Northwest Registered Agent vs. Harbor Compliance: Registered Agent Service Comparison
Northwest Registered Agent includes registered agent service free for one year with its $39-plus-state-fee formation, renewing at $125 a year, a price it states is fixed. Harbor Compliance charges new customers $99 for the first year of registered agent service, separate from formation, renewing at $159 a year, as published on each company's site in October 2026. Harbor Compliance's first year is cheaper on its own; Northwest Registered Agent's renewal price is lower.
By LLC Register · Last reviewed October 5, 2026
Comprehensive Guide
What Northwest Registered Agent Charges for Registered Agent Service
Northwest Registered Agent includes one year of registered agent service free as part of its $39-plus-state-fee LLC formation package, as published on its website in October 2026. After that first year, it renews at $125 a year, which Northwest Registered Agent states is a fixed price that does not increase. Its own site blocks automated fetching, so this figure was read from Northwest Registered Agent's pages as indexed by web search, not a live page load.
What Harbor Compliance Charges for Registered Agent Service
Harbor Compliance publishes registered agent service at $99 for new customers in the first year, a separate charge from its formation fee (which itself starts at $99 plus state fees for a name check and Articles of Organization filing only). Harbor Compliance's registered agent service then renews at $159 a year.
Comparing the First Year
Northwest Registered Agent's registered agent service is free in year one, but only when bundled with its $39-plus-state-fee formation purchase; it is not described as a standalone first-year offer. Harbor Compliance's $99 first-year registered agent price is a standalone figure that can be compared more directly to a first-year-only registered agent purchase, separate from its own formation fee.
Comparing the Renewal Price
At renewal, Northwest Registered Agent's $125-a-year price is $34 a year lower than Harbor Compliance's $159-a-year price. Since a registered agent is an ongoing requirement, not a one-time purchase, the renewal price is what you pay in most years you keep the LLC active, which makes this the more significant long-term gap between the two.
Annual Report Filing
Northwest Registered Agent's annual report filing is priced at $100 plus the state fee, charged at the time of filing. Harbor Compliance's dedicated annual report page lists its managed filing service at $199 per state plus filing fees, though an older price list on the same Harbor Compliance domain showed $175, so confirm the live rate before relying on either figure.
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 a Registered Agent Actually Does
A registered agent is a person or company available at a physical address during business hours to receive legal and state notices on the LLC's behalf, including service of process if the LLC is ever sued and routine state correspondence like annual report reminders. Every state requires one, and the requirement does not go away once a first-year offer ends, which is why the renewal price is the more important number to compare.
What to Confirm Before You Choose
Before paying for either provider's registered agent service, confirm three numbers directly on its current page: the first-year price or bundle terms, the renewal price starting in year two, and whether annual report filing is bundled into that renewal price or billed as a separate charge. Because Northwest Registered Agent's own site blocks automated fetching, confirm its current figures directly on northwestregisteredagent.com rather than relying on a search-indexed figure alone.
Practical Considerations
Northwest Registered Agent's Figures Were Read via Search
Because Northwest Registered Agent's own site blocks automated fetching, its pricing here was read from its pages as indexed by web search, not a live page load. Confirm current pricing directly on its site before relying on it.
Harbor Compliance's Annual Report Price Has Shown Two Figures
Harbor Compliance's own site has shown two different annual report prices, $199 and an older $175, on different pages. Check the current rate directly before relying on either figure.
Compare Bundled Versus Standalone Offers Carefully
Northwest Registered Agent's free first year only applies when bundled with its formation package, while Harbor Compliance's $99 first-year price can be purchased as a more standalone registered agent charge; compare what you are actually buying, not just the headline number.
Add Up Several Years, Not Just One
Multiply each provider's renewal price by the number of years you expect to keep the LLC active, rather than comparing only a single year's price, to see how a $34-a-year gap in the renewal rate adds up over time.
This Is Not Legal or Tax Advice
Which service costs less for your specific LLC depends on your state's own filing fee and how long you plan to keep the business running. Talk to a tax professional before deciding how to structure ongoing compliance costs, especially for a multi-state business.
Sources
The official sources used for this article.
IRS: Apply for an EIN online | irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online |
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Montana Secretary of State: Business filing fees | sosmt.gov/business/fees |
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth: Corporations Division fee schedule | sec.state.ma.us/divisions/corporations/download/Fee_Schedule.pdf |
FTC: The Consumer Reviews and Testimonials Rule, Questions and Answers | ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/consumer-reviews-testimonials-rule-questions-answers |
Created by: LLC RegisterLast reviewed October 5, 2026
Updated: October 5, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Northwest Registered Agent's or Harbor Compliance's first-year registered agent price lower?
Northwest Registered Agent's registered agent service is free in year one, but only bundled with its $39-plus-state-fee formation package. Harbor Compliance charges a standalone $99 for new customers in the first year, as published in October 2026.
How much more does Harbor Compliance's registered agent renewal cost than Northwest Registered Agent's?
Harbor Compliance renews registered agent service at $159 a year, $34 a year more than Northwest Registered Agent's $125-a-year renewal, which Northwest Registered Agent states is a fixed price that does not increase, as published on each company's site in October 2026.
Do Northwest Registered Agent and Harbor Compliance charge the same for annual report filing?
No. Northwest Registered Agent charges $100 plus the state fee at the time of filing. Harbor Compliance lists $199 per state plus filing fees on its annual report page, though an older figure on the same site showed $175, so confirm the current rate.
Why should I double-check Northwest Registered Agent's published registered agent price?
Northwest Registered Agent's own site blocks automated fetching, so the figures published for it come from pages as indexed by web search rather than a live page load. Confirm current pricing directly on northwestregisteredagent.com before ordering.
Form your business with LLC Register
$99 a year for a registered agent, with LLC formation in year one and annual report filing included. State fees are passed through at cost.
