What does a registered agent cost?
Between $0 and $300 a year — and the right answer depends on two questions: do you have a physical address in your state, and do you care if that address is public?
The decision tree
| Your situation | Cost | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| In-state physical address, comfortable with it being public | $0 | Be your own agent |
| In-state address, want privacy (home address off public records) | $100–$300/yr | Pay for a service — this is the most common reason |
| Out-of-state founder, no in-state address | $100–$300/yr | Required — you cannot self-appoint without an in-state address |
| Never available at the address during business hours | $100–$300/yr | Pay — missed service of process has real consequences |
What a registered agent actually does
They accept legal mail (service of process) and official state notices at a physical in-state address, and forward them to you. That is the whole job. Some services pile on “compliance calendars” and upsells — the base service is a mailbox with a legal duty attached.
What to watch out for
- Intro pricing traps. $39 first year, $199 renewal. Check the renewal price, not the sticker.
- Upsell bundling. EIN “filing,” operating agreement templates, and “compliance kits” are routinely added at checkout. EINs are free from the IRS.
- Privacy reality check. Using a service keeps your home address off the state filing — but data brokers scrape formations anyway, so expect junk mail regardless (founders report this constantly; an agent service reduces but does not eliminate it).
A service founders consistently recommend
In community threads, Northwest Registered Agent is the one name that comes up positively again and again: $39 formation service plus the state fee, transparent renewal pricing, no upsell gauntlet at checkout, and they let you use their address across filings.
Northwest Registered Agent — transparent pricing, no checkout upsells
Northwest Registered Agent — transparent pricing, no checkout upsells
Northwest Registered Agent — transparent pricing, no checkout upsells
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