Missouri is a crossroads for American industry. With access to railroads and highways making it easy to move goods, it’s no surprise that manufacturing makes up more than 11 percent of businesses here. Construction, professional services, transportation, and retail are also big business, for a total of more than 590,000 small businesses.
While industries vary, there’s one thing they all have in common: Registered business entities in Missouri are required to have a registered agent. To maintain compliance with state law and protect your business interests, you need to understand the specific requirements for a Missouri registered agent.
What is a Missouri registered agent?
A Missouri registered agent is an individual or company that you appoint to accept service of process on behalf of your business. They serve as the official point of contact for your business, receiving and forwarding important documents such as service of process, annual report reminders, tax notices, compliance notifications, official state correspondence, and legal notices from creditors or other parties.
Under Missouri Revised Statutes Chapter 351.370, a registered agent must:
- Maintain a physical street address in Missouri where they can be served with legal documents.
- Be available during normal business hours (typically 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday).
Who can serve as a registered agent in Missouri?
According to Missouri statutes, a registered agent can be either an individual or a registered agent service. Individual registered agents in Missouri can include yourself, a relative or spouse, or an employee at your business office. If you choose this option, keep in mind they must be:
- Over the age of 18
- A resident of Missouri with an address in the state
- Available during regular business hours to receive service of process
- Willing to accept legal responsibility for receiving and forwarding important documents
If you choose a corporate registered agent, they must:
- Be a corporation authorized to do business in Missouri
- Maintain a business office that serves as their registered office
- Have proper authorization and consent to serve as a registered agent
Can I be my own registered agent in Missouri?
Yes, you can serve as your own registered agent in Missouri if you meet the residency and availability requirements. However, this decision comes with important considerations.
Advantages of serving as your own registered agent include:
- No additional service fees
- Direct control over document receipt
- Immediate awareness of legal notices
There are also some disadvantages of serving as your own registered agent:
- Your personal or business address becomes part of the public record.
- Your address is accessible to anyone searching Missouri business records.
- If you travel frequently or work irregular hours, you may miss important legal documents.
When to hire a Missouri professional registered agent service
A registered agent service like LegalZoom can often make running your business much easier. Here are some examples of when it’s especially helpful:
- You live outside of Missouri
- You work from home and prefer privacy
- You travel frequently for business
- You want to maintain a professional business image
- You prefer having experts handle compliance matters
Missouri registered agent requirements in detail
Whether you have a tech business in Kansas City or a retail shop in Johnson County, it’s important to know exactly what’s required of your Missouri registered agent. Make sure your agent meets the address, availability, and consent requirements below.
Physical address requirements
The registered agent’s office must be a physical street address where they can be personally served with legal documents. Under Missouri law, the address:
- Must be a physical street address located within Missouri state boundaries.
- Cannot be solely a P.O. box, although a P.O. box may be listed in addition to the street address.
- Must be accessible for personal service of legal documents.
- Cannot be a commercial mail receiving agency such as UPS Store or similar services.
Acceptable address types typically include residential addresses (if the registered agent consents), business office addresses, attorney or CPA office addresses (with proper consent), and professional registered agent service addresses.
LegalZoom has registered agent offices in both St. Louis and Cape Girardeau.
Business hours and availability
The registered agent must be available during normal business hours to accept service of process. In Missouri this typically means that Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., someone must be present to receive service of process. This availability must be consistent throughout the year, and legal documents must be forwarded to the business promptly.
If your registered agent isn’t available, there can be serious consequences:
- Missed legal deadlines due to undelivered service of process
- Default judgments in legal proceedings
- Potential compliance issues with state requirements
- Possible dissolution or cancellation of business entity
Consent and ongoing compliance
Missouri registered agents must provide written consent of their ability to serve as your agent by signing the proper documentation. There are also ongoing obligations that registered agents and businesses must fulfill to stay in compliance:
- Address change notifications: The registered agent must notify the business of any address changes.
- Service continuation: The registered agent must provide reasonable notice before resigning.
- Record maintenance: The business must keep current registered agent information on file.
Why do Missouri businesses need a registered agent?
Missouri law mandates that most business entities maintain a registered agent for several critical reasons. In addition, using a professional service often means you can opt for additional perks. The following are the biggest benefits of having a Missouri registered agent.
Legal compliance
Missouri Revised Statutes require all foreign and domestic corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships (LPs), and limited liability partnerships (LLPs) registered in the state to maintain a registered agent.
Consequences of noncompliance with Missouri registered agent laws can include:
- Domestic corporations: Administrative dissolution by the Missouri Secretary of State
- Foreign entities: Revocation of certificate of authority to do business in Missouri
- LLCs, LPs, and LLPs: Cancellation of registration with the state
The Missouri Secretary of State will provide notice of failure to maintain a registered agent, but continued noncompliance results in automatic dissolution or cancellation of your business entity.
Business credibility
A professional business address (rather than a home address) can improve your company's professional appearance when dealing with:
- Potential clients and customers
- Vendors and suppliers
- Financial institutions and lenders
- Government agencies
Additional services offered by professional registered agents
If you choose to use a professional registered agent service, you can often opt for additional services that help you run your business smoothly. LegalZoom’s registered agent service includes the following perks:
- Compliance reminders: Reminders about filing your Missouri annual report as well as tax filing requirements and deadlines
- Document scanning: Digital access to important documents from anywhere
- Mail forwarding: Prompt forwarding of all legal notifications and official correspondence
- Time-sensitive alerts: Immediate notification when legal notices or official mail arrive
- Cloud storage: Secure storage and management of business correspondence backed up in the cloud
- Junk mail filtering: Elimination of unnecessary mail and document shredding services
How to appoint a Missouri registered agent
In Missouri, you will need to list your registered agent’s information on your formation paperwork. To form a corporation, this will be your articles of incorporation, and to start an LLC in Missouri, you’ll file articles of organization. Both are filed with the Missouri Secretary of State, either online or by mail.
