LLC Basics

The address for an LLC, or limited liability company, can include both its principal place of business and its physical location. As with other types of business entities, an LLC can have more than one address. An LLC is a type of business entity that protects individual assets such as a corporation while providing the management and structural flexibility of a partnership. Each LLC must abide by the laws of its state of formation.

A business owner must file articles of organization with the secretary of the state in question to create an LLC. You can use the online form provided by the state, which covers the minimum legal requirements for this document. The owners of an LLC are officially known as members.

Principal Address

The articles of organization should indicate the LLC's primary place of business. However, some states, such as Texas, only require you to include the address of a registered office and those of the initial owners. The business address can either be a mailbox or physical location. However, the mailbox service in question must provide an actual street address and allow package deliveries. In some states, PO boxes cannot be listed as the business address since they do not accept registered or certified mail.

Registered Agent

Your articles of organization must identify a registered agent designated to receive legal notices; this can be a person or company. You must include the registered agent's business address where mail is frequently received and reviewed, even when the person in question is unavailable. This address must be in the state where the LLC is registered; some states require you to provide a physical street address for the registered agent, not a mailbox number. The registered agent's address may or may not be the same as the LLC's primary office. LLCs that do not maintain a registered agent who lives in-state are subject to termination by the secretary of state.

Other Addresses

Your LLC may have more than one address if:

  • Executive offices are housed separately from the primary work location
  • You use different addresses for regular mail, orders, bills, payments, and other types of correspondence
  • You have work sites where mail is not received

These addresses do not need to be physical locations and are not required to be in the state where the LLC is registered. If you have several businesses with separate LLCs, they can use the same address.

Individual Work Address

The place where you receive work-related mail is considered your work address. This may or may not be used as an address for your LLC. 

Using Your Home Address as LLC Address

Home-based LLC owners who use their home address as a business address may have privacy concerns about posting their personal location online. Some avoid using an address on their website and social media accounts, while others opt to provide an alternate address such as a PO box, mailbox service, or co-working space. However, you must provide a physical location for your public records. If you do not want your address to be a public record, appoint your attorney as the registered agent or hire a company that provides third-party registered agents.

Although a PO box provides privacy, it may be seen by your clients as untrustworthy. A mailbox service provides a street address but is more expensive. 

If you need help with establishing an LLC, you can post your legal need on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.