Best Registered Agent Services in Florida

In the USA, every corporation or LLC is required to have its own Registered Agent. This is reflected in the laws of each state, including Florida.

A registered agent is an individual or entity that has a physical mailing address in the state, receives mail for your business, and serves the process in case a lawsuit is filed against the company. The resident agent needs to be physically present at the address if he/she needs to get documents as part of the service of process.

Under Florida law, a registered agent can be an employee, acquaintance, or even your company itself. Thus, any company has the right to perform this task for itself if the owners and managers wish. Nevertheless, most businessmen prefer to use professional services. Read in this review why it is convenient and how to choose the best company.

How to Choose the Best Registered Agent Service in Florida

You can do a Florida registered agent search on your own, including researching local company ads or studying rating sites and helpful tips from experts.

It is important to understand that if you decide to save money and become a registered agent for creating an LLC in Florida, you may face certain inconveniences:

• You are required to physically be at the designated registered office address during regular business hours with no breaks, sick leave, or vacation time. If you need to get process service documents and you're not there, no one will wait for you;
• You lose confidentiality. This is especially important if you list your home address in Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, or any other community. This address along with your name becomes public and is available in directories and on the pages of the Florida Secretary of State. Each company's registered agent is included in the list of publicly available information;
• There may be situations that will negatively affect the reputation of the business. You will be accepting documents for service of process at the company office, possibly in the presence of customers or buyers;
• You should remember to send the reports yourself, keep the documents, and keep track of the relevance of the data.

That's why business people are always advised to find a registered agent in Florida and pay for professional services. You can choose:

• National statuary agent that is a large company with offices in different states that also provide additional services;
• A local registered agent, which is a small agency that works only in Florida or even in your chosen city.

National Registered Agent

These are large companies that usually work in all U.S. states. In addition to registered agent services, they also help you open a business, register a DBA, get a license, and draw up important documents. Some of them also provide legal services, while others specialize in opening, closing, and reorganizing legal entities.

In most cases, cooperation with such companies is profitable, convenient, and secure. Besides, many of them provide registered agent services for a new business free of charge, provided that the client has ordered the assistance in registration of an LLC or corporation from this company.

Registered Agent in Jacksonville, Florida

If you want to find a local statutory agent in Jacksonville or any other Florida community, use the Florida business registered agent search on the Florida Department of State website.

On the Advanced Search form, select Street Address and choose the city you are looking for (Jacksonville in our case), and you will get a full list of authorized statutory agents that have offices in the city. You will also find their addresses, names, and phone numbers. You can study detailed information about each of them or choose one by some other parameters.

Registered Agent in St. Petersburg, Florida

The search for a local agent in St. Petersburg is performed in exactly the same way as in the previous case. In addition, you can always check advertising on local websites or social networks.

Interestingly, the official office of a decent national agent, Northwest, is located in this city. If the choice of city is crucial for you, be sure to pay attention to this offer. Below, we will consider this company in detail.

Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest is the best registered agent service in Florida according to our experts. This company offers not only everything that is required by law from a resident agent for LLCs in Florida but also has excellent customer support and a very convenient platform.

Pros

• High level of professionalism and quality of support;
• Convenient service. The interface of the platform is simple, and the system is user-friendly and reliable;
• The team consists of professional lawyers, accountants, entrepreneurs;
• More than 20 years of experience in the business services market;
• An attractive price of $125 per year;
• Free registered agent services for one year subject to business registration with Northwest (service price - from $39);
• Provides business consulting services in a wide variety of different areas.

Cons

Despite all the benefits, customer support could be better, especially when you need a quick and easy response.

Overall

Northwest offers everything you need from a statutory agent in Florida. You'll get the company's service mailing address, privacy protection, and the company's default data protection guarantee against third-party access.

In addition, Northwest Registered Agent will help you register your company, select and file your DBA, Florida Articles of Organization, Operating Agreement, and other important documents.

You will have access to a compliance notification calendar that will remind you in time to send your annual report or other important documents. All of your documents will be scanned and sent to cloud storage on the company's online portal.

ZenBusiness Registered Agent

ZenBusiness is one of the most popular companies that provide services for creating and registering an LLC. With their help, you can register an LLC for as little as $39, which is better value than most other companies offer. The service is very easy for clients. The support team works properly. Even the basic package includes a year of registered agent service, accounting advice, and some other useful services.

If you study Florida registered agent reviews, you will notice that ZenBusiness has a huge number of positive comments and high trust ratings.

Among other things, users note the fantastic level of customer support and the ease and convenience of cooperation. Many clients write about how much money they saved thanks to the help of ZenBusiness specialists.

Pros

• Reasonable price: the statutory agent services cost only $99 per year;
• Excellent customer service;
• Reasonable prices for business startup services with a wide range of additional useful services included in the plan;
• Free registered agent services for the first year with ZenBusiness when choosing one of their formation packages.