To file your articles online:
- Access the Missouri Secretary of State website at sos.mo.gov
- Navigate to the Business Services section and select your entity type
- Complete the online formation documents including registered agent information
- Pay applicable filing fees using the online payment system
- Receive confirmation right away, including your filing number
For businesses preferring to file by mail, Missouri provides specific forms for each entity type:
- Corporations: Articles of Incorporation (Form Corp. 41)
- LLCs: Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1)
- Limited Partnerships: Certificate of Limited Partnership (Form LP-41)
- Limited Liability Partnerships: Registration (Form LP-24)
To file by mail, you’ll need to print the form, fill it out, include a check or money order for the filing fee, and mail it to:
Missouri Secretary of State
Business Services
P.O. Box 778
Jefferson City, MO 65102
How to change your Missouri registered agent
You may need to change your Missouri registered agent if your current agent resigns, becomes unavailable, changes their address, or fails to meet their duties. Some business owners also choose to switch voluntarily for reasons like better service or lower costs.
If you need to change your registered agent, you can do so by filing a Statement of Change of Registered Agent with the Missouri Secretary of State. Filing online is easy with the following steps:
- Access the Missouri Secretary of State website and log in to your business account.
- Select "Change Registered Agent" from the business services menu.
- Complete Form Corp. 59 (for corporations and LLCs), Form LP-9 (for LPs), or Form LLP-9 (for LLPs).
- Provide the new registered agent information, including full name and Missouri address, written consent, and the effective date of the change.
- Pay the required filing fee.
- Submit the form and receive confirmation.
You can also change your Missouri registered agent by mail:
- Download the appropriate form from the Missouri Secretary of State website.
- Complete all required fields including old and new registered agent information.
- Obtain written consent from the new registered agent.
- Include the filing fee as a check or money order.
- Mail to Missouri Secretary of State, Business Services Division, P.O. Box 778, Jefferson City, MO 65102.
- Allow 5-10 business days for processing.
It’s important that you never allow a gap in your registered agent service, as this can lead to compliance issues. To make the change as smooth as possible:
- Submit registered agent changes as soon as you know a change is needed.
- Ensure the new registered agent is ready to serve before the previous agent stops service.
- Notify both old and new registered agents of the change timeline.
- Update internal records and notify relevant parties of the address change.
- Confirm the change has been processed with the Missouri Secretary of State.
- Update any contracts or agreements that reference the previous registered agent.
How much does a registered agent cost in Missouri?
In Missouri, professional registered agent services usually cost between $100 and $300 per year. The price depends on factors like level of service, additional features, company reputation and reliability, and whether you need coverage only in the state of Missouri or nationwide.
LegalZoom’s registered agent service costs $249/yr and includes unlimited cloud storage, compliance reminders, and alerts when we receive important mail for you—plus, we cover the registered agent change fee and handle the paperwork for you.
If you’re appointing a registered agent at the same time as you file your formation documents with the Missouri Secretary of State, you do not need to pay any additional fees on top of your registration fee. It costs $10 for most businesses to file a Change of Registered Agent / Office Address form, and $37 for LLPs.
Missouri registered agent FAQs
Can I be my own registered agent in Missouri?
Yes, you can serve as your own registered agent in Missouri if you are at least 18 years old and maintain a physical address in the state where you're available during business hours. Note that this means your personal or business address becomes part of the public record, whichever you list as the physical location where you can be found during business hours.
What happens if I don't have a registered agent in Missouri?
If you fail to maintain a registered agent, the Missouri Secretary of State will notify you of the deficiency. Continued noncompliance can result in administrative dissolution for corporations, revocation of authority for foreign entities, or cancellation of registration for LLCs and partnerships.
Is the registered agent's address public in Missouri?
Yes, the registered agent's name and address are part of the public record and can be accessed through the Missouri Secretary of State's online business database. This is why many businesses choose professional registered agent services to maintain privacy.
How do I change my registered agent in Missouri?
To change your registered agent, file a Statement of Change of Registered Agent with the Missouri Secretary of State (Form Corp. 59 for corporations and LLCs, Form LP-9 for limited partnerships, or Form LLP-9 for LLPs) along with the filing fee, which is $10 for most business entities.
Can a registered agent be the business owner in Missouri?
Yes, a business owner can serve as their own registered agent if they meet Missouri's residency and availability requirements. However, many owners choose professional services for privacy and convenience reasons.
What's the difference between a registered agent and a registered office in Missouri?
The registered agent is the person or company appointed to receive legal documents, while the registered office is the physical Missouri address where the registered agent can be found during business hours. The registered office must be the registered agent's business address.
Can I use a P.O. box for my registered agent address in Missouri?
No, you cannot use only a P.O. box as your registered agent address. Missouri requires a physical street address where legal documents can be personally served. A P.O. box may be listed in addition to the street address for mail delivery purposes.
How much does a registered agent cost in Missouri?
Professional registered agent services in Missouri typically cost between $100–$300 per year, depending on the level of service. The Missouri Secretary of State charges a $25 fee for registered agent changes, but initial appointment is included in entity formation fees.
Cara Hartley contributed to this article.
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