Whether you’re a small business owner launching a new venture in Alaska or a large corporation considering expanding operations to the state, it’s important to first understand what compliance steps are required, the first of which is to appoint and maintain an Alaska registered agent. This is your guide to understanding what a registered agent in Alaska does, which businesses need one, and what can happen if you don’t keep this role filled.
What is a registered agent in Alaska?
A registered agent in Alaska is the person or corporation in charge of receiving all important legal mail and governmental documents for your business, such as service of process, state notices, and tax documents. They forward important mail and paperwork and may even notify you of upcoming deadlines.
The state details this requirement in various parts of the Alaska statutes. For instance, Alaska registered agent requirements are described in Statute § 10.06.150 for corporations and Statute § 10.50.055 for LLCs.
What types of businesses need a registered agent in Alaska?
Having a registered agent in Alaska is required by state law for all formal business entities, including:
- Corporations
- LLCs
- Cooperatives
- Nonprofits
- Professional corporations
- Limited liability partnerships
- Limited partnerships
- Foreign LLCs or foreign corporations authorized to do business in Alaska (or other foreign entities allowed to operate in the state)
Sole proprietorships and general partnerships do not formally register with the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development, Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing, so they are not required to maintain a registered agent.
What documents does an Alaska registered agent receive?
An Alaska registered agent may receive a variety of state-related or legal documents for your business, such as the following:
- Service of process in Alaska, including lawsuits and subpoenas
- Notices from the Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
- Biennial report and business license reminders or correspondence from the Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
- Tax-related notices and documents from the state or local boroughs
Who can serve as a registered agent in Alaska?
When it comes time to choose a registered agent, make sure to follow Alaska’s legal requirements for the role:
- An Alaska registered agent can be an individual resident or a corporation.
- If an individual, they must be a resident of Alaska (meaning that they are physically present in the state and intend to remain there indefinitely).
- If a corporation, it must be authorized to transact business in the state. You can’t use any other business entity other than a corporation as a registered agent.
- Registered agents in Alaska must have a physical address (not a P.O. box) and a mailing address in the state.
- They must be available during normal business hours to receive service of process and other mail.
Can I be my own registered agent in Alaska?
If you meet the residency and availability requirements of a registered agent in Alaska, then you can serve in the role yourself. While this can save money compared to hiring another individual or a professional service, it’s important to be aware of the potential drawbacks of serving as your own registered agent:
- Missed deadlines. There’s a potential for missed documents and important paperwork, whether you’re in a meeting or traveling for work.
- Loss of privacy. Your physical and mailing address becomes public record, a crucial decision-making factor especially for home-based businesses.
- Lack of availability. There may be scheduling conflicts in which you might be away from the office, resulting in not fulfilling the availability requirement.
- Added responsibilities. You’ll have to add registered agent duties to your already full day-to-day operations.
While the DIY route can be enticing, hiring a registered agent might be best, as the tasks are part of their dedicated job.
Keep in mind that the state doesn’t allow business entities to serve as their own registered agents. If you want to keep the role in-house, you must designate an individual as your registered agent.
Can I use an out-of-state registered agent for my Alaska business?
No, you can’t use an out-of-state registered agent for your business in Alaska. Every registered entity doing business in the state must maintain a registered agent that has a physical and mailing address in Alaska. This is a common requirement in most states because certain types of paperwork, like lawsuits and specific department notices, can be delivered in person.
Some national registered agent services have a physical presence in the state (and other states) even though that’s not their base. In this case, hiring this type of service is allowed as long as it’s a corporate entity and has a physical and mailing address in Alaska.
How much does a registered agent cost in Alaska?
Alaska registered agent costs typically fall between $100 and $300 per year for a professional service. The total price you pay depends on the types of services you receive, which could range from basic mail forwarding to additional services like compliance reminders, document scanning, and document storage.
LegalZoom’s Alaska registered agent services, for example, cost $249 annually and provide a number of features that help to keep your business in compliance, protect your privacy, and free up your time for other high-value tasks. And remember that you can usually deduct registered agent fees on your taxes, so chat with your accountant to see if this is an option for your situation.
What's included in Alaska registered agent services?
Alaska registered agent services can range from basic to full-service, offering a variety of features that you can choose from:
- Document receipt and forwarding
- Privacy protection through the service’s address
- Business hour availability guarantee
- Compliance reminders, such as for biennial reports and business license renewals
- Document scanning and cloud storage access through an online account
- Mail scanning for other business-related mail that’s sent to the registered agent’s address
- Junk mail filtering
Are there hidden fees I should know about?
