A Registered Agent in Minnesota
provides various services, such as
accepting formal documents and
correspondence from the MN Secretary
of State.
Your corporation
must have a Minnesota Registered Agent
servicing your business at all times.
You appoint one when you first start
your business. You can also replace
your existing agent after formation,
provided there is no period during
which your business is without a
Registered Agent.
Requirements for a Registered Agent in Minnesota
- Every corporation, domestic or foreign, must have a Registered Agent with a registered office within the State of Minnesota at all times.
- The Registered Agent can be a domestic or foreign (licensed to transact business in the state) artificial legal entity (corporation, LLC, LP or LLP) or a natural person.
- If the Registered Agent is a company, they must be authorized to conduct business in Minnesota.
- If the Registered Agent is a person, they must live in Minnesota.
- The Registered Agent must be available in person to sign for any correspondence during regular business hours.
- The Statutory Office must be located in the state of Arizona at a street address (a P.O. Box is not acceptable).
The address for your Registered Agent
in Minnesota doesn't need to be the
same as your business address. In
fact, you can use a
Minnesota virtual mailbox
for your business address.
Important:
A virtual mailbox is not a replacement
for a Registered Agent. They perform
two separate functions and per MN
corporation law, you are required to
have a Registered Agent.
What Minnesota Registered Agents Do
A Registered Agent’s primary function is to accept official communication and documentation, including but not limited to:
- State and federal government correspondence and notices
- Service of process notices (e.g., if your corporation is sued or required to appear in court)
- Correspondence from the MN Secretary of State
- Tax forms and requests to complete permits, company filings and reports
Having a Registered Agent also allows you to prove to the state that your business exists.
Bizee Provides Free Minnesota Registered Agent Services for the First Year
Bizee provides complete Minnesota
Registered Agent services for any
corporation formed in the state. Even
better, if you form your corporation
through Bizee, your Registered Agent
is completely free for the first year
and only $119 a year after that.
Bizee
is authorized to conduct business in
Minnesota and able to legally act as
your Registered Agent. Here’s what our
Minnesota Registered Agent services
include:
A digital dashboard where you can access, store and retrieve any information we’ve received for your business
An always-available Registered Agent who can receive correspondence, documents and legal proceedings on your corporation's behalf
Email notification whenever we receive documents for your business
Automatic forwarding of all legal correspondence, documentation and information directly to you
Appointing a Registered Agent for Your Corporation
When you're forming a Minnesota State corporation, you must appoint a Registered Agent at that time. You can change the agent at any time after that. Here’s how.
Assign a Registered Agent When You Form Your Corporation
Your business needs to have a Registered Agent as soon as it’s formed. You can do this two ways:
When you create your business, you must include your Registered Agent's information in your Articles of Incorporation.
If you form your business through us, you’ll get our Registered Agent service free for one year. We’ll use the information you provide to complete and file your Articles of Incorporation for you.
Assign a New Registered Agent After Incorporation
You can also assign someone else as your Registered Agent in Minnesota after you’ve incorporated. There are a couple of ways to do this.
Once you’ve chosen a new Registered Agent, you can complete the Notice of Change form available on the Secretary of State website. Once you’ve filled it out, send it to the Minnesota SOS along with a filing fee of $55 so they can update your records.
When you use our Registered Agent service, we take care of all the form filling and filing for you. We’ll collect the pertinent information about your business, complete the form and send it to the Minnesota SOS on your behalf. We’ll notify you when we officially become your Registered Agent.
MN Registered Agent Search
In some situations, you may need to
know the name of the Registered Agent
that represents other MN corporations.
You'll find this information in the
state's
business database.
If you can’t find the
Registered Agent information there,
you can request it from the Secretary
of State.
What Happens If You Don’t Have a Registered Agent?
If you don’t assign or provide a Registered Agent's details to the Secretary of State, you may be subject to certain ramifications, including but not limited to:
- Getting sued or served and not knowing about it. You could lose to a default judgment in your absence if your corporation is sued and you don’t respond.
- Falling out of good standing with the Minnesota SOS. The state may revoke your right to do business if you don’t respond to certain correspondence (such as a request for your annual renewal).
- Losing your status as a corporation in the state. A Registered Agent is evidence to the state that your business exists. Without it, you could lose your business entity protections and your corporation may be dissolved.
Acting as Your Own Registered Agent
You can be the Registered Agent for your Minnesota corporation if you have a business office in the state. There can be some drawbacks to this approach:
- The Registered Agent must have a physical street address in Minnesota. If you’re forming a corporation outside the state, you’ll need to use an in-state Registered Agent.
- Someone must always be available during business hours at the Minnesota address to sign for important documentation.
- The Registered Agent’s name and address are part of the public record and available through the MN Secretary of State website. If you prefer to keep your name and address private, you should use a Registered Agent service.
- If you change your business address or move out of state, you need to file additional documents with the Secretary of State for the new address. This won't be necessary if you use a Registered Agent service, making a move or address change much simpler.
Other Useful Resources
FAQs About Minnesota Registered Agents
Yes. All business entities are required to have a Registered Agent. This is mandated by the MN SOS. You'll find more information above.
You must assign a Registered Agent when you form your business with the Secretary of State. You can change your agent afterward by filing the correct form. If you form your business through Bizee, we’ll file all the necessary forms on your behalf. You'll find more information above.
Yes, but we don’t recommend it for the reasons listed above.
Yes. And if you use a company as your Registered Agent, that company must be legally able to conduct business in the state. You'll find more information above.
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