Hire a Registered Agent in North Dakota
LLC Register serves as your North Dakota registered agent, scans legal documents same-day and keeps your LLC in good standing. LLC Register is the most affordable registered agent service in North Dakota — get a free LLC and annual compliance with your plan.
North Dakota Registered Agent
- North Dakota Registered Agent
- $99 per year
- North Dakota Street Address
- Free
- Same-Day Legal Mail Scan
- Free
- North Dakota LLC Formation
- Free
- Annual Compliance
- Free
Transparent Cost Guide to hire a North Dakota Registered Agent with LLC Register
Every fee, line by line. State filing fees are passed through at cost; there is nothing else to add at checkout.
| Service | LLC Register fee | North Dakota state fee | Estimated total | One-time or annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
North Dakota registered agent service | $99 | $0 | $99 | Annual |
Registered agent's consent to serve | $0 | $0 | $0 | Free |
Same-day scan of legal mail | $0 | $0 | $0 | Free |
North Dakota LLC formation (certificate of organization) | $0 | $0 | $0 | One-time |
North Dakota LLC compliance (annual report) | $0 | $50 | $50 | Annual |
North Dakota state filing fee | $0 | $135 | $135 | One-time |
LLC Register serves as your North Dakota registered agent for $99 a year: a physical North Dakota street address, an agent who has confirmed consent to serve, and same-day scans of any legal or state mail we receive for your LLC, corporation or limited partnership. Also, all registered agent services include a free LLC and free annual compliance.
Comprehensive 10-Step Guide to Hire a Registered Agent in North Dakota
From checking the requirement to renewing every year, in the order you will do them.
Step 1 — Confirm you need a North Dakota registered agent
Every North Dakota LLC must have a registered office and a registered agent under North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) § 10-32.1-16, applied in the manner set out in NDCC chapter 10-01.1, the North Dakota Registered Agents Act. The agent is named on your Articles of Organization and stays on the Secretary of State's public record.
Step 2 — Decide between being your own agent or hiring a service
You can serve as your own agent if you reside in North Dakota and can be reached at a North Dakota street address during business hours; most owners hire a service instead to keep that address off the public record and never miss a delivery.
Step 3 — Check the registered office address rule
The registered office must be an actual street address or rural route box number in North Dakota under NDCC § 10-01.1-04, not a stand-alone P.O. box, and the agent must be reachable there.
Step 4 — Choose a North Dakota registered agent service
Compare the annual price, whether mail is scanned the same day it arrives, and whether the state's $10 change filing fee is included before you sign up.
Step 5 — Sign up and provide your entity details
Give your legal entity name, entity type and North Dakota file number, if you already have one, so the agent can be listed correctly.
Step 6 — Confirm the agent's consent to serve
Naming a registered agent is the entity's affirmation that the agent has agreed to serve, under NDCC § 10-01.1-05(2); North Dakota does not file a separate consent form, but a person named without agreeing can notify the Secretary of State and be removed under NDCC § 10-01.1-11(6).
Step 7 — List your registered agent on your formation document
A new LLC names its registered agent and registered office directly on its Articles of Organization, filed with the North Dakota Secretary of State under NDCC § 10-32.1-20 for a $135 fee.
Step 8 — File a Statement of Change if you already have an entity
Existing LLCs change agents by filing a Statement of Change with the North Dakota Secretary of State under NDCC § 10-01.1-08, for a $10 filing fee.
Step 9 — Confirm the change on the public record
Use the Secretary of State's FirstStop Business Registration Portal to search your entity and confirm the new registered agent is listed before your next annual report is due.
Step 10 — Keep your registered agent active every year
North Dakota can involuntarily terminate an LLC that fails to appoint and maintain a registered agent, after at least 60 days' mailed notice (NDCC § 10-32.1-90), so renew your agent service before it lapses.
North Dakota Registered Agent Facts Table
The official statute, fees and links for a North Dakota registered agent, each checked against the state agency.
