Best Registered Agent Services in Minnesota
As you compare registered agent services in Minnesota, you’ll need to assess important factors like cost, quality of service and customer support. To help you, here are our top picks for the best registered agent services in Minnesota:
- Most Comprehensive: ZenBusiness
- Best Legal Support: LegalZoom
- Best Customer Service: Northwest Registered Agent
- Most Cost Effective: Bizee
- Fast Turnaround: Swyft Filings
How Much Does a Registered Agent Cost in Minnesota?
Although many companies in Minnesota are only required to establish a registered office, meaning a location, hiring a registered agent can be well worth it for peace of mind. Business owners should budget for this expense and compare registered agent providers before committing.
Among the top providers in our review, the cost usually ranges between $119 and $596 per year. The most budget-friendly options in this range are Bizee and Northwest Registered Agent. Both offer free registered agent services for one year if you use their LLC formation package. Afterward, the fee for Bizee’s registered agent service is $119 annually and Northwest Registered Agent charges $125 per year. If you’re looking for service beyond mail forwarding, you can expect to pay more. For instance, LegalZoom costs $249 per year but the provider offers businesses unlimited cloud storage for documents and automatic compliance reminders along with registered agent service.
Ultimately, the Minnesota registered agent fee can be expensive, depending on your budget and who you choose. However, other costs to start an LLC in the state are cheaper. The filing fee for Articles of Organization, for example, is a one-time payment of $135 if you mail the document and $155 if you submit it online or in person. These state fees only apply to domestic Minnesota LLCs — the prices are higher if you create a foreign corporation or LLC. There’s no state fee for annual reports.
What Is the Cheapest Minnesota LLC Registered Agent Service?
You can reduce your expense for a registered agent if you serve as your own (provided you are based in Minnesota) or pick an extremely low-cost provider. In our research, we found two of the cheapest options are Minnesota Registered Agent Services LLC and MyLLC.com. The former charges $49 per year, while the latter charges $87 per year. Minnesota Registered Agent Services LLC is also a local option, which is convenient if you want to visit your registered agent’s office. MyLLC.com, on the other hand, isn’t local but offers basic additional services to help you start and manage your company. That can be beneficial if you need more assistance than mail forwarding to maintain your LLC.
However, there are disadvantages in selecting the lowest-cost Minnesota registered agent. One downside is that a lower price often means the provider’s customer support is minimal. In some cases, a low-cost registered agent may have poor reviews or no track record of reviews on sites that can help you gauge the provider’s reputation, like the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Lastly, hiring a provider with the cheapest rate usually means only the basic registered agent service is covered. You may encounter extra fees if you need other support, like trademark registration or filing annual state reports.
What Is a Minnesota Registered Agent?
A Minnesota registered agent is your LLC’s primary point of contact for legal documents, like compliance paperwork, government correspondence, important notifications and service of process. The latter is critical, in terms of complying with state law. Service of process refers to the delivery, often in person, of legal notices, like a lawsuit, court summons or subpoena.
Minnesota requires every business formed in the state to list a registered office for service of process. And out-of-state companies wanting to register in Minnesota but also designate a registered agent. In other jurisdictions, the position is called a resident agent or statutory agent. These terms are synonymous and may be used interchangeably.
Your registered agent can be a commercial entity or an individual. The most important thing is for the agent to fulfill two main responsibilities: receive legal documents on your company’s behalf and forward them to you to ensure you can respond accordingly.
Typically, registered agents will forward documents using an online account designed for their clients. This allows for same-day mail forwarding. However, sometimes, registered agents will send legal notices to you via mail. The method used varies across registered agents, so it’s important to find one who approaches mail forwarding the way you’d prefer.
Registered Agent Requirements in Minnesota
As previously mentioned, a registered agent in Minnesota plays an integral role in accepting legal documents. Because service of process is regulated under state law, there are rules to follow to ensure your registered agent is compliant.
Any foreign business entity — meaning an LLC or corporation originally formed in another state or country — must have a registered agent with a physical street address (no P.O. boxes allowed) in Minnesota. The address will be on a public record and serve as the registered office address, which the state will use to mail official notices. For Minnesota-based companies registering for the first time in the state, a principal office location is accepted as the business’s registered office.
If you designate a business to serve as your registered agent in Minnesota, the representative company must be previously authorized to do business in the state. For an individual to be eligible, they must live in Minnesota.
Both individual and commercial registered agents must be available during normal business hours at their registered office address. This requirement ensures your registered agent doesn’t miss any important paperwork. Agents who aren’t available during regular business hours to receive legal correspondence could hurt your LLC’s good standing. Another thing to keep in mind is that it’s generally required for a registered agent to be at least 18 years old.
How To Choose a Registered Agent in Minnesota
It’s essential to find a registered agent that complies with state requirements and meets your business needs. Here are several strategies we recommend using to select the best Minnesota registered agent for your LLC:
- Consider cost vs. services: Paying the lowest possible annual fee will usually net you only basic registered agent service. Choosing a higher-priced provider often brings extra benefits that could add value to your business. This includes features like virtual phone service and website domain registration.