Cons

Resident agent services at ZenBusiness are quite basic, so you will find only the essential minimum here. Other services have to be ordered separately if you need them.

Overall

ZenBusiness is one of the leading providers of business startup and registered agent services in the US. The company offers one year of registered agent services for free in all business registration packages, as well as the cheapest version of resident agent service for just $99. You get everything required by Florida law. But to be notified of important state compliance dates, you will have to pay about $50 extra.

Harbor Compliance Registered Agent

Harbor Compliance is an optimal solution when you are on a tight budget and want to choose a registered agent in Florida. If you are willing to give up additional services to save money, this is the best option for you.

Pros

• Fair price ($99 per year) and no extra costs;
• Offers all the services that are important in terms of compliance with the Florida Division of Corporations and Department of State;
• Informs about meeting reporting deadlines and other important dates.

Cons

The company meets all standards, but the quality of customer support is average. They do the rest of their services well, but not better than the competitors.

Overall

Like most other companies that provide resident agent services in Florida, Harbor Compliance offers everything you need, including document scanning, email forwarding, online access to documents, and compliance confirmations.

The site makes registration very easy, and there is an option to order services in multiple states. For Florida, this company provides the broadest list of services at a price of $99.

LegalZoom Registered Agent

LegalZoom is another popular option for registered agent services in Florida. The company offers a full range of services, including important date reminders and expert help. In addition, LegalZoom insures your personal data against theft for $1 million. But registered agent services from LegalZoom are not cheap: $299 per year.

Pros

• The largest network of business services in the United States;
• A registered agent service provider with a full range of everything you might need in terms of the law and convenient business operations;
• Has data theft protection;
• Offers comprehensive legal services: the company can be not only a statutory agent but also a legal advisor for your business or personal needs;
• Great experience and number of clients.

Cons

• Customer reviews are average: there are many positive and negative reviews;
• Very expensive statutory agent fee of $299 per year;
• Registered agent service is not included in the cost of business registration packages for the first year, as many competitors do;
• Registered agent services are not core to the company's business and could have been better optimized.

Overall

LegalZoom's document processing subscription protects you from hacker attacks. You will always know that your confidential information is secure and heavily insured. In addition, LegalZoom is a well-known and well-established brand in the state of Florida.

The company has been operating for many decades and has studied all the intricacies of the market very well. If the high price is not an obstacle for you, and you want premium service and confidentiality insurance as a bonus, LegalZoom can be your agent for service of process.

IncFile Registered Agent

IncFile offers great opportunities to register your own business: all packages are value-based and offer a well-thought-out list of services. The basic free plan, which also includes registered agent services for one year, is especially popular. With this package, you only pay the state fee. Further, a registered agent service will cost you $119 per year.

Pros

• Thousands of positive customer reviews and almost no negative ones;
• Reasonable prices for all types of services;
• Free help with business registration;
• The first year of statutory agent services is also free.

Cons

• Registered agent services are not the main line of business. The level of service meets the requirements of the state, but there are no additional features;
• The price is not the lowest ($119 per year), which is also not impressive given the list of included services;
• A large number of add-ons and pre-sales when ordering services.

Overall

In addition to very favorable business startup solutions, Incfile offers advantageous renewal fees. If you need an inexpensive and reliable comprehensive solution, Incfile may be the best option.

Online commerce entrepreneurs get useful add-ons like contract templates and custom agreements to help expand the business.

Florida registered agent reviews demonstrate that clients are satisfied with the company's services, including registered agent service. The specialists are well aware of the specifics of the state laws and always perform their duties in a timely manner.

Rocket Lawyer Registered Agent

Rocket Lawyer is an interesting solution for businesses that require, among other services, high-quality legal support. Over the years, the company has provided services to over 800,000 businesses. Rocket Lawyer can assist with the formation of an LLC, a DBA, drafting an operating agreement and Articles of Incorporation, helping to ensure compliance with Florida law, as well as providing registered agent services. But the main focus of Rocket Lawyer is professional legal assistance.

Pros

• A large number of positive reviews and a solid credibility rating;
• High professionalism of employees;
• Offers business incorporation assistance and legal services subscriptions;
• The Business Bundle plan includes one year of free registered agent service.

Cons

• Inexpensive business formation packages do not include registered agent services;
• High statutory agent fee of $149.99 per year.

Overall

If you need a simple business registration or Florida registered agent, the service will cost you $149.99, which is actually quite expensive. This company will be of interest to you if you start using legal services. For example, with a Premium membership, you will pay $39.99 a month for a very attractive package of legal services for your business. At the same time, you will be able to order services at a 25% discount, which makes the cost competitive. Moreover, ordering different services together is always convenient.

