business with one of these companies, you could get the first year of your registered agent service for free.
Or, if you also want to get access to ongoing legal and business services, then your prices could go a bit higher in exchange for the additional value that you’re getting.
How Does Florida Registered Agent Help With Your Business?
The law says that you must have a registered agent if you run a business in Florida. As a result, you must decide whether to act as your own registered agent or hire one.
Being your own registered agent can come with a lot of additional duties. This can take away from the time that you have to run your company and contribute to its growth. Plus, if you act as your own registered agent and miss important deadlines or service of process, you could face fines and penalties.
When you hire a registered agent, you don’t have to worry about any of this. Your agent will take care of everything for you so that you can spend your time focusing on your company instead of having to worry about compliance.
Who Can Be A Florida Registered Agent Service?
The requirements for becoming a registered agent in Florida are low. You just need to be at least 18 years old and have a valid street address in the state. As long as it satisfies these requirements, you are free to appoint any business as your registered agent.
How to Choose the Best Registered Agent in Florida?
Florida law mandates that LLCs designate registered agents since they are generally inexpensive and can assist in
- Reducing risk
- Increasing privacy and flexibility
- Ensuring your documents are stored safely online
A registered agent in Florida should receive all important documents and official notices on your company’s behalf. The reliability, accuracy, and consistency of a registered agent are so essential. Additionally, they must be familiar with all business entity and compliance regulations, have staff that has received professional training and is knowledgeable about how to handle and forward SOP papers, have cutting-edge systems in place to deliver critical documents, and physically be at the registered office during regular business hours.
A Florida registered agent must also have the resources and experience to assist firms when they grow into new states, where it is frequently essential to register separately.
Final Thoughts
Hiring a registered agent will help your LLC or corporation stay in good standing with the Secretary of State by ensuring that you always have someone available to accept service of process and help with filing.
Northwest is our top overall pick for its blend of affordability and excellent customer support. You might also benefit from IncFile if you really value high-quality online resources. Or, you could hire ZenBusiness if you’re looking for a company that will offer after-hours customer support and a well-rounded registered agent service.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A registered agent is an official point of contact for your LLC or corporation. It’s their responsibility to ensure that you never miss service of process or key filing deadlines so that you don’t have to worry about fines and penalties.
A registered agent will help you process all official documents, file things with the state, and can act as your physical address if you need them to. Some companies also offer supplementary services that will help your company in other ways.
You should expect to pay between $99 and $300 for a registered agent in the state of Florida.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
+ 5 sources
Bizreport Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic research. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Bizreport, you can read more about the editorial process here.
- Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine. www.leg.state.fl.us. Accessed November 9, 2022. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0600-0699/0607/Sections/0607.0501.html
- Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine. www.leg.state.fl.us. Accessed November 9, 2022. http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0600-0699/0621/Sections/0621.051.html
- Division FAQs – Division of Corporations – Florida Department of State. dos.myflorida.com. Accessed November 9, 2022. https://dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz/about-us/faqs/#faq-question29
- Florida Registered Agent | For LLCs & Corporations. Northwest Registered Agent. Accessed November 9, 2022. https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/registered-agent/florida
- Get a Florida Registered Agent Today. ZenBusiness Inc. Accessed November 9, 2022. https://www.zenbusiness.com/florida-registered-agent/