Starting a new business in Nevada? A registered agent is an essential part of keeping your business running smoothly. Let's take a look at registered agents in Nevada.
updated November 21, 2023 · 5min read
If you will be organizing a business, or conducting business, in Nevada, you will need to know about designating a registered agent with the Nevada Secretary of State.
A "registered agent" (or RA, sometimes called a resident agent or statutory agent) is designated by a business to receive official legal documents, such as lawsuit documents, subpoenas, and other official legal papers.
Nevada requires a registered agent for every business trust that is:
A company failing to comply with Nevada's RA requirements can be fined as much as $500 per day, plus costs incurred by the state in enforcing the fine.
The registered agent's duties are to:
RAs sometimes offer additional services, such as preparing and filing registration documents, sending reminders when annual reports or license renewals are due, and keeping documents.
A registered agent can be a person identified by name or title or a registered agent company. The Nevada street address must be staffed during regular business hours by either the individual RA or a person "of suitable age and discretion" authorized by the RA to receive service of process.
An individual or company that serves as RA for ten or more business entities must register as a commercial registered agent with the Nevada Secretary of State. The person or company is called a noncommercial registered agent if fewer than ten entities are represented.
If your business has a street address in Nevada that is open during regular business hours, an owner or employee of the business may be designated as the RA. If you choose this option, only the office or position should be designated (such as "Office Manager," "President," etc.). The person occupying that position is not considered a commercial or noncommercial registered agent, and if the person occupying that position changes, no additional filing is needed. However, if you name the person (such as "Anne Parker, Office Manager"), that person will be considered a noncommercial RA. If that person leaves the position, then a new RA will need to be designated, and you will need to notify the Secretary of State and pay a fee.
Whether you choose an "in-house" RA or hire an outside RA, it is important to designate one that can be relied upon to notify you promptly when important legal papers are received.
Your company's registered agent can be you, a co-owner, an employee, or any other adult. The advantages are that you save the cost of an outside agent ($50 to $500 per year, depending upon the agent you select), and you will immediately know of any lawsuits or other important matters. Potential disadvantages include:
It will be necessary to hire an outside registered agent if:
There are several advantages to hiring an outside RA, including:
With your Nevada registered agent in place—whether you decide to use someone in-house or to hire from the outside—you and your business will be ready for whatever legal notifications come your way.
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by Edward Hartman
Edward Hartman is one of LegalZoom's co-founders and served in several key roles. He received a B.S. in computer scie...
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