Registered Agent

What is a Registered Agent?

Registered Agent
A Registered Agent is a designated employee who is responsible for receiving legal documents or "Service of Process" from the government within the jurisdiction where the company conducts business. This includes any legal proceeding, legal notice, or official government communication presented to the company. A Registered Agent also receives and forwards official correspondence from the Secretary of State, such as annual report notifications and other compliance filings.

Failure to designate and maintain a Registered Agent may cause a company to fall out of good standing with the state and subjects its business license to forfeiture, often with monetary penalties assessed to reinstate the company to good standing again. The absence of a Registered Agent may foreclose or hinder a company's ability to legally enter into contracts and gain access to the state courts. It may also subject the company to monetary, civil, and possibly, criminal sanctions.

The Registered Office is defined as the address to which official documents and legal notices are sent. A company may have several business and correspondence addresses, but there can only be one Registered Office.

Service of Process (SOP)
Service of Process is the procedure in which an employee is notified of a formal legal proceeding. Usually, notice is furnished by delivery of a set of court documents.

Each jurisdiction has rules regarding the means of service of process. Typically, a summons with related documents must be served upon the defendant personally, or in some cases, upon another person of suitable age and discretion at the person's abode or place of business or employment. In some cases, Service of Process may be effected through the mail as in some small claims court procedures. In exceptional cases, such as when an individual cannot be located in a particular jurisdiction, other forms of service may be authorized by procedural rules or court order, including service by publication.

Proper service of process initially establishes personal jurisdiction of the court over the person served. If the defendant ignores further pleadings or fails to participate in the proceedings, then the court or administrative body may find the defendant in default and award relief to the claimant, petitioner or plaintiff. Service of Process must be distinguished from service of subsequent documents (such as pleadings and motion papers) between the parties to litigation.

Who should act as agent for Service of Process?
The person or company designated for this position has very serious responsibilities. Failure to act upon a notice served on a registered agent can have catastrophic consequences. Many businesses are simply not equipped to ensure that paperwork served on the company is routed to the right place in the required time periods. So, many companies, large and small, choose to have a professional organization act to receive and route these potentially critical documents.

Our Registered Agent Service
Legal Ace has established a relationship with National Registered Agents, Inc. ("NRAI") to handle Registered Agent services with our customers.

About NRAI
With Registered Agent offices in all 50 states, District of Columbia and foreign jurisdictions, NRAI is a trusted expert. Since 1995, NRAI has handled nearly a million Service of Process deliveries for companies large and small. Utilizing its state-of-the-art proprietary Service of Process system to ensure proper record-keeping, SOP history and prompt notice and delivery, NRAI has demonstrated its leadership in the industry. NRAI also provides user-friendly online tools to assist clients with ongoing records management and corporate governance. With corporate service offices across the country, NRAI also handles a wide range of corporate transactions from entity formation to UCC searches. Its experienced and veteran corporate specialists can handle any project from simple to complex. Repeatedly praised as the best company to use in time-critical situations, NRAI and its corporate service offices live outstanding customer service each day. For more information about NRAI's Entity Management Services, First Serve™, OneQuery™, Independent Director and SPE services, visit www.nrai.com.

The Price
For an annual price of $120 per state, we provide you with top-quality registered agent services -- much less than what other top service providers charge.

The Service
With NRAI, you will receive quality service from a well respected and reputable company. This is an area in which gambling with a second-tier company is just too risky.

As part of the registered agent services, and at no additional cost, you will also receive the following tools available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week in our Client Services portal. You can trust the safety of our portal, where each user is required to have a user ID and password.

Company Records (Rep/SOP)
We review your company records, including company names, assumed names, dates of filing, fiscal years, legal and routine mailing addresses, account numbers, and state identification numbers, as well as, a list of all jurisdictions in which NRAI provides Registered Agent services for you. You can also make necessary changes to your company information easily through our private network.

Service of Process History
Access your Representation and Service of Process records around the clock, seven days a week. Review a real-time history of documents served, dates of service, titles of action, and answer dates. NRAI also provides email notification, FedEx tracking and same-day access to SOP transmittal information.

Expansive Document Library
Explore our fast and easy-to-use library, containing more than 7,000 download-able and pre-populated forms, official documents and information charts. Fill in blank forms at your convenience or have NRAI prepare them for you to sign. You will always find the exact form you need right at your fingertips.

Tax Calendar
NRAI has a great tool to assist you with your required annual reports and tax filings for any jurisdiction. The set-up is easy, and you can access the information directly from the Client Services Center or use the email alert feature to keep you up to date. Get detailed report filing information using criteria such as jurisdiction, business entity type, report/return due date and report type. Search results and email alerts will provide jurisdiction reports and tax filing due dates, state links to applicable forms and electronic filings or the actual forms, when available. Due dates and requirements can be easily monitored to ensure filings are promptly completed. Email alerts can be sent to those individuals responsible for the required filing. Alerts can be set up for Annual Reports, Biennial Reports, Decennial Reports, Estimated Tax Returns, Excise, Gross Receipts and Sales & Use Tax, Income and Franchise Tax, Property (real and intangible), Quarterly Tax and Withholding Tax.

