How to Find a Registered Agent in Oregon (Step-by-Step Guide)
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Oregon registered agent requirements
There are different requirements for registered agents, depending on whether you plan to be your own registered agent or hire a company. They are as follows.
Being your own registered agent
When you choose to be your own registered agent, you must be 18 years or older. You must also be a resident of Oregon state. And you must have a physical address in Oregon.
Your physical address can’t be a P.O. box address. It must be a street address. Finally, you will need to be at this street address Monday through Friday during normal business hours so that you can receive official correspondence from the state and other entities.
Hiring an Oregon registered agent service
If you prefer to hire an Oregon registered agent service, be sure that they are first registered to do business in the State of Oregon. Next, ensure that they are ready and willing to take on the job of receiving official correspondence on your business’s behalf.
Also, make sure that they also have a physical street address (not a P.O. box address) in the State of Oregon. And lastly, ensure that they know they must be at this registered office address during normal business hours from Monday through Friday.
Why use a registered agent service
Here are just a few of the reasons to consider hiring a registered agent service over appointing yourself as registered agent.
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More privacy
If you decide to be your own registered agent, your home address will need to go on public record because all registered agent business addresses must be publicly available. When you allow a commercial company to be your registered agent, you ensure your home life stays private.
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More time to run your business
If you act as your own registered agent, you may waste time waiting around for service of process or other legal notices or official correspondence. Allow someone else to take on this role so that you can get back to running your small business and helping it grow.
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Ensured compliance with the state
Make sure your Oregon business remains in good standing with the state. Many registered agent services offer assistance with compliance. They’ll let you know when tax deadlines and Annual Report due dates are so that you can avoid late fees and other penalties.
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Easier foreign qualification
When a business expands and decides to offer its services and/or products in other states, it must “foreign qualify” in those states, and that means finding a new registered agent in each new state where they plan to do business.
When you work with a registered agent company, they will usually have a presence in all 50 states, which means you can keep all of your registered agent business centralized with one company, and they will help you foreign qualify each time your business expands.
Oregon registered agent costs
Most LLCs and corporations want to know how much they have to pay for a registered agent. If you plan on being your own registered agent, you won’t have to pay anything. If you plan on electing your spouse, a trusted coworker or employee, or even a friend to be your registered agent, you may choose to pay them or not.
If, however, you would like to hire a registered agent company, you can expect to pay between $50 and $300 every year for these services. Naturally, you will pay more if you decide to get additional add-on services such as an online account or notifications for tax deadlines and Annual Report due dates.
How to change a registered agent in Oregon
It is a relatively simple process to change your registered agent in Oregon. The process starts by obtaining a Change of Registered Agent/Address-Corporations/LLC form from the Oregon Secretary of State, Corporate Division.
This form must be filled out completely and turned in to the same department. If you would like to avoid the hassle of performing this filing by yourself, ask your new registered agent if they offer this service. They may file your change of registered agent paperwork for you and should not charge a fee.
Overall, you must take care of the following steps in order to change your registered agent in Oregon.
- Tell your current registered agent that you will be changing registered agents. They will want to know that you are changing, and you should obtain any important business paperwork they may have before letting them go.
- Be sure your new registered agent is willing to take on this duty and sign on as your company’s registered agent.
- Obtain a Change of Registered Agent/Address-Corporations/LLC form. You can get this form from the Oregon Secretary of State, Corporate Division.
- Fill out the form, and file it with the Oregon Secretary of State, Corporate Division. You can file it in person, by mail, or by fax. There are currently no filing fees for performing this filing in Oregon.
Why you need a registered agent
According to Oregon state law, all businesses that are formed within the state must have a registered agent. You might also see the terms resident agent and statutory agent. These all mean the same thing.
Registered agents must accept legal documents on behalf of their clients. This includes service of process, tax notifications, and other official correspondence. It is the registered agent’s duty to accept this paperwork and send it on to your business so that you can act on time-sensitive materials right away. Registered agents often do this through an online account.
You can hire a registered agent company that specializes in providing these services, or you can also be your LLC (limited liability company) or corporation’s own registered agent. In the latter case, you would accept legal documents and other important paperwork on behalf of your own business.
How you make the choice between hiring a registered agent company and choosing yourself as your own registered agent depends on several factors. We will go over the pros and cons of each option further on.
When you need a registered agent
You need a registered agent when forming your business in Oregon. During the formation (or incorporation) process, you will need to complete several key formation documents, one of which will be your Articles of Organization (also known as Articles of incorporation).
In your Articles, you will need to select and reserve your business name first, and then you will choose your registered agent, being sure to detail your registered agent address and name.
Other requirements will be needed as you continue the formation of your business. For example, you will need to create an Operating Agreement for your company, select your board members, form your corporate bylaws, hold your first board meeting, open the necessary business bank accounts, and obtain an employer identification number, or EIN. All of these tasks are required in order to complete the formation of your business.
Useful links
Take advantage of the following list of useful links and forms as you go about selecting a registered agent and incorporating your Oregon business.
FAQs
Do I need a registered agent in Oregon?
Yes. All corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) that are registered to do business in the state of Oregon must have a registered agent. This is a position that must be filled in your Articles of Incorporation or Articles of Organization when forming your business.
Can you be your own registered agent for LLC in Oregon?
Yes. Anyone can be their own registered agent if they have an LLC in Oregon. Just remember that being a registered agent means you will need to be at your registered address nearly all of the time throughout the week (during normal business hours from Monday through Friday). And that means less time running your business.
What does a registered agent do?
A registered agent is tasked with accepting legal notices and other important notifications and tax documents from the state, the court, and other business entities. They will accept these sensitive and important documents and then forward them to your business.
What’s the difference between a resident agent, a statutory agent, and a registered agent?
There is no difference between a resident agent, a statutory agent, and a registered agent. All of these terms refer to a business entity or individual whose job it is to receive critical correspondence and legal notices on behalf of an LLC or corporation. Different states use different names for this title.
Can a registered agent sign on behalf of an LLC?
No, not usually. In most cases, unless the operating agreement of an LLC explicitly states that they are allowing their registered agent to sign official documents on behalf of them, this cannot be done. With that said, it is possible for a registered agent to sign for official notifications — that is they can sign for the receipt of these things.
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