Nevada Registered Agent (& Registered Agent Services)

What is a Nevada Registered Agent & is it Necessary?

An LLC cannot be formed or do business in Nevada without first having a registered agent on file with the Secretary of State. This is required by law and the penalties can be serious. Maintaining a registered agent doesn’t just keep you in good standing. It also provides an important service.

Think of your registered agent as your ambassador to the state, handling all your LLC’s important legal, tax, and compliance information. This can either be an individual, company or registered agent service, as long as they agree to take on the role by signing a Registered Agent Acceptance form (included with the Articles of Organization).

As soon as they’re appointed, your registered agent must be consistently available in Nevada to receive and act on mailed documents and service of process. The Nevada Revised Statutes define a registered agent’s job as “receiving and forwarding to the represented entity at the address most recently supplied to the agent by the entity any process, notice or demand that is served on the agent.”

What are the Requirements of a Registered Agent?

Nevada doesn’t have strict rules for who can and cannot be a registered agent. There are very few restrictions on the role, but you’ll want to make sure you follow them. So, ensure that your agent:

• Is an individual Nevada resident or a business entity authorized for business in the state.
• Has a physical address in Nevada (P.O. boxes are not allowed)
• Has a mailing address in Nevada (may be identical to the physical address)

If your agent meets these conditions, you’re good to go! You can even appoint yourself, as long as you don’t mind taking on the extra responsibilities.

To put your agent appointment in stone, you’ll need to include their information on your Articles of Organization. Here’s what you’ll see on the form itself:

Your agent will also need to sign the Articles of Organization, or a separate Registered Agent Acceptance form (pictured below), consenting to the appointment.

When you’ve got potential options for your registered agent, review each one to make sure that they meet these requirements. If they do, you’re good to go! If not, you’ll need to keep looking.

Who can be a Registered Agent in Nevada?

Nevada’s registered agent requirements are pretty broad, so you’ll have no shortage of options. On top of that, your agent can be either an individual or a professional service. But think carefully before choosing, because each option has its own pros and cons. Let’s take a closer look.

Individual

You may choose to appoint a single person as your registered agent. Some LLC owners take on registered agent duties themselves. Others appoint one of their partners or managers. Some will even appoint a family member. As long as the proposed agent fulfills the state’s requirements, they’re a valid option.

In addition to being a Nevada resident, your agent must not currently be establishing residency or receiving benefits in another state, even if that residency is still forthcoming.

Some smart registered agent choices include attorneys, accountants, or other LLC partners, people who understand the ins and outs of business operations.

Pros

• Convenience – Having familiarity and mutual trust with your registered agent is extremely beneficial, and appointing an acquaintance can provide both. Plus, you’ll always know how to contact them.
• Cost – Hiring someone you know often won’t cost a dime. It’s certainly cheaper than a professional service.

Cons

• Scheduling – Part of a registered agent’s duty is being consistently available to receive mailed documents and service of process. If your agent goes on vacation or moves out of state, it will throw a wrench in your plans.
• Punctuality Risks – Some state communications and filings are very time-sensitive. If your agent is unavailable when documents are delivered, it could slow down the entire process and put you at risk for late fees and penalties. Even worse, a friend or family member could lose or misplace a document. So if you’d rather not interrogate Aunt Louise about the location of a particular tax form, you might consider using a registered agent service instead.

Registered Agent Service

If safety and reliability is your goal, hire a registered agent service. A business acting as your registered agent must be either a domestic entity in Nevada or a foreign entity who has foreign qualified in Nevada.

Pros

• Privacy – Some documents delivered to your registered agent will contain sensitive information. Do you want details about your lawsuit or taxes lost out there in the world? Definitely not. A friend or family member might misplace these documents, but a professional service will not. Plus, in Nevada, all registered agent names and addresses are available to the public. This might make an individual uncomfortable, but hiring a company will keep this personal information off the record.
• Reliability – Handling and processing time-sensitive documents is a registered agent service’s specialty, its area of expertise, its main game. Hire a professional service and you can be sure that your filings will be submitted properly and punctually, so you’ll never have to deal with late fees or other penalties.
• Location – Many registered agent companies offer service in most or all 50 states, so if business is booming and you decide to expand outside Nevada, you won’t need to find a new agent for each state.

Cons

• Cost – There’s no getting around it – hiring a service costs more than appointing an individual who’s willing to do it for free. However, for a reasonable price (roughly $100/year), you’ll receive premium services. Taking your car to a mechanic costs more than letting your neighbor try to fix it, but the mechanic gives you peace of mind that the job will get done right, and that may very well be worth the cost.

All of the other steps in the LLC formation process will keep you busy, but take some time to ensure you find a registered agent that fits with your business model, goals, and values. Do this, and your LLC will reap the benefits for years to come.

Registered Agent Changes and Resignation

You may have a wonderful registered agent, someone who takes care of everything efficiently and who you trust completely. But you know what they say: all good things must come to an end. At some point in the life of your LLC, you may need to change your Nevada registered agent.

Making this change might not always be a happy occasion, but at least the Secretary of State makes it easy. First, download and complete a Statement of Change of Registered Agent by Represented Entity. Then, submit it one of the following ways:

• Mail: 202 North Carson Street Carson City, NV 89701

Or, 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. North, Suite 400 (only for expedited requests)

• In-Person: Same as mail
• Email: statusdocs@sos.nv.gov
• Fax: (775) 684-7123

Don’t forget to submit a Customer Order Form with your filing. The form will cost you $60, and if you’d like to pay with a card, you also need to submit an ePayment Checklist.

There are a number of reasons you might need to file for a change, but the most common is because a registered agent resigns.

The good news is that you’ll never be blindsided by a resignation and left without an agent because the state requires all resigning agents to notify their LLCs beforehand, then stay on board for 30 days. This will give you ample time to find a replacement.

Even with the 30-day cushion, don’t delay appointing your new agent. If your LLC goes more than 30 days without an agent on file, the state will administratively dissolve it.

Have Questions or Concerns?

This guide contains almost everything there is to know about Nevada registered agents. However, you might have a unique situation that requires additional information. Reaching out to the Nevada Secretary of State is easy, and they’ll have the answers you need. Here’s how to go about it:

Visit Their Website

The Secretary of State website has a whole bunch of quality information on the LLC formation process, including registered agents. You’ll likely find answers to your questions there.

Give Them a Call

Sometimes it’s easier to speak with a real person, so if you’d rather chat on the phone, reach out to the Carson City office at (775) 684-5708.