Florida Foreign Registration / Registered agent
Registered agent rules for a foreign LLC in Florida
A foreign LLC with a Florida certificate of authority must designate and continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in the state, and the state charges $25 to designate the agent when you register. The agent is an individual who resides in Florida and whose business address is the registered office, or a Florida or foreign corporation, LLC, LLP or limited partnership authorized to transact business in Florida, whose business address is the registered office. We can act as your registered agent.
Who can be the agent
Section 605.0113 allows three kinds of agent (Fla. Stat. 605.0113(1)(b)1.). The first is a Florida resident who works from the registered office address. The second and third are entities with authority to operate in Florida, whether formed here or elsewhere, that use the registered office address as their own business address. The entity may be a corporation, LLC, LLP or limited partnership. The agent must also sign a written acceptance.
The registered office
The registered office may be the same as the company's place of business in Florida, but it has to be a street address; the application form says a P.O. box is not acceptable. Because the agent's address must equal the registered office address, a change of office for the agent is a change for the LLC.
The agent's acceptance and duties
Each agent, initial or successor, files or signs a written statement accepting the appointment and stating that it is familiar with and accepts the obligations of the position. The agent's duties under the statute are to forward to the company any process, notice or demand served on or received by the agent, at the address the company last supplied, and to give notice to the company if the agent resigns. The Division of Corporations keeps the record of the agent and the office and provides the information on request.
Changing or resigning the agent
| Change | How | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| LLC changes its agent or office | Statement of change, or the annual report, or an amendment | $25 |
| LLC agent resigns (company active) | Resignation filed by the agent | $85 |
| LLC agent resigns (company dissolved) | Resignation filed by the agent | $25 |
| Corporation changes its agent | Statement of change | $35 |
| Corporation agent resigns (active) | Resignation filed by the agent | $87.50 |
An agent that changes its own name or address can file its own statement of change for the companies it represents and must notify each company promptly.
The thirty-day clock
When the agent's name or address changes, the company has 30 days to deliver a statement of change, unless the agent files its own within that time. Failing to keep a registered agent, or to file the statement within the period, is one of the grounds on which the department can revoke a certificate of authority. A revocation notice for the agent ground gives 60 days to cure.
What a lapse costs
A company that does not maintain its agent as the statute requires cannot prosecute or maintain an action in Florida courts until it complies, pays what is due and, to the extent a court orders, pays a penalty of $5 for each day of the failure or $500, whichever is less. That is on top of any revocation consequences.
When the company withdraws
The notice of withdrawal cancels the agent's appointment, and claims from the authorized period are then served through the Secretary of State. The company must give a mailing address and email address for copies of that process and commit to keeping them current. An agent that is told the company is withdrawing should know that authority ends on the effective date.
Using our agent
Choose the registered agent option at checkout and our name and Florida street address go on the application, with our signed acceptance. We forward whatever is served on us and file the statement of change if the arrangement ends.
Florida registered agent questions
Can I be my own registered agent?
If you live in Florida and operate from the registered office address, yes. Your name and address then become part of the public record.
Is the agent designation fee paid every year?
No. The $25 is part of the one-time state fee for registering an LLC.
Can the annual report change the agent?
Yes. Agent information on the annual report that differs from the record is treated as a statement of change.
$199, Florida fee at cost
Qualify in Florida
Florida
$199
+ $125 Division of Corporations fee
- Form CR2E027 for an LLC or Form CR2E007 for a corporation, completed for you
- Your home state's certificate of existence, which we order so it is dated inside the window
- Sent to the Division of Corporations in Tallahassee
- A Florida registered agent: ours, or one you have already
- The filed authorization and your first annual report date
- Renewal: after the first year, the agent service renews at $149 a year
Our fee and the Florida fee appear on separate lines at checkout. The state fee is not marked up. $199 plus the state fee, including your first year of registered agent service; after that the agent service renews at $149 a year.
Sources for this page
- Florida Division of Corporations, LLC fees
- Florida Division of Corporations, Form CR2E027 instructions (foreign LLC)
- Florida Division of Corporations, Form CR2E007 (foreign corporation)
- Florida Statutes 605.0902 (application for certificate of authority)
- Florida Division of Corporations, corporate fees
- Florida Statutes 605.0113 (registered agent)
- Florida Statutes 605.0908 (revocation of certificate of authority)
Bringing your company into Florida?
Order in a few minutes. We gather the certificate, complete the application and file it for you.