Some Alaska registered agent services may have hidden fees or extra costs for some features, so be sure to research what’s provided and the prices involved before making your decision. You may find that many registered agent services:
- Charge for document scanning per page, not per document
- Only allow up to a certain number of scans per month
- Have additional fees for same-day, expedited forwarding
- Charge add-on pricing for sending state compliance reminders or forwarding other types of business-related mail
- Increase their prices after the first year
As with any business decision, it’s crucial to thoroughly understand the features, terms, and pricing of any service you hire—registered agents included. With LegalZoom’s Alaska registered agent services, there are no hidden fees or surprises. The amount you pay annually includes all of our helpful features, with no extra costs.
How do I appoint a registered agent in Alaska?
To appoint a registered agent in Alaska, first determine if you’ll be serving in the role yourself, designating someone within your company, or hiring a professional service. If using a registered agent service or another individual, be sure to sign up or let them know before filling out your business formation paperwork, as they need to be aware of their upcoming responsibilities. Then, it’s time to add their details to your formation documents.
How do I appoint a registered agent when forming a new Alaska LLC or corporation?
You’ll designate a registered agent when officially forming your business in Alaska. Whether you're starting an Alaska LLC or a corporation, you’ll need the registered agent information before filling out your formation documents. On both the articles of incorporation and articles of organization, registered agent name and address information is requested in article 3 (section 3) of the document.
Here’s how to access and submit corporation or LLC formation paperwork.
- Articles of incorporation: File online, or fill out the PDF version and mail
- Articles of organization: File online, or fill out the PDF version and mail
No matter if you’re forming an LLC or a corporation, both PDF versions can be mailed to:
State of Alaska, Corporations Section
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
When you submit your articles, you will need to pay the $250 filing fee. Note that online filings are processed immediately, while mail-in documents are processed within 10 to 15 days.
For help with the formation process, you can use LegalZoom’s LLC formation service or corporation formation service. We file your articles and can even help you create other business documents, perform a name availability check, and more.
How do I change my registered agent in Alaska?
To change registered agents Alaska, you need to complete and submit the Change of Registered Agent (Statement of Change) form. This is the only way to update registered agent information (you can’t do so on the biennial report).
Access, fill out, and submit your Change of Registered Agent form in five easy steps:
- Download the form.
- Complete every section, including the new registered agent name, physical address, and mailing address.
- Follow the instructions regarding who in your Alaska company is able to sign the form.
- Include payment for the $25 filing fee (either by writing a check payable to the State of Alaska or filling out the included credit card payment form.
- Mail the completed form and a check, money order, or credit card information to
State of Alaska, Corporations Section
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
The processing time for the Change of Registered Agent form is 10 to 15 days.
What are the risks of not maintaining a registered agent in Alaska?
Maintaining a registered agent in Alaska is crucial to stay in compliance with state law. If you fail to keep a registered agent, your business may:
- Miss important legal documents or government notices
- Be administratively dissolved by the state (for domestic businesses)
- Have its certificate of authority removed (for foreign businesses)
- Lose its active standing status
- Not be able to conduct business legally in Alaska, enter into contracts, or apply for funding
If your business is involuntarily dissolved, you can follow the instructions for reinstatement on the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing website.
What are Alaska's biennial report requirements for businesses?
While many states require an annual report, Alaska only asks for this informational report every two years. The Alaska biennial report is required for both domestic and foreign entities, but deadlines vary by the type of entity:
- January 2. Due by this date for for-profit corporations, professional corporations, LLCs, and limited liability partnerships
- July 2. Due by this date for nonprofit corporations, cooperatives, and religious corporations
You can file your biennial report up to three months before the due date. The filing fee is:
- $25 for nonprofits and religious corporations
- $100 for domestic for-profit corporations, professional corporations, LLCs, limited liability partnerships, and cooperatives
- $200 for foreign entities
What happens if I miss my Alaska biennial report deadline?
If you miss your initial due date, but it’s still within the same month, just file your biennial report as soon as possible. The state offers a grace period—there aren’t any penalties if you file within the same month. For example, if your deadline is January 2, you have until January 31 to file your report before incurring a late fee, and if your deadline is July 2, you have until July 30.
Businesses that still haven’t filed by the end of the grade period will have to pay a late fee, which can be between $5 and $50, depending on your entity type. Missing one or two biennial reports may result in administrative dissolution of your business by the state. If this happens, you’ll need to follow the instructions for reinstatement.
