Registered Agent Service Comparison Checklist

How to Use This Checklist

Run through each of the following sections for every registered agent service you're considering, and write down the actual answer for each, rather than relying on a general impression from the provider's marketing page. A service that looks similar to another on the surface can differ meaningfully once you compare answers item by item.

Price Checklist

• What is the first-year price, and does it include anything beyond the registered agent service itself?
• What is the stated renewal price, starting in year two?
• Is the renewal price fixed, or can it increase without notice?
• Is there a separate fee to cancel or to transfer away from this provider?
• Does the price include or exclude state filing fees for anything the service handles, such as an annual report?

State Coverage Checklist

• List every state where your business is currently registered or foreign-qualified.
• Confirm the provider has registered agent coverage, meaning an actual qualifying address, in each of those specific states.
• If you plan to expand into new states, ask whether the provider's coverage would extend there automatically or require a separate arrangement.
• If a state's requirement differs, such as Minnesota's optional agent or Pennsylvania's registered-office terminology, confirm the provider's process matches that state's actual rule.

Included Features Checklist

• Is annual report filing included, or billed separately each time it's due?
• Are compliance deadline reminders included, and for which filings specifically?
• Is document scanning or digital access to received mail included, or an add-on?
• Is a physical, mailed copy of documents still sent, or only a digital scan?
• Does the service include anything related to LLC formation, or is that priced and sold separately?

Document Handling Checklist

• How does the provider typically forward a received legal document: mail, email, scan, or an online portal?
• What is the provider's typical turnaround time between receiving a document and getting it to you?
• Is there a way to confirm receipt was successful, such as a confirmation email or portal notification?
• What happens if a document is sent to an old address after you've switched providers?

Privacy Checklist

• Does the provider's address replace your own in the state's registered agent field specifically, or in other filing fields too?
• Can the provider's address also serve as a general business mailing address, if you want that?
• Does the provider's privacy policy say anything about how it handles or shares your information?

Red Flags to Watch For

• A renewal price the provider won't state clearly when asked directly.
• Coverage claims that don't list the specific states included.
• Vague language about what's "included" without a specific list of features.
• No clear explanation of how or how fast documents are forwarded.

A Reference Point While You Compare

LLC Register's $99-a-year registered agent service includes LLC formation in year one and annual report filing, with state fees passed through at cost, which gives you a concrete, stated figure to measure another provider's answers to this checklist against.

After You've Filled In the Checklist

Once you have actual answers, not marketing claims, for each item above across the providers you're considering, compare them side by side. The provider that looks cheapest on a landing page is not always the one that answers every checklist item clearly, and a provider that is upfront about its renewal price and coverage is giving you useful information about how it operates more broadly.

Get Answers in Writing When Possible

A verbal answer from a sales representative is less reliable than something stated on the provider's own pricing page or terms of service. Where the checklist matters most, such as renewal price and state coverage, look for written confirmation rather than relying on a phone call.

Revisit the Checklist at Renewal Time

Your needs can change after you first sign up, such as expanding into new states or needing faster document turnaround. Use this same checklist again at renewal to confirm your current provider still fits, rather than assuming your original comparison still applies.

A Perfect Checklist Score Doesn't Replace Your Own Judgment

This checklist surfaces facts to compare; it does not replace confirming that a provider is appropriately registered to do business and legally authorized to serve as a commercial registered agent in the states where you need it; verify that separately with your state's Secretary of State business entity search.

Keep a Copy of Your Completed Checklist

Save your filled-in answers for each provider you compared, along with the date. If a provider's actual service later differs from what you were told, having your notes helps you raise the discrepancy specifically rather than relying on memory.

Talk to a Business Attorney for a Complex Multi-State Setup

If your business operates in many states with different registered agent terminology and rules, a business attorney can help you confirm a prospective provider's answers hold up against each state's actual requirement, beyond what this general checklist covers.