- Research customer reviews: Reading reviews from other customers will help you gauge a provider’s reputation and quality. You can use trusted sources like the BBB website or Google reviews.
- Prioritize responsiveness: A registered agent’s ability to stay organized and quickly forward your business all official documents is the most important factor when comparing providers. Make sure you’re confident the agent will act promptly and offer speedy service.
- Check eligibility: Verify that your agent meets Minnesota’s criteria for eligible registered agents. This includes having a physical registered office address and availability to receive mail during regular business hours.
- Compare experience: Finding a registered agent with years of experience in Minnesota can help ensure your business always complies with state-specific regulations. If you anticipate you’ll need enhanced assistance, like ongoing legal advice, you may want to pick an agent with experience in your industry or field.
How To Designate a Registered Agent in Minnesota
Appointing a Minnesota registered agent for your new business isn’t difficult. In fact, Minnesota-based corporations and LLCs are exempt from the requirement. Still, if you want greater privacy, it’s a good idea to appoint a third-party registered agent.
To do so, all you have to do is complete the Articles of Organization for an LLC or the Articles of Incorporation for a corporation. In the registered agent section, you provide their name and in-state address. Once complete, you file your Articles of Organization with the Minnesota Secretary of State online, by mail or in person.
Types of Registered Agents in Minnesota
There are two types of registered agents recognized in Minnesota: a commercial registered agent and an individual. A commercial registered agent refers to a business entity that is authorized to transact in Minnesota and is able to represent another company as its point of contact for state documents. Examples of commercial registered agents include LegalZoom, Bizee, ZenBusiness, Northwest Registered Agent and Swyft Filings.
An individual acting as a registered agent, on the other hand, can be any person with a physical street address in Minnesota and does not need a business license. That means a family member, friend, entrepreneur or employee could be your LLC’s registered agent. You could even be your own registered agent in the state of Minnesota. State law requires that an individual registered agent be a resident of Minnesota.
There are pros and cons to paying for a commercial service versus selecting an individual as your registered agent. Commercial agents are often preferred because they offer privacy protection since their business address is on public record instead of a business owner’s address. Additionally, commercial registered agents are usually more efficient, dependable and organized. The only downside is that you’ll need to budget for this added expense.
An individual registered agent or serving in this role yourself helps you save money since there’s no annual fee. However, using an individual can lead to issues if the person isn’t available at the registered office during normal business hours to receive legal mail. This also may not be a practical choice for your business. If you live in another state or have your company headquartered outside Minnesota, you’ll likely need to hire a professional as your registered agent to comply with state law.
Frequently Asked Questions About MN Registered Agents
You can be your own registered agent in the state of Minnesota if you are a resident and have a physical address, not a P.O. box. You can also list your primary office location as your registered office and forego designating an agent if you are forming a domestic business entity.
Individuals who live in Minnesota or commercial entities authorized to do business in Minnesota can be registered agents in the state.
You can switch to a new registered agent by filing the form titled Change of Registered Office and Agent. The filing fee in Minnesota is $35 if submitted by mail and $55 if submitted in person or online.
The state of Minnesota requires every business entity to have a registered office, including domestic and foreign LLCs. However, only foreign entities are required to list an agent who will be the specific point of contact for a business.
Being your own registered agent can be difficult because you may miss important legal mail if you’re unavailable at your registered office during normal business hours. Going on vacation or even out to lunch can result in missing legal notices.
The Bottom Line
Having a registered agent in Minnesota is critical, especially if your business is based in another state. An agent helps keep your LLC in good standing and a reliable registered agent can help you manage time-sensitive or complicated legal correspondence. You can serve in this capacity yourself if you live in Minnesota or you can hire a reputable professional to represent your company. Whoever you choose should meet Minnesota’s requirements and be available during regular business hours for service of process, government correspondence and other important mail.
Take time to find the best registered agent for your business before making a final decision. Research each provider’s costs, customer reviews, experience, responsiveness and eligibility. Also, consider the value of an agent’s additional business services, if offered. This might include business formation assistance, ongoing legal advice and website development. A reliable, versatile and cost-effective registered agent in Minnesota will ensure your business stays compliant with state laws and has a strong foundation to succeed.
Other Local Registered Agent Resources
Methodology
To provide consumers with objective and accurate information, our credentialed legal experts created a comprehensive rating system for Limited Liability Company (LLC) services. We researched five online LLC, registered agent and trademark registration services, including ZenBusiness, LegalZoom, Swyft Filings, Northwest Registered Agent and Bizee (formerly Incfile).
We conducted a survey in 2024 of 200 professionals who were currently using LLC services or had used LLC services within the past year. We analyzed the results of this survey to determine the following rating criteria:
- Features (20%)
- Value for Money (25%)
- Customer Service (20%)
- Usability (25%)
- Reputation and Credibility (10%)
Visit the full LLC methodology page for more details on our rating system.
If you have feedback or questions about this article, please email the MarketWatch Guides team at editors@marketwatchguides.