North Dakota registered agent statute | NDCC §§ 10-32.1-16 through 10-32.1-19, applied under NDCC chapter 10-01.1 (Registered Agents Act) |
|---|---|
Registered agent required | Yes — for LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships and other entities filed with the Secretary of State |
Who may serve as agent | An individual residing in North Dakota, or a domestic or foreign corporation or LLC with a North Dakota business office; an entity cannot be its own agent |
Registered office address rule | An actual street address or rural route box number in North Dakota; not a stand-alone P.O. box (NDCC § 10-01.1-04) |
Written consent required | Yes, before appointment; not filed with the state, but a nonconsenting agent can have themselves removed (NDCC §§ 10-01.1-05(2), 10-01.1-11(6)) |
Fee to change agent | $10 (Statement of Change, NDCC § 10-01.1-03(1)(c)) |
Filing agency | North Dakota Secretary of State |
Standard processing time | Filed online through the FirstStop Business Registration Portal; the Secretary of State does not publish a separate expedited-fee tier |
Penalty for no registered agent | Involuntary termination after at least 60 days' mailed notice (NDCC § 10-32.1-90) |
Recurring compliance filing | Annual report, $50, due before November 16 (i.e., by November 15) every year (NDCC §§ 10-32.1-89, 10-32.1-92(25)) |
North Dakota business filings and registered agent search | firststop.sos.nd.gov/search/business |
Business name generator | swyftfilings.com/business-name-generator |
Virtual mailbox | snapmailbox.com |
Trademark registration | trademarkengine.com |
Free Trademark Search | trademarkengine.com/free-trademark-search |
Author: LLC RegisterLast reviewed 9/30/2026
North Dakota agency: North Dakota Secretary of StateLast reviewed 9/30/2026
Legal Requirements for a North Dakota Registered Agent
What North Dakota law requires of every registered agent, with the rule and the agency that enforces it.
A physical North Dakota address
Every North Dakota LLC's registered office must be an actual street address or rural route box number in North Dakota, not a stand-alone P.O. box, under NDCC § 10-01.1-04. The registered agent must be reachable at that address.
Who can serve as your agent
Under NDCC § 10-01.1-02(19), the agent must be either an individual residing in North Dakota or a domestic or foreign corporation or LLC with a North Dakota business office. A business cannot serve as its own registered agent.
Agreement to serve
Under NDCC § 10-01.1-05(2), naming a registered agent is the entity's affirmation that the agent has already consented to serve; North Dakota does not require a separate consent form to be filed. A person named without agreeing can notify the Secretary of State in writing and be removed under NDCC § 10-01.1-11(6).
Accepting and forwarding legal notices
NDCC § 10-01.1-14 limits the agent's job to forwarding any process, notice or demand served on the agent to the entity at its last supplied address, providing required notices, and keeping the entity's registered agent information current.
Reporting a change of agent
A change in registered agent or registered office is reported on a Statement of Change, filed with the North Dakota Secretary of State under NDCC § 10-01.1-08 for a $10 fee; a registered agent's own resignation is filed with no fee under NDCC § 10-01.1-03(3).
Maintaining an agent at all times
If an LLC fails to appoint and maintain a registered agent and registered office, the Secretary of State may involuntarily terminate it after mailing at least 60 days' notice to the last registered agent or, if none, to the entity's principal executive office, under NDCC § 10-32.1-90.
North Dakota Registered Agent Service Cost Comparison
Published prices for a North Dakota registered agent service, compared line by line.
| What you pay for | LLC Register | LegalZoom | ZenBusiness |
|---|---|---|---|
LLC formation service | $0 | $0 | $0 |
North Dakota filing fee | $135 | $135 | $135 |
Registered agent, first year | $99 | $249 | $99 |
Annual report filing | $0 | $99 | $100 |
First-year total | $99 + state fee | $249 + state fee | $99 + state fee |
Registered agent renewal | $99 per year | $249 per year | $199 per year |
Competitor prices are for each company's lowest-priced LLC package, as published on its own website on September 29, 2026. The North Dakota state fee is extra with every provider. Prices change; check each provider before you buy.
Most Trusted North Dakota Registered Agent Service
One flat price, a real North Dakota address, and your legal mail scanned the same day it arrives.
$99 a year. That is the whole price.
The same $99 at renewal, every year. No tiers to compare and nothing pre-checked at checkout.
A real North Dakota street address
A physical registered office in North Dakota, not a P.O. box or a shared mail drop, that meets NDCC § 10-01.1-04.
Consent to serve, confirmed up front
We confirm and keep a record of our agreement to serve before we are ever named, even though North Dakota does not require that consent to be filed with the Secretary of State (NDCC § 10-01.1-05).
Same-day scans of legal mail
Any service of process or state notice we receive is scanned and emailed to you the day it arrives.
We handle your Statement of Change
Switching from another agent? We prepare your Statement of Change and pass through the state's $10 filing fee at cost.
