Connecticut Registered Agent: Requirements & Rules (2026)
Every Connecticut LLC must designate and maintain a registered agent in the state under General Statutes section 34-243n. The agent must be a Connecticut resident or a qualifying business entity with a Connecticut street address, and the designation itself affirms that the agent has consented to serve.
Quick Answer
- Required?
- Yes - for every Connecticut and foreign LLC (§ 34-243n)
- Who qualifies
- Connecticut resident individual or a qualifying business entity
- Address
- A Connecticut street address (registered office)
- Consent
- The designation affirms the agent has consented
- Change fee
- $50 - change of agent certificate (§ 34-243u)
- If none
- Dissolution by forfeiture by the Secretary of the State (§ 34-267g)
What a Connecticut Registered Agent Does
A registered agent is the person or entity your LLC designates to receive service of process - lawsuits and legal papers - along with tax notices and official correspondence from the Connecticut Secretary of the State. Section 34-243r governs service of process, notice, or demand on an LLC through its registered agent, which is why the state requires a reliable, staffed address. The agent is the LLC's official point of contact for anything the state or a court needs to deliver. For the concept in general, see the national registered agent overview and whether you need a registered agent.
Is a Registered Agent Required in Connecticut?
Yes. Section 34-243n states that "each limited liability company and each registered foreign limited liability company shall designate and maintain a registered agent in this state." There is no exception for small, single-member, or home-based LLCs. You name your initial agent directly in the Certificate of Organization when you form the LLC, and you must keep one continuously for as long as the company exists. The requirement is a precondition to doing business, not an optional add-on.
Who Can Serve as a Registered Agent
Section 34-243n lists exactly who may serve. The registered agent for a Connecticut LLC must be one of the following:
- A natural person who is a resident of Connecticut;
- A corporation formed under the laws of Connecticut;
- A foreign corporation that has a certificate of authority to transact business in Connecticut;
- A domestic or registered foreign limited liability company;
- A registered domestic or foreign limited liability partnership; or
- A statutory trust or other qualifying entity organized or authorized in Connecticut.
Whichever category applies, the agent must maintain a physical Connecticut street address - the registered office - where process can be delivered during normal business hours. A post office box alone does not satisfy the address requirement.
Consent Is Built Into the Designation
Connecticut ties the appointment to consent by statute. Under section 34-243n, "the designation of a registered agent is an affirmation of fact by the limited liability company... that the agent has consented to serve as agent." In practice, you should confirm the person or company agrees to act before you list them, because filing the designation is a representation to the state that consent already exists. You cannot name someone as your agent without their agreement.
Can You Be Your Own Registered Agent?
Yes, if you personally qualify. An owner or manager who is a Connecticut resident with a Connecticut street address available during business hours can serve as the LLC's registered agent at no additional state cost - the appointment is bundled into the $120 formation fee. The trade-offs are practical: your address becomes part of the public record, you must be reliably available to accept legal papers, and you cannot be away when a process server arrives. Many owners who travel, work from home, or value privacy instead hire a commercial registered agent. See what an LLC is for how the entity and its owners relate.
Commercial Registered Agent Services
A commercial registered agent is a company that serves as agent for many businesses and maintains a staffed Connecticut office. These services charge a private annual fee - a market price, not a state charge - in exchange for accepting and forwarding your legal mail, keeping your home address off the public record, and reminding you of deadlines such as the annual report. Using one does not change any state fee; it is an optional private arrangement. Weigh the recurring cost against the convenience, and note it as a line item in Connecticut LLC cost.
How to Change Your Registered Agent
To change agents, file a change of agent certificate with the Connecticut Secretary of the State under section 34-243o. The fee is $50 under section 34-243u, which sets the same $50 charge for "filing a change of address of agent certificate or change of agent certificate." The incoming agent must have consented, just like the original designation. A registered agent who wishes to step down separately files a notice of resignation under section 34-243p - also a $50 filing - after which the LLC must promptly appoint a replacement to stay compliant.
| Action | Filing | Fee (2026) | Statute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appoint initial agent | In the Certificate of Organization | Included in $120 | § 34-247 / § 34-243u |
| Change agent or registered office | Change of agent certificate | $50 | § 34-243o / § 34-243u |
| Agent resigns | Notice of resignation of agent | $50 | § 34-243p / § 34-243u |
What Happens Without an Agent
Failing to maintain a registered agent is not a technicality. Under section 34-267g, if it comes to the Secretary of the State's attention that an LLC has failed to maintain a registered agent for