Every Florida LLC needs a registered agent: a person or company with a physical Florida address that receives legal notices and official mail on your company's behalf. If you live outside the U.S., you can't be your own, so you'll need to choose one. Here is what the law requires, what an agent actually does, what it costs and what to check before hiring one.
What a registered agent is
It's your LLC's official point of contact in Florida. Its main job is to receive service of process, for example if someone sues your company, along with other official notices and documents, and forward them to you at the address you provided.
Its name and address appear in Florida's public business registry, Sunbiz. That way anyone who needs to serve your LLC knows where to do it, even if you live in another country.
What Florida law requires
Florida's LLC law (section 605.0113) requires every LLC to designate and continuously maintain a registered agent and a registered office in Florida. In addition:
- The agent must accept the appointment in writing with the state, stating that it is familiar with and accepts the obligations of the position.
- It must forward any process, notice or demand it receives to the LLC, at the address the company most recently provided.
- The office must be open at least 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday except holidays, with someone present who can accept service (section 48.091).
That last rule is what makes using a friend's address or an empty apartment unworkable for most owners who live abroad.
Who can serve
Under the law, the agent can be:
- An individual who lives in Florida and whose business address is the registered office.
- An authorized entity, such as a Florida corporation or LLC, or an out-of-state one authorized to do business in Florida, with the same address condition.
In practice there are three options:
| Option | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Yourself, if you live in Florida | No extra cost | Your address becomes public and you must be available during the legal hours |
| A relative or friend in Florida | Free or cheap | You depend on them always being available and forwarding everything on time |
| A professional service | Meets the hours, protects your privacy and usually scans and forwards mail | Charges a yearly fee; you need to compare what's included |
What it costs
There are two kinds of cost: what the state charges and what the agent charges.
| Sunbiz filing | Official fee |
|---|---|
| Designating an agent when forming the LLC | $25 (included in the $125 filing) |
| Changing registered agent | $25 |
| Agent resignation (active LLC) | $85 |
Fees published by the Florida Division of Corporations. What a professional service charges varies widely, and some include it free for the first year when you form your LLC with them. That's why you should always check the renewal price.
What to check before hiring a service
- The renewal price, not just the first year's.
- How it notifies you: whether it scans letters and emails them the same day, or only forwards them by post.
- Which mail is included: some only handle legal notices and charge extra for other mail.
- Whether it reminds you of deadlines, such as the Florida annual report.
- Whether its address works for anything else. A registered agent address isn't always accepted as your business address: some banks and fintechs reject it, as we saw in our bank comparison.
- Spanish-language service, if you need it.
What happens without an agent
Failing to maintain a registered agent is one of the grounds on which the state can administratively dissolve your LLC (section 605.0714). Before doing so, it must send you a notice, and you have 60 days to fix it.
Without an agent you may also miss service of process aimed at your company. And the agent forwards other important notices, such as reminders for the annual report, which costs $138.75 if filed by May 1 and $538.75 if filed after. We walk through it step by step in our Sunbiz annual report guide.
How to change agents
You can change agents at any time by filing the change on Sunbiz, for a $25 fee. The new agent must accept the appointment. If your agent's name or address changes, the law gives 30 days to report it to the state.
If the agent resigns, it will notify you, and you'll need to appoint a new one before the resignation takes effect so you're never left without coverage.
Don't forget insurance: an LLC protects your personal assets, but not the company. We explain which insurance the law requires and which you will need in our guide to business insurance for a Florida LLC.
Frequently asked questions
Can I be my own registered agent in Florida?
Yes, if you live in Florida and your business address is the registered office. You must be available there during the legal hours (10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. on weekdays), and your address becomes public on Sunbiz. If you live outside Florida, you need someone else to act as your agent.
Is a registered agent required in Florida?
Yes. Florida law (section 605.0113) requires every LLC to designate and continuously maintain a registered agent and a registered office in the state, from the day it is formed, and the annual report asks you to confirm it every year.
How do I find a registered agent in Florida?
Florida doesn't publish a list of recommended services, so compare a few on the points in this guide: renewal price, how they notify you, which mail is included and whether they remind you of deadlines. You can also appoint a person who lives in Florida and is available during business hours, or a company authorized to do business in the state.
What does a registered agent do?
It receives lawsuits, official notices and state mail on behalf of the LLC, and forwards them to the company promptly. It must keep the registered office open during the hours set by law.
Can I be my own registered agent if I live outside the U.S.?
No. The law requires an individual living in Florida or an authorized entity, with a physical Florida office open during the legal hours.
Can I use a P.O. box or virtual office?
Not as the registered office: it must be a physical address where someone can accept service during the legal hours.
Is the registered agent the same as my business address?
Not necessarily. The registered office can be your Florida place of business, but many foreign-owned LLCs have one address for the agent and another for operations.
How much does a registered agent service cost?
It depends on the company and what's included. Compare the renewal price, how they notify you of mail and whether they remind you of deadlines, not just the first-year price.
Next step
The registered agent is one piece of your LLC. Review the full process in how to open a Florida LLC as a non-resident and the yearly IRS filing in our Form 5472 guide.