Support by email
Real people answer by email. We reply within one business day.
Important North Dakota Registered Agent Resources and Links
Official North Dakota offices, forms and data in one place. Every link goes to the source.
State government offices
- North Dakota Secretary of State600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept 108, Bismarck, ND 58505 · (701) 328-2900
- North Dakota Secretary of State — Business Servicessos.nd.gov
- North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissionertax.nd.gov
- Job Service North Dakotajobsnd.com
- County recorder officesReal estate and UCC-related recordings vary by county
Filing, forms and records
- Registered agent requirements (North Dakota SOS)sos.nd.gov
- FirstStop Business Registration PortalOfficial online filing system
- North Dakota business name and entity searchfirststop.sos.nd.gov
- NDCC Chapter 10-32.1 — North Dakota Limited Liability Company ActOfficial PDF
- NDCC Chapter 10-01.1 — North Dakota Registered Agents ActOfficial PDF
Taxes, permits and licenses
North Dakota Registered Agent FAQs
Short questions, direct answers.
What is a registered agent in North Dakota?
A registered agent is the person or company named to receive legal papers and official state mail for a North Dakota entity, at a physical North Dakota address called the registered office. It is required by NDCC § 10-32.1-16, applied under NDCC chapter 10-01.1.
Do I need a registered agent for my North Dakota LLC or corporation?
Yes. Every North Dakota LLC, corporation and limited partnership must appoint and continuously maintain a registered agent, from the day it files its formation document with the Secretary of State.
Can I be my own registered agent in North Dakota?
Yes, if you reside in North Dakota and can be reached at a North Dakota street address during normal business hours. Many owners hire a service instead to keep that address off the public record.
Can I use a P.O. box for my North Dakota registered agent address?
No. NDCC § 10-01.1-04 requires an actual street address or rural route box number in North Dakota; a stand-alone P.O. box does not qualify.
How much does a North Dakota registered agent cost?
LLC Register charges $99 a year. Commercial registered agent services generally range from about $99 to $249 a year, based on published pricing checked 9/30/2026.
How do I change my registered agent in North Dakota?
File a Statement of Change with the North Dakota Secretary of State under NDCC § 10-01.1-08, for a $10 fee. It is filed online through the FirstStop Business Registration Portal.
What happens if I don't have a registered agent in North Dakota?
Failing to appoint and maintain a registered agent and registered office is grounds for involuntary termination; the Secretary of State must first mail at least 60 days' notice under NDCC § 10-32.1-90 before the entity's existence is terminated.
Does my registered agent need to consent to serve?
Yes. Naming a registered agent is the entity's affirmation that the agent has already agreed to serve, under NDCC § 10-01.1-05(2). North Dakota does not file a separate consent form; a person named without agreeing can ask the Secretary of State to remove them under NDCC § 10-01.1-11(6).
Can a family member or friend be my North Dakota registered agent?
Yes, as long as they reside in North Dakota, have a North Dakota street address, are available during business hours, and have agreed to serve under NDCC §§ 10-01.1-02(19) and 10-01.1-05.
Can an out-of-state company be my North Dakota registered agent?
Only if that company is a domestic or foreign corporation or LLC that itself has a North Dakota business office; a company with no North Dakota office cannot serve as agent under NDCC § 10-01.1-02(19).
How fast will I know if my registered agent receives a lawsuit?
A registered agent must forward any process, notice or demand to the entity's last supplied address under NDCC § 10-01.1-14; LLC Register scans and emails it to you the same day we receive it.
Is my registered agent's address public record in North Dakota?
Yes. The registered agent's name and registered office address are part of the entity's public filing with the North Dakota Secretary of State and appear on the entity's annual report.
Can my registered agent resign?
Yes. A registered agent can file a statement of resignation with the Secretary of State at no charge (NDCC § 10-01.1-03(3)), which starts the process for the entity to name a replacement before facing termination.
Do I need to update my registered agent on my annual North Dakota filing?
Yes. The annual report, due before November 16 (that is, by November 15) each year for $50, must show the LLC's current registered agent and registered office (NDCC §§ 10-32.1-89, 10-32.1-92(25)).
Does every North Dakota entity type need a registered agent?
Yes, for every filing entity: LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships and most other entities registered with the North Dakota Secretary of State must appoint one under NDCC chapter 10-01.1.