A registered agent can help you keep track of deadlines and avoid late payments and potential involuntary dissolution.
Why should I use a professional registered agent service in Alaska?
Using a professional registered agent service can provide:
- Required availability. Someone is always on-site to receive legal documents, government notices, and other business documents.
- Privacy protection. Their registered agent address, not yours, is public record.
- Compliance support. The service may include compliance reminders, such as biennial report deadlines, helping you stay in good standing with the state and avoid late-fee penalties.
Plus, a registered agent service in Alaska can provide a reliable registered office address for home-based businesses. With 82% of communities in the state not accessible by road, many Alaskans use P.O. boxes for their personal correspondence, but P.O. boxes aren’t allowed by the state for a physical registered office address. This means that using a dedicated service is often necessary for staying in compliance with the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing.
How does a registered agent protect my privacy in Alaska?
All registered agent information becomes public record in Alaska, which can be a concern for business owners who operate from their home. To protect your privacy and keep your home address confidential, it’s best to use a registered agent service with a distinct dedicated physical location and mailing address.
Some business owners also worry about having to provide their residential address for a home-based business on formation documents (such as articles of incorporation), but the Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing only requires that you input a business mailing address on the contact sheet for formation documents, explicitly stating that contact-sheet information is not made public.
How does LegalZoom's Alaska registered agent service work?
LegalZoom’s Alaska registered agent service is chosen by businesses throughout the state because of our dedicated service and notable features that go above and beyond to ensure that you don’t miss a vital document.
Here’s what you can expect from our registered agent service:
- A dedicated office with a physical street address in Anchorage, Alaska, meeting state requirements and protecting your privacy
- Alerts sent in a timely manner when we receive important mail and time-sensitive notices
- Documents scanned into secure cloud storage
- The ability to access documents and mail anytime through an online account
- Junk mail filtering
- Registered agent services in multiple states, ideal for multistate businesses
Rest assured that an Alaska registered agent in Anchorage is always on-site to receive your legal, governmental, or other business-related mail. Our service not only helps your business stay in compliance with Alaska law, but also gives you more time back to focus on day-to-day operations.
What makes LegalZoom's Alaska registered agent service different?
What sets LegalZoom’s Alaska registered agent service apart is that we provide more than just mail receipt and forwarding. We upload paperwork and notices to a secure cloud storage site so that you can access all your important documents anytime and anywhere. Plus, we filter out all of your junk mail so that you don’t have to. You can get all of these helpful features for only $249 per year.
You can even pair our registered agent service with a plethora of other services. For instance, LegalZoom’s compliance services provide compliance tracking and alerts for upcoming state deadlines, help you file necessary amendments or forms (such as a change of registered agent in Alaska), and files your Alaska biennial report by the due date.
Let our team of dedicated professionals and legal experts provide the support you need to help your business stay in compliance and thrive in Alaska.
FAQs about Alaska registered agents
Do I need a business license in addition to a registered agent in Alaska?
Yes, most businesses in Alaska need the statewide business license for the privilege of operating in the state. This includes filing entities, such as corporations and LLCs, and non-filing entities, such as sole proprietorships. Learn how to get a business license in Alaska, such as where to get an entity number and when you need to apply.
The Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing also has helpful business license FAQs, including which types of businesses may be exempt.
What happens if my registered agent resigns in Alaska?
If your registered agent resigns in Alaska, you have 30 days to designate a new one. It’s your responsibility to find a new registered agent and submit the Change of Registered Agent (Statement of Change) form within this time frame.
Failure to submit this form within 30 days of your registered agent resigning may result in administrative dissolution by the state (for domestic entities) or the revocation of your certificate of authority (for foreign entities).
Can my registered agent also be my business address in Alaska?
If you’re serving as your own Alaska registered agent or having someone else in the company fill this role, then technically the registered agent address can also be your business address. However the registered agent address is designed specifically to receive legal paperwork, government notices, and sometimes other types of business-related correspondence, while your principal business address is used for general business mail, packages, and in-person meetings.
If you run a home-based business and don’t want business mail delivered to your residential address, you can use a virtual mailbox. LegalZoom’s virtual mailbox service gives your business a dedicated virtual business address in Anchorage, Alaska, to protect your privacy.
How quickly can I get a registered agent to file my Alaska paperwork?
Many professional registered agent services offer immediate service, with the ability to receive and forward mail, notices, and other important documents. Some may require onboarding time frames to gather information about your business. Be sure to research the professional service’s pricing, features, and fine print before signing up.
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