Rocket Lawyer is one of the most experienced and reputable business service providers in its field. The company has been on the market since 2008, and specialists have even more experience and high qualification. The team consists of certified professionals who provide premium services. Over the years, Rocket Lawyer has gathered thousands of positive client reviews. That is why, if you want to receive legal support and services of high quality, you should pay attention to Rocket Lawyer.

SunDoc Filings Registered Agent

SunDoc Filings also provides, in addition to resident agent services, business registration assistance, and other legal and business services. The company will help you get the necessary documents from the Florida Secretary of State and the Florida Division of Corporations

An agent will be your reliable assistant, always ready to advise you and offer additional help.

Pros

• Offers useful services and resources;
• Is a national statutory agent, so you can order it in several states at once and receive bulk discounts;
• Excellent customer support.

Cons

If you do Florida registered agent search, you will see that the main disadvantage of this company is the price, which is $159 per year.

Overall

The list of services includes everything you need: service address in Florida, mail forwarding, scanning of documents and uploading them to cloud storage, notifications, and receiving the process.

We also recommend to consider local Florida companies Sunshine Corporate Filings and Corporate Creations.

Registered Agent Review: General Conclusions

If you plan to work in the state of Florida, a registered agent search is an important step to take when starting a business. It is an investment in your privacy and time management.

Choosing the right registered agent will not only help you comply with Florida law but also ensure that your identity is kept confidential and all your assets are safe.

We have concluded that the best Florida registered agent is Northwest. It provides everything you need to make your Florida business a success:

• An official in-state mailing address to receive legal documents as part of the service of process, as well as from the Florida Department of State and the Florida Division of Corporations;
• Mail forwarding, scanning of paper documents;
• Online access to all documents through the client's personal office on the Northwest's website;
• Assistance with filing statutes and reports.

Also, an agent will notify you in a short time about receiving the documents as part of the service process, the time to send the annual report, and other important documents.

You get quality service and assistance from qualified professionals who have accounting or legal education and experience in starting and running a business.

Northwest Registered Agent services will cost you $125 annually, which, given the completeness of the service and the convenience of the site, is a bargain. Perhaps, your Florida corporation is searching for a registered agent, or you are the owner of an LLC. Then you should pay special attention to Northwest Registered Agent.

To change your Florida agent, you can simply fill out an Application for Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent or both. This application has to be sent to the Florida Division of Corporations.

Benefits of Using a Florida Registered Agent Service

If you have made the choice and got a resident agent consent in Florida, you will have a representative who is the primary point of contact between your business and the state. Of course, you can decide that your own registered agent is you, and that is also allowed by law. But working with professionals gives you a whole list of benefits:

• Legitimacy. Florida registered agent services will help you meet all state requirements;
• Peace of mind. You'll be able to handle your business directly, without the distractions of paperwork or process maintenance;
• Convenience. You can work at any time on your own schedule, take lunch breaks, and even close the office and go on vacation. The registered agent is required to be available every weekday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in case you need to take service of process;
• Confidentiality. Public records will include your resident agent's address, not your office address or even your home address.

Best Registered Agent Services in Florida: How Do We Choose

When choosing the best statutory agent for LLC in Florida, our experts evaluated different parameters:

1. The cost of the service;

2. Presence of basic services according to state laws and additional services such as access to documents, reminders to send an annual report, etc;

3. The quality and usability of the website;

4. Customer feedback;

5. Quality of customer service and more.

We carefully compare the features of different companies and choose a few leaders among them. 

Then, we personally contact and test the work of the sales department and support service. As a result, you get a detailed description of the best companies.

Why You Can Trust Our Choice

We specialize in the study of companies that provide business services: assistance in registering a company, closing or reorganizing a business, as well as the services of a resident agent. The specialists are constantly studying the evolution of well-known companies and getting acquainted with new players on the market. You get complete ratings, which have already earned the trust of many readers of our articles.

How We Selected the Best Registered Agents

We paid special attention to Northwest Registered Agent because it combines an excellent reputation, high professionalism, convenient online service, and a good price. Although $125 per year is more expensive than some other companies offer (like ZenBusiness -$99), the service includes a reminder calendar so that you will always be on time with reports and other important documents, as well as some other nice extras. With ZenBusiness, you will have to pay for these services separately.

That's why Northwest Registered Agent was the leader in terms of value for money, and that's why we recommend it.

However, if your priorities are different, for example, you need legal support or budget savings, you can choose any company from our rating. They are all verified and worthy of attention.

Conclusion

As you can see, choosing the best Florida resident agent is easier than you thought. The cost of services in this area is low: from $99 to $250 (sometimes higher). But when choosing, you need to study not only the cost but also the availability of additional services, the reliability of the company, its reputation, the convenience of the website, and methods of communication.

Compare the conditions for opening an LLC in Florida with other states:

1. New Mexico vs Florida
2. Wyoming vs Florida
3. Delaware vs Florida

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