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What is a Registerd Agent?
Registered Agent
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Your District of Columbia Registered Agent provides various services, including the receival of formal documents and continued correspondence with the Washington, D.C., Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.
Your LLC must have a Registered Agent at all times. You’ll appoint one when you first formally register and form your business. You can also replace your existing District of Columbia Registered Agent at a later date, provided there is a smooth transition between the old and new agents.
District of Columbia Registered Agent Requirements
- Every LLC, both foreign and domestic, must have a Registered Agent with a registered office within the District of Columbia at all times
- The Registered Agent can be a domestic or foreign (licensed to transact business in the state) artificial legal entity (Corporation, LLC, LP, or LLP) or a natural person.
- The Registered Office must be in the District of Columbia and located at a street address (a P.O. Box only is not acceptable)
- If the Registered Agent is a person, they must live in the District of Columbia.
- If the Registered Agent is a company, they must be authorized to conduct business in the District of Columbia.
- The Registered Agent must be available in person to sign for any correspondence during normal business hours.
Note that the address for your District of Columbia Registered Agent does not need to be the same as your Washington, D.C., LLC business address.
What District of Columbia Registered Agents Do
A Registered Agent’s main function in the District of Columbia is to accept official documentation and correspondence.
This includes:
Correspondence from the Washington, D.C., Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
Service of process notices (e.g., if your LLC is sued or required to appear in court)
Tax forms and requests to complete permits, company filings, and reports
Official state and federal government correspondence and notices
Having a Registered Agent also provides proof to the state that your business exists.
Bizee Provides Free District of Columbia Registered Agent Service for the First Year
Bizee provides complete District of Columbia Registered Agent service for any LLC formed in the state. Even better, if you form your LLC through Bizee, your Registered Agent is completely free for the first year and only $119 a year after that.
Bizee is authorized to conduct business in District of Columbia and able to legally act as your Registered Agent. Here’s what our District of Columbia Registered Agent services include:
- An always-available Washington, D.C., Registered Agent who can receive correspondence, documents and legal proceedings on your LLC’s behalf
- Email notification whenever we receive documents for your business
- Automatic forwarding of all legal correspondence, documentation and information directly to you
- A digital dashboard where you can access, store and retrieve any information we’ve received for your business
Appointing a Registered Agent for Your LLC
When you first register and form your LLC, you must appoint a Registered Agent. You can change it at any point after that. Here’s how to go about it.
Assign a Registered Agent When You Form Your LLC
Your business needs to have a Registered Agent as soon as it’s formed. You can do this two ways:
When you formally create your business, you’re required to include details of your Registered Agent in your Articles of Organization.
Establish your business through Bizee, and you’ll get a free year of our Registered Agent service. We’ll also complete and file your Articles of Organization for you with the information that you provide.
Assign a Different Registered Agent After Formation
After you’ve formed your LLC, you can still assign someone else to be your District of Columbia Registered Agent. There are a couple of ways to achieve this.
Once you’ve chosen a new Registered Agent, file a Statement of Change with the Washington, D.C., Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. There is a processing fee of $50 to make this change.
When you use our Registered Agent service, we take care of all the form filling and filing for you. We’ll collect important information about your business, complete the form on your behalf and then send it to the Washington, D.C., Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. We’ll let you know when we officially become your Registered Agent.
District of Columbia Registered Agent Search
In certain situations, it may be useful to know the name of the Registered Agent that represents another LLC in Washington, D.C. You can search the District of Columbia's registered agent database to discover this information.
If you can’t find the Registered Agent information there, you can request it from the Washington, D.C., Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA).
What Happens If You Don’t Have a Registered Agent?
If you don’t assign or provide details of a Registered Agent to the District of Columbia, there are several possible ramifications, including:
- Getting sued or served and not knowing about it. You could lose to a default judgment in your absence if your LLC is sued and you don’t respond.
- Falling out of good standing with the Washington, D.C., DCRA. The state may revoke your right to do business if you don’t respond to certain correspondence (such as a request for your annual report).
- Losing your status as an LLC in the District of Columbia. A Registered Agent is evidence to the state that your business exists. Without it, you could lose your business entity protections and your LLC may be dissolved.
Acting as Your Own Registered Agent
You can choose to be the Registered Agent for your LLC if you have a physical address in the District of Columbia, although there may be some drawbacks to this approach:
- The Registered Agent’s name and address are part of the public record and available through the Washington, D.C., DCRA's website. You should use a Registered Agent service if you prefer that these pertinent details remain private.
- The Registered Agent must have a physical street address in the District of Columbia. If you’re forming an LLC outside the state, you’ll need to use an in-state Registered Agent.
- Someone must always be available during business hours at the Washington, D.C., address to sign for important documents and correspondence.
- If you change your business address or move out of state, you need to file additional documentation with the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs for the new address. This isn’t necessary if you use a Registered Agent service, making a move or address change much more smooth.
Other Useful Resources
FAQs About Washington, D.C., Registered Agents
Yes. Most business entities (including LLCs) in the District of Columbia are required to have a Registered Agent. This is mandated by the Washington, D.C., Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). Find more information above.
You must assign a Registered Agent when you first register and form your Washington, D.C., LLC with the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. You can change your agent afterward by filing the correct form. If you form your business through Bizee, we’ll file all the necessary forms on your behalf. You'll find more information above.
Yes, but we don’t recommend it for the reasons listed above.
Yes. And if you use a company as your Registered Agent, that company must be legally able to conduct business in your state. You'll find more information above.
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