Does a foreign LLC formed in another state need a registered agent to do business in North Dakota?
Yes. A foreign LLC files a Certificate of Authority Application under NDCC § 10-32.1-74 for a $135 fee, naming a North Dakota registered agent and attaching a Certificate of Existence or Good Standing from its home state dated within 90 days, the same registered-agent rule that applies to a domestic LLC.
Does North Dakota recognize series LLCs, and does each series need its own registered agent?
Yes, North Dakota is one of the states that authorizes series LLCs, letting a parent LLC establish internally segregated child series. A child series does not appoint a separate registered agent of its own — the parent LLC's registered agent continues to serve the whole structure.
Does a North Dakota professional limited liability company (PLLC) need a registered agent?
Yes. A PLLC must continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office the same as any other North Dakota LLC under NDCC chapter 10-01.1; nothing about its professional status changes that requirement.
Does a North Dakota nonprofit corporation need a registered agent?
Yes. Nonprofit corporations, organized under NDCC chapter 10-33, must maintain a commercial or noncommercial registered agent with a physical North Dakota address the same as a for-profit entity, and a nonprofit corporation cannot serve as its own registered agent.
Does a North Dakota limited partnership need a registered agent?
Yes. The Registered Agents Act, NDCC chapter 10-01.1, applies uniformly across entity types, so a North Dakota limited partnership must maintain a registered agent and registered office the same as an LLC or corporation.
Does North Dakota require registered agents to be licensed or bonded?
No, not in the sense of a professional license or bond. North Dakota's only registration step applies to a commercial registered agent — one that files a public listing with the Secretary of State to serve as agent for entities generally; a noncommercial registered agent, such as an owner, employee or friend serving just one or a few related entities, files no such listing.
If I convert my LLC into a different entity type, do I need a separate registered agent filing?
Not necessarily. Articles of Conversion under NDCC §§ 10-32.1-61 through 10-32.1-66 carry the registered agent requirement of NDCC chapter 10-01.1 forward to the converted entity, so a separate Statement of Change is only needed if you're also switching to a new agent.
Can my registered agent change its own name or address without switching to a new agent?
Yes. Under NDCC § 10-01.1-09, a noncommercial registered agent that changes its name or address can file a statement of change that takes effect on filing, and it must promptly notify the entity of the update; a commercial registered agent updates its listing the same way.
Can one person or company serve as the registered agent for more than one North Dakota entity?
Yes. No license, bond or separate registration fee is required of a noncommercial registered agent to serve multiple entities, as long as each entity's formation filing affirms the agent's consent to serve under NDCC § 10-01.1-05(2).
Are registered agent fees tax-deductible?
Yes. The IRS treats an annual registered agent fee as an ordinary and necessary business expense, deductible in the year you pay it.
Can my attorney serve as my North Dakota registered agent?
Yes, as long as your attorney resides in North Dakota, or their firm is a domestic or foreign corporation or LLC with a North Dakota business office — the same eligibility rule under NDCC § 10-01.1-02(19) that applies to anyone else.
How do I look up a company's registered agent in North Dakota?
Search the Secretary of State's FirstStop Business Registration Portal at firststop.sos.nd.gov/search/business by entity name; the record shows the entity's current registered agent and registered office address free of charge.
What happens if mail sent to my registered agent's address is returned as undeliverable?
North Dakota treats that the same as having no valid registered agent on file, which can trigger the Secretary of State's notice process; the entity then has at least 60 days from that mailed notice to fix its registered agent or registered office before facing involuntary termination under NDCC § 10-32.1-90.
Do I have to name my registered agent on my Articles of Organization, or can I add one later?
You have to name one upfront. The Articles of Organization, filed under NDCC § 10-32.1-20, require the registered agent's name and North Dakota address before the Secretary of State will file them — you cannot leave it blank and add an agent afterward.
What is the difference between my registered office and my principal place of business?
Your registered office is specifically the actual North Dakota street address or rural route box number where your registered agent can be reached under NDCC § 10-01.1-04, while your principal executive office is wherever you actually run the business and does not have to be in North Dakota at all.
Can a UPS Store or other commercial mail-receiving service be my registered office address?
No. NDCC § 10-01.1-04 requires an actual street address or rural route box number where the agent can be reached, and a commercial mail-receiving service or mailbox rental does not meet that rule any more than a stand-alone P.O. box does.
Is my registered agent's phone number or email made public?
