How to Find the Registered Agent of an LLC: 6 State Searches

Where to search in six states, and what each state calls the agent

The table below lists the official search in six states and the words each state uses for this role. Search screens and labels can change. If you do not see these words on a record, read the whole record.

Other states use other words. Arizona’s LLC law says “statutory agent.” If none of these words appears on a record, look for “agent” and “process.” North Carolina’s FAQ says service of process “means delivery of legal documents to people or entities authorized to receive them.”

What if the LLC is registered in more than one state?

Each state where the LLC is formed or registered can have its own record and its own agent. Texas law says each filing entity and each foreign filing entity “shall designate and continuously maintain in this state” a registered agent and a registered office. A foreign entity is one formed outside that state. Arizona’s law has a similar rule for a registered foreign LLC.

For example, an LLC formed in Delaware and registered in Texas has a Delaware record and a Texas record. Each record names the agent for that state. The two agents can be different people or companies.

To find the home state, look for the formation field. California’s record has a Jurisdiction field, defined as “The state, country or other place under which laws a business entity was organized.” The Texas detail page has a State of Formation field. Then search that state too.

Which record you need depends on why you are looking. If you are preparing court papers, ask an attorney which state’s agent fits your case.

What if the registered agent looks out of date?

First confirm that you have the right record. Two LLCs can have similar names, so check the exact name, the state, and the file number. Then check the LLC’s status on the record.

A state record shows what was filed with that state. The listed agent may have moved or resigned, and the record may not show it yet.

Some states have a set phrase for this problem. North Carolina’s FAQ mentions a Registered Agent listed as “Agent Resigned-Office Discontinued.” Oregon’s FAQ explains the phrase “No Consenting Registered Agent on File,” and says the business must designate a new agent.

If the listed agent cannot be reached, the next step depends on the state. Some states let legal papers go through a state office, and the conditions differ. Here is what four states say:

• California: The Secretary of State lists three conditions for substituted service through its office. Attempts at direct service must have been unsuccessful. The attempts must be proven to the court to be reasonably diligent. The court must issue an order. The page lists a $50.00 fee.
• Delaware: Section 18-105 of the LLC Act allows service on the Secretary of State when the officer serving the papers “cannot by due diligence serve the process” in the listed ways.
• North Carolina: The FAQ says “You must make an attempt to serve the Registered Agent before using the Secretary of State as a process agent.” The FAQ lists a $10.00 fee for each document served.
• Texas: Section 5.251 of the Business Organizations Code makes the Secretary of State an agent for service in listed cases. They include an entity that does not maintain a registered agent, and an agent who “cannot with reasonable diligence be found at the registered office of the entity.”

Why you might need an LLC’s registered agent

You may need the agent if you are starting a court case against an LLC. Court papers have to be delivered in a way the law accepts, and the registered agent is named to receive them. California’s Secretary of State says “The business entity’s listed agent for service of process is available through bizfile Online.” The same page says “Serving the designated agent is not the only method of serving a particular business entity with process.”

The rules for serving papers are legal rules, and this guide cannot apply them to your case. Oregon’s Secretary of State calls completing service “an important legal proceeding which can affect the outcome of a court case or dispute.” The page tells readers to “contact your attorney or a licensed process server for more information.” Our guide to service of process at a virtual office explains the subject from the LLC owner’s side.

The agent’s name does not always tell you who owns the LLC. Oregon’s page says “Most Oregon businesses list an officer, owner or employee and the business street address for their registered agent and registered office.” The page adds that the business’s attorney or accountant frequently serves, and that a business can contract with an agent service company. Delaware’s FAQ says “Alternative entities are not required to list members and/or managers.” We read Delaware’s term “alternative entities” to include LLCs. Members and managers are the people who own and run an LLC.

The address next to the agent’s name may not be the LLC’s office. Delaware’s FAQ says a registered office “may, but need not be, the same as its place of business.” So do not assume the LLC works from that address.

How to find your own LLC’s registered agent

Use the same search. Enter your LLC’s exact name in the state where it was formed and in each state where it is registered. Check that the agent’s name and address are still correct.

You can also look at your formation filing. In Delaware, for example, the certificate of formation must set forth “the name and address of the registered agent for service of process.” If a formation service set up your LLC, check your account or invoices with that company. The service may have named an agent for you.

If the details are wrong, update them with the state. Each state has its own process:

• California: The FAQ says businesses “must file a new Statement of Information when their agent for service of process resigns or is no longer valid.”
• North Carolina: The Secretary of State says “You are required to update the Registered Agent Name and Office within 60 days of any change in the information.”
• Texas: Form 401 changes the registered agent or registered office, and the filing fee is $15. The Comptroller’s detail page notes that these changes “must be filed with the Secretary of State.”

A missing or outdated agent can cause problems with the state. North Carolina says not updating this information gives it grounds for administrative dissolution. Oregon says failure to designate a new agent after a resignation “will result in administrative dissolution of the business.” The Texas Form 401 instructions say “an entity may be terminated or its registration revoked for failure to maintain a registered office and agent.”

In some states, an owner who lives in the state and meets its rules can serve as the agent. Our guide on being your own registered agent covers the rules in five states.

The agent’s address is for legal papers. General business mail is a separate question, and our guide on registered agent address vs business address compares the two. We do not sell registered agent service. Our Silicon Valley and Los Angeles pages describe the business addresses save office offers.