A registered agent Georgia LLC is an appointed individual or company chosen to receive official legal documents sent to a limited liability company (LLC) in Georgia. 

Information on Registered Agents and Registered Offices

The owners or members of an LLC must choose a registered agent for their business before being able to file articles of organization with the secretary of state in Georgia. Official legal documents and other important mailings will be accepted by this individual or business chosen as the registered agent for the LLC. 

The following types of mailings are sent to registered agents for LLCs:

  • Tax documents 
  • Payment notices 
  • Legal documents (Service of Process)

Registered agents have to be easy to find for Service of Process deliverers, so they should keep standard business hours during the work week. 

Service of Process documents are very important and need to be immediately sent to the LLC once the registered agent receives them. These types of documents include the following:

  • Official complaints
  • Subpoenas 
  • Summons

The registered agent and registered office information will be included in the LLC's formation documents. A registered agent's address has to be in the same state that the LLC is registered in and has to be a physical street address (PO boxes are not allowed).

An online business search through the Georgia secretary of state website will show the information for an LLC's registered agent as the LLC files it in its documents.

Any legal documents will be served to the LLC's registered agent. It can cause the business embarrassment if these documents are served at the same address where the company conducts business. Home addresses should also be avoided for registered offices as people are not always home during business hours. 

If the registered agent needs to be changed or any information regarding the address or name needs to be updated, this can be done when the LLC submits an amendment with the annual registration. This will include the following information:

  • Name of the LLC
  • Current address for the registered office
  • Current name for the registered agent 
  • Information that needs to be updated for the registered agent

The Georgia secretary of state will become the designated registered agent for an LLC if the business does not provide registered agent information or if the information provided is incorrect. If Service of Process is sent to the LLC's registered agent address but the agent isn't available or the address is incorrect, the documents to be served will be forwarded to the secretary of state office.

When documents are forwarded to the secretary of state, a person who is designated to receive correspondence on behalf of LLCs will receive them.

If a plaintiff forwards documents meant for an LLC to the secretary of state, they will need to provide written certification that the Service of Process was first sent to the LLC's registered agent but could not be delivered. 

Georgia Registered Agents

Commercial registered agents are companies that are available for hire by LLCs to receive legal correspondence for the business. They can even fax or email received mail to the business for quicker delivery. With fees between $100 to $300 per year, these companies can be costly, but they are very reliable as registered agents for the LLC. 

Georgia registered agents are third-parties, which can be a person or other business entity chosen by LLC owners (also called members) to receive official mail for the business. 

Registered agents are a requirement for all LLCs in the state of Georgia. 

A registered agent should be able to do the following:

  • Receive important mail and deliveries during the regular hours of business throughout the week
  • Get the received mail to the business it is intended for in a timely manner
  • Have a physical street address (which will be the registered office) in that same state that the LLC does business 

The following are options for registered agents Georgia LLCs:

  • LLC owners or members 
  • LLC friends or family members 
  • Other businesses or organizations
  • Commercial registered agents

If a person wants to serve as a registered agent for an LLC in Georgia, they will need to be Georgia residents.  

The secretary of state office will send the annual report for an LLC to its registered office. 

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