Delaware registered agent
The person or company designated to receive legal documents and state correspondence on behalf of a Delaware entity, with a physical Delaware address.
Definition
Under 8 Del. C. § 132 and 6 Del. C. § 18-104, every Delaware corporation and LLC must maintain a registered agent at a physical Delaware street address. The agent accepts service of process and forwards state notices. Non-residents cannot self-appoint because they lack a Delaware address.
Context
Major Delaware registered agent providers include Harvard Business Services ($50/year, cheapest), Delewarellc (~$99/year renewal, free Year 1 in formation bundle), Northwest Registered Agent ($125/year), IncNow ($59/year), and LegalZoom ($249/year).
Example
When Delewarellc's customer in Bangladesh forms a Delaware LLC, Delewarellc acts as the registered agent. Delaware state correspondence (franchise tax reminders, legal notices) arrives at the Delewarellc Delaware address and is forwarded to the customer.
Common pitfalls
- Missing a registered agent (because the prior agent resigned and no successor was appointed) triggers state-level entity cancellation after a notice period.
- Switching agents requires filing a Certificate of Change of Registered Agent with Delaware ($50 state fee).
- Listing your home address abroad as the registered agent address is not valid; Delaware requires a Delaware address.