Best Registered Agent Services in Delaware

Delaware's Registered Agent Requirement

Under 6 Del. C. § 18-104, every Delaware LLC must continuously maintain a registered office and a registered agent in Delaware. The agent must have a physical street address, including street, number, city, and postal code, identical to the registered office, inside the state. This applies whether the LLC's owners live in Delaware or anywhere else in the world, since Delaware is a common formation state for LLCs that never operate there physically.

Delaware Allows the LLC to Serve as Its Own Agent

Delaware's statute is unusual in one respect: 6 Del. C. § 18-104(a)(2) allows the registered agent to be the LLC itself, an individual resident of Delaware, or a domestic or foreign entity, provided that whichever one serves maintains a business office at the Delaware registered-office address. In practice, few owners without a physical Delaware office use this option, which is why most Delaware LLCs still hire a commercial registered agent service.

The Delaware Certificate of Formation Fee

Forming a Delaware LLC requires filing a Certificate of Formation with the Division of Corporations for a $110 fee. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee: $50 for 24-hour service, $100 for same-day service, $500 for 2-hour service, or $1,000 for 1-hour service, all on top of the standard $110 filing fee, as published on the Division of Corporations' own fee schedule.

Changing a Delaware Registered Agent

If you switch registered agent providers, Delaware requires filing a Certificate of Amendment specifically for a change of agent, which carries a $50 state filing fee, separate from whatever the new or old provider itself charges for the switch.

No Annual Report, but a Flat Annual LLC Tax

Unlike many states, Delaware does not require LLCs to file an annual report. Instead, every domestic and foreign LLC registered in Delaware pays a flat $400 annual LLC tax (raised from $300 effective January 1, 2026), due on or before June 1 each year, paid directly to the Division of Corporations rather than bundled into a report. Missing the deadline adds a $200 penalty plus 1.5% monthly interest on the tax and penalty, and the LLC's certificate can be cancelled after three years of nonpayment. This $400 tax is separate from, and paid in addition to, whatever a registered agent service charges annually.

Comparing Published Registered Agent Prices for Delaware LLCs

Any commercial registered agent licensed to do business in Delaware can serve a Delaware LLC, so the comparison comes down largely to price and inclusions. As published on each company's site in October 2026:

• LegalZoom: $249 a year, the same at renewal, with LegalZoom noting the renewal rate is subject to change.
• ZenBusiness: $99 for the first year, renewing at $199 a year.
• Northwest Registered Agent: free for one year bundled with its $39-plus-state-fee formation package, then $125 a year, stated as a fixed price.
• Bizee: free for the first year with any package, then $149 a year.
• Harbor Compliance: $99 for new customers in the first year, renewing at $159 a year.
• LLC Register: $99 a year, the same price at renewal.

How LLC Register compares

LLC Register's registered agent service is $99 a year, the same price at renewal. LLC formation in year one and annual report filing are included, while most providers charge $99 to $199 a year extra for annual report filing. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before checkout.

What to Confirm Before Choosing

Before hiring a Delaware registered agent, confirm the renewal price (not only the first-year rate), whether the $400 annual LLC tax is something the provider reminds you about or files for you, and how quickly the agent forwards Delaware state correspondence, since the $400 tax deadline and its penalty apply regardless of which registered agent you use.

The $400 Annual Tax Is Easy to Overlook

Because Delaware has no annual report to prompt owners, the $400 annual LLC tax due June 1 can be easy to miss, especially for an out-of-state owner who formed a Delaware LLC and does not interact with the state otherwise. Confirm whether your registered agent sends a reminder for this specific deadline, since the penalty for missing it, $200 plus 1.5% monthly interest, compounds the longer it goes unpaid.

A Delaware Registered Agent Does Not Need to Be in Your Home State

If you live outside Delaware, your registered agent only needs a Delaware address, not an address near you. This is part of why Delaware remains a common formation state even for owners who never set foot there.

Good Standing Certificates Cost Extra

If a bank, lender, or another state requires proof that your Delaware LLC is in good standing, a Short Form Certificate of Status costs $50 from the Division of Corporations, and a Long Form Certificate, which lists the entity's filing history, costs $175. Confirm whether your registered agent can request this for you or whether you need to request it directly.

Foreign Qualification Has Its Own Fee

If your Delaware LLC also operates in another state, that state's foreign qualification filing is separate from anything related to your Delaware registered agent, and Delaware's own foreign LLC registration fee for an out-of-state entity entering Delaware is $200.

This Is Not Legal or Tax Advice

Whether Delaware is the right formation state for your business, and how to structure a multi-state LLC, depends on your specific situation. Talk to a tax professional or attorney before deciding, and verify current fees directly on the Delaware Division of Corporations' own site before filing, since fee schedules can change.