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Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in Florida? Rules for LLC Owners

By Chad Dake · Updated · Disclosure

Short answer: Yes. If you live in Florida, you can name yourself as your LLC's registered agent. Your business address must be the same as the LLC's registered office, which has to be a Florida street address, and you must sign a statement accepting the role. Your LLC can't be its own agent, and if you live outside Florida you'll need a Florida resident or a registered agent company.

What Florida law requires

Florida's registered agent rules for LLCs are in section 605.0113 of the Florida Revised Limited Liability Company Act. Here is what applies when you serve as your own agent:

Requirement What Florida says
Florida resident An individual registered agent must reside in Florida.
Same address The agent's business address must be identical to the registered office address.
Street address The registered office must be a Florida street address. A PO box may be used only as the LLC's mailing address.
Written acceptance The agent must file a signed statement accepting the appointment and its obligations.
Kept continuously The LLC must designate and continuously maintain a registered office and registered agent in Florida.
Not the LLC itself An individual within the business may serve, but an entity cannot be its own registered agent (Division of Corporations FAQ).

The statute also says the registered office may be the same as your place of business in Florida, so a home-based owner can use their home if it meets the rules above.

What the job involves

Under section 605.0113(3), the registered agent's duty is to forward any process, notice, or demand served on or received for the LLC to the company at the address it most recently gave the agent. When you're your own agent, that simply means you receive the papers and act on them.

Filing costs

When you form a Florida LLC, the Division of Corporations' fee schedule lists a $100 filing fee plus a required $25 registered agent fee, for $125 total. That registered agent fee is a state filing charge and applies whether you name yourself or a company. Changing your registered agent later costs $25 according to the same schedule.

What happens if you can't be found

Section 48.062 lets process be served on your registered agent. If the agent can't be served after one good-faith attempt because the LLC didn't comply with the rules, papers can go to a manager, a member, or anyone listed on the latest annual report, and eventually to the Secretary of State. The same section also allows service on members or managers when the listed address is a residence, private mailbox, or virtual office. Section 605.0113(5) adds that an LLC out of compliance can't bring or maintain a lawsuit in a Florida court until it fixes the problem.

Pros and cons of doing it yourself

Why owners do it

Why some owners don't

When a registered agent service makes more sense

A commercial registered agent gives you a Florida street address for the public record and handles incoming papers. It's worth considering if you live outside Florida, want your home address off the record, or aren't reliably at one address during the day. Common choices include Northwest Registered Agent and ZenBusiness; check their sites for current pricing, since it changes.

How to switch later

You can start as your own agent and change your mind. File the Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent (form INHS18) with the Division of Corporations, with the new agent's signed acceptance attached, as section 605.0114 requires. You can also make the change on your annual report.

Rules change, so confirm details on the Florida Division of Corporations site before you file. The sources below link straight to the official pages.

FAQ

Can the owner of a Florida LLC be its registered agent?

Yes. The Florida Division of Corporations says an individual within the business may serve as the entity's registered agent. Under section 605.0113, an individual agent must live in Florida and have a business address identical to the registered office.

Can my Florida LLC be its own registered agent?

No. The Division of Corporations FAQ states that an entity cannot serve as its own registered agent. Another active business entity can serve, but not the LLC itself.

Do I have to sign anything to be my own registered agent in Florida?

Yes. Section 605.0113(2) requires each registered agent to file a written statement accepting the appointment and confirming they are familiar with and accept the obligations of the position. Florida's LLC forms include this acceptance signature.

Can I use a PO box as my Florida registered office?

No. Florida's registered agent change form says the registered office must be a Florida street address. A post office box can be used only as the LLC's mailing address.

How do I stop being my own registered agent in Florida?

File a Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent with the Division of Corporations, including the new agent's signed acceptance. The state's LLC fee schedule lists the change of registered agent fee at $25. You can also make the change on your annual report.

Sources