No. North Dakota's public filings list only your registered agent's name and street address; no phone number or email address is required or published.
Can my registered agent also be an officer or manager of my company?
Yes. Nothing in NDCC chapter 10-01.1 prevents an owner, manager or officer from also serving as the entity's registered agent, as long as they meet the residency and physical-address requirements.
Can I serve as my own registered agent if I live out of state but own property in North Dakota?
No. NDCC § 10-01.1-02(19) requires an individual registered agent to reside in North Dakota; owning North Dakota real estate does not meet that requirement if you personally live elsewhere.
Does my registered agent have authority to sign contracts or make decisions for my LLC?
No. NDCC § 10-01.1-14 limits a registered agent's job to forwarding process, notices and demands and keeping the entity's information current — it has no authority to sign contracts or act on the entity's behalf.
Can the same North Dakota address serve as both my registered office and my principal place of business?
Yes. Nothing requires the two to be different — a small business commonly uses one North Dakota address for both, as long as it meets the registered office's actual-street-address requirement under NDCC § 10-01.1-04.
What happens if someone tries to sue my LLC and my registered agent can't be found?
The North Dakota Secretary of State can accept service on your LLC's behalf. Under NDCC § 10-01.1-13, once a registered agent cannot be served with reasonable diligence, the Secretary of State becomes the fallback agent, and service is made by registered mail with three copies of the papers and a $25 fee.
If my registered agent serves several companies, can it resign from just one of them?
Yes. A registered agent's resignation under NDCC § 10-01.1-03(3) is filed entity by entity, so resigning as agent for one company has no effect on its appointment with any other entity it also represents.
Is there a difference between a "registered agent" and an "agent for service of process" in North Dakota?
No. North Dakota's Registered Agents Act, NDCC chapter 10-01.1, consistently uses the term "registered agent" for this role; "agent for service of process" is simply how some other states' statutes describe the identical function.
Does establishing a new series under my North Dakota LLC require filing anything with the Secretary of State?
Yes, if the series is created after the parent LLC's original Articles of Organization are filed. NDCC § 10-32.1-21 requires the LLC to disclose the new child series, along with its name, in Articles of Amendment, even though the series does not need a registered agent appointment of its own.
Complete North Dakota Registered Agent Glossary
The terms, forms and filings you will meet when appointing a North Dakota registered agent.
Registered agent
The person or company with a physical North Dakota address named to receive legal papers and state mail for an entity, required by NDCC § 10-32.1-16 and NDCC chapter 10-01.1.
Registered office
The actual North Dakota street address or rural route box number where the registered agent can be reached; it cannot be a stand-alone P.O. box (NDCC § 10-01.1-04).
Articles of Organization
The document filed with the North Dakota Secretary of State to create an LLC, for a $135 fee under NDCC § 10-32.1-92(1). It names the LLC's initial registered agent and registered office.
Statement of Change
The filing, made with the North Dakota Secretary of State for $10 under NDCC § 10-01.1-08, that updates an entity's registered agent or registered office.
Consent to serve
The registered agent's agreement to serve, affirmed by the entity when it names the agent under NDCC § 10-01.1-05(2); North Dakota does not require a separate form to be filed.
Service of process
The formal delivery of legal documents, such as a lawsuit summons, to an entity through its registered agent.
Involuntary termination
The Secretary of State's forced end of an LLC's existence for failing to maintain a registered agent or file an annual report, after at least 60 days' mailed notice, under NDCC § 10-32.1-90.
Certificate of Good Standing
North Dakota's confirmation that an entity exists, has filed its annual reports and has paid its fees, available from the Secretary of State for $20 ($15 plus a $5 records search) under NDCC § 10-32.1-92(30).
North Dakota LLC taxation
North Dakota does not impose a separate annual franchise or privilege tax on LLCs; income passes through to members' North Dakota individual income tax returns unless the LLC elects corporate tax treatment.
Annual report
The recurring filing, due before November 16 (that is, by November 15) each year for a $50 fee, that keeps an LLC's registered agent, registered office and other information current with the Secretary of State (NDCC § 10-32.1-89).
Certificate of Authority
The document a foreign (out-of-state) LLC receives after the Secretary of State approves its application to transact business in North Dakota.
Foreign qualification
Registering an LLC formed in another state, using an Application for Certificate of Authority filed for $135 under NDCC § 10-32.1-92(20), so it can legally do business in North Dakota; it requires naming a North Dakota registered agent.