Testimonials

	I absolutely loved working with LegalACE to establish my LLC. The entire process was very easy to follow and far more user friendly than some of the other sites I looked into. ~ Jackie W. - Chandler, Arizona

Frequent Questions

• What’s the difference between a “quick claim deed” and a “quit claim deed”?
  

  Quit claim deeds are often incorrectly referred to as “quick claim deeds”. There is no such thing as a “quick claim deed”.

• Can I use a quit claim deed to transfer my property into the name of an LLC, corporation, or other business entity?
  

  Yes. Your interest in real property can be transferred to a business entity by using a quit claim deed. This is generally considered a good idea, however, there is one major consideration you should take into account. If there is a mortgage on the property, there is a very high chance that your mortgage company has inserted what is called a due-on-sale clause into your contract. The clause basically states that any time you sell or transfer the property to a different person or business, they can force you to immediately pay up the balance of the loan. Transferring the property to the name of an LLC or corporation would activate this clause. They may not actually try to enforce it, but you should be aware of its significance.

• If I transfer my home to the name of a living trust using a quit claim, will my mortgage company be able to enforce a due-on-sale clause?
  

  No. Federal law prohibits mortgage companies from enforcing a due-on-sale clause when you transfer your principal residence into the name of a living trust.

• If I transfer a property (other than my primary residence) into the name of my trust using a quit claim, can the mortgage company enforce a due-on-sale clause?
  

  Yes. There is no specific law which prohibits them from calling a mortgage due on a property which has been transferred to your trust if the property is not your primary residence.

• What is the difference between a quit claim deed and a warranty deed?
  

  Both deeds are used to transfer real estate. With a warranty deed, you transfer a title to property and make a promise that you own the property without any legal problems (such as creditors, liens, etc.). The warranty deed is commonly used when you sell real property to someone else. Chances are that when you bought your home, a warranty deed was given to you. With a quit claim, you simply transfer the property and make no promises whatsoever. Quit claims are commonly used when owners want to quickly, and easily transfer a title without having to make any promises.

• Since the property is in the name of my company or trust, am I still responsible for my mortgage if I use a quit claim deed?
  

  Yes. The quit claim deed only transfers your interest in the property. It does not affect your obligation to pay back your loans, nor does it transfer that obligation.

Glossary

Select a term in our glossary:

Acknowledgment of Service AdministratorAdvancement Alternative Dispute Resolution Annual MeetingAnnuityAnswer ArbitrationArticles of Incorporation AssetsAssignmentAssignment of Wages Authorized SharesBeneficiary BequeathBequestBusiness EntityBylaws C CorporationCertificate of Authority Certificate of IncorporationCharitable CorporationCharterClose Corporation Co-PetitionerCodicilCollective MarkCommon StockCommunity DebtsCommunity PropertyComplaintConsent AgreementCopyrightCopyright InfringementCorporationCorpusCovenant MarriageCustodial ParentCustodianDBADecedent DecreeDefaultDefendant DescendantDeviseDevisee DirectorsDisclosureDiscoveryDissolutionDividendDocketDomestic Corporation Durable Power of AttorneyEINEmployer Identification Number EntityEquitable DistributionEstateEstate Tax ExecutorFault DivorceFiscal YearForeign CorporationForeign NationalGrantor Grounds GuardianGuardian ad-Litem Health Care DirectiveHealth Care Power of Attorney Health Care Proxy HeirHolographic WillImmigrant Visa Incorporator InfringementInheritance TaxIntellectual Property Inter Vivos TrustIntermentIntestateIntestate SuccessionIrrevocable Living TrustJoint and Survivor Annuity Joint Life AnnuityJoint Tenancy with Right of SurvivorshipJudgment LeaseLegal CustodyLegal Grounds Legal Separation LegateeLesseeLessorLimited Liability CompanyLimited Liability PartnershipLimited PartnershipLiving TrustLiving WillLLC Manager Mandatory Wage AssignmentMarital PropertyMediator MinutesMonth-to-Month Motion NationalNaturalizationNisiNo-faultNon-Custodial Parent Non-Immigrant VisaNon-Profit Corporation Nuncupative Will OfficerOperating Agreement Order of AssignmentOrder to Show Cause Par ValueParent CorporationParenting Plan Partner Support Partnership PartyPatent Per Capita DistributionPer Stirpes Periodic TenancyPetitionPetitionerPhysical CustodyPlaintiffPost Nuptial AgreementPower of AttorneyPreferred StockPremarital AgreementPrenuptial AgreementPro Per Pro Se ProbateProcess ServerProfessional CorporationProfessional Limited Liability Company ProxyPublic CorporationQDRO Qualified Domestic Relations OrderQuorumReal PropertyRegistered AgentRegistered OfficeResidencyResident Witness Residuary RespondentResponse Revocable Living Trust S CorporationSelf-Proving AffidavitSeparate DebtSeparate PropertySeparationService Service Mark Settlement Agreement Settlor ShareSingle Life AnnuitySole ProprietorshipSpousal MaintenanceSpousal SupportStatutory AgentStockStock Certificate SubleasingSubsidiary CorporationSuccessor TrusteeSummonsTenancyTenancy in CommonTenant Testament TestamentaryTestamentary TrustTestateTestate SuccessionTestatorTrademarkTrustTrusteeTrustor UnconscionableUncontested DivorceUndue Influence Unlawful Detainer VerificationVisaVisitationWillWitness