Registered Agents and Your Massachusetts LLC

Your Massachusetts LLC needs to have a “Registered Agent.” They’re chosen by you and can accept legal notices and other correspondence for your Massachusetts Limited Liability Company (LLC) on your behalf. There are some rules on choosing Registered Agents:

• If you choose a person, they must reside in Massachusetts
• If you choose a business, they must be able to conduct business in Massachusetts
• They must have a physical street address (not a P.O. Box)
• They must be available in person to sign for any delivered correspondence during normal business hours

At Incfile we provide a comprehensive Registered Agent service that’s free for the first year if you incorporate through us. Our Registered Agent service includes a dashboard where you can review documents received, get automatic notification of correspondence and get free forwarding of all official, legal correspondence.

Incorporate through us to get your first year of Registered Agent services for free.

In Massachusetts, Registered Agents are known as Resident Agents.

Massachusetts Registered Agents: What Type of Legal Notices Might They Receive?

A Massachusetts Registered Agent may receive, on behalf of your LLC:

• Correspondence from the Massachusetts Secretary of State
• Service of process notices (e.g., if your LLC is sued or required to appear in court)
• Official Massachusetts state and federal government correspondence and notifications
• Tax forms and requests to complete permits, company filings and reports

Note that the Massachusetts Secretary of State does need the address of your Registered Agent, and it needs to be a street address, not a P.O. Box.

Acting as Your Own Registered Agent for Your Massachusetts LLC

If you live in Massachusetts, you might choose to be the Registered Agent for your LLC. Be aware that there may be some drawbacks to this:

• The Registered Agent must have a physical street address in the state where you are forming the company. Some people establish companies outside of the state they live in and will need to use a Registered Agent service to provide the address.
• You always need to have someone on hand to receive important documents for your business during business hours (typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday). A person must always be available to sign for legal correspondence. If you can’t always be around, consider using a third-party Registered Agent service like Incfile.
• The Registered Agent’s name and address are part of the public record and available through the Massachusetts Secretary of State's website. If you would prefer your name and address aren’t published, you might choose a Registered Agent service.
• If you change your Massachusetts business address or move out of state, you don’t need to file additional documentation with the Secretary of State for the new address of your Registered Agent. You will need to set up a new Registered Agent in the new state.

There are more considerations, but this should help you with your decision to use a Registered Agent service.

If You Don’t Have a Registered Agent for Your Massachusetts LLC

Failing to have a Registered Agent in Massachusetts can cause issues for your business. These include:

• Getting served or sued and not finding out about it: If your business is sued and you don’t know about it, you could lose to a default judgment in your absence.
• Falling out of good standing with the Secretary of State: If correspondence is undeliverable, certain states may revoke your right to do business.
• Losing your status as a Massachusetts LLC: A Registered Agent “proves” to the state that your business exists. Without it, you could lose your business entity protections and your Massachusetts LLC may be dissolved.

Incfile Will Provide a Registered Agent for Massachusetts on Behalf of Your LLC

Here at Incfile, we have a reliable Registered Agent service, and we provide the first year of this service completely free if you choose to form your LLC with us. After the first year, it’s only $119 for subsequent years — a small price to pay for your peace of mind. Here’s what our service provides:

• An always available Registered Agent service that can receive correspondence, documents and legal proceedings on your behalf
• A digital dashboard where you can access, store and retrieve any information we’ve received for your business
• Email notification whenever we receive documents for your business
• Automatic forwarding of all legal correspondence, documentation and information directly to you

Form your LLC with us today to get your first year of a Registered Agent service for free, including easy access to our comprehensive online dashboard.