5 Best South Dakota Registered Agent Services in 2023

What Is a South Dakota Registered Agent?

Every business entity in the state of South Dakota is required to have a registered agent. In fact, you will not be allowed to finish the formation process for your company until you designate your registered agent.

In South Dakota, there are three types of registered agents: noncommercial registered agents, commercial registered agents, and office holders of the organization. The only difference between noncommercial and commercial registered agents is that commercial registered agents pay a registration fee of $100 to be listed with the Secretary of State. This makes them easier to find and gives them a better chance of being located by businesses in need of new agents. Meanwhile, an office holder of the organization is the registered agent for a corporation in which one of the corporation’s officers handles this role.

The most important aspect of this role is receiving document deliveries from the state government, then alerting your business of the delivery, before forwarding the documents to you. The role of the registered agent is so important because it establishes a point of contact for your business with the state so that they have a reliable place to get in touch with an official representative of your company at any time.

The South Dakota Secretary of State provides a comprehensive list of all commercial registered agents currently serving in the state. It might sound overwhelming, but it’s actually a pretty manageable list since it includes only commercial agents. Please note that the list is in alphabetical order — not a ranking — and the state is not endorsing these agents, simply providing their information.

What Does South Dakota Law Say About Registered Agents?

Each state has its own rules and regulations surrounding registered agents. For the most part, these laws are fairly similar, but it’s always worth taking a look to see what South Dakota requires.

In South Dakota, we’ll need to take a look at The South Dakota Model Registered Agents Act, which says:

• Every entity that files with the Secretary of State (both domestic and foreign) must appoint a commercial or noncommercial registered agent
• Both commercial and noncommercial registered agents can be individual residents of the state or business entities with the authority to operate in the state
• A commercial registered agent is no different from a noncommercial agent, except for the fact that commercial agents register to be included in the statewide index
• An agent must be continuously maintained

All of the companies we’re about to discuss meet these regulations and are great options for South Dakota registered agent service. When you’ve made your choice, you can indicate your registered agent’s name and address on your Articles of Organization.

What About Small, South Dakota-only Registered Agent Services?

As you’ve probably noticed, the registered agent services we’ve listed here serve businesses across the country. But if you Google “South Dakota Registered Agent,” you’ll probably see results for local services, too. These can be local entrepreneurs with a knack for clerical tasks, offices dedicated to serving businesses in their counties, or statewide companies.

On one hand, using a local service can have its advantages. Some will be cheaper than nationwide firms (but not always!). And each state has its own nuances for business compliance requirements, South Dakota included. A registered agent service that services South Dakota alone will have detailed knowledge about those requirements. Granted, most national services do a good job of understanding local requirements. But they probably won’t give you the same “homegrown South Dakota” feeling as a local agent service.

That said, national businesses like Northwest Registered Agent and ZenBusiness give you streamlined solutions. Let’s say you’re using a local South Dakota-only registered agent service, but it’s time to add locations in North Dakota. You could search for an additional agent that services North Dakota businesses. But that’s going to require a lot of additional paperwork, including new receipts, new automatic payments, more emails…you get the idea. But if you’re using a national service, you can cut down the “new” paperwork and focus on what really matters: growing your business.

Ultimately, the choice is up to you, and there’s no “wrong” answer. The most important thing is that you appoint one so you can run a compliant South Dakota business.

Conclusion

The role of a South Dakota registered agent is critical to your company’s compliance and legal standing. This position requires dealing with seemingly simple tasks, yet if they’re handled incorrectly, they could cost you a considerable amount of money in fines, and could even potentially see the state dissolve your business.

While you can always change your registered agent down the line, we think it’s essential to pick the right registered agent for your business starting at the formation phase. You should also keep an eye on your compliance standing to ensure nothing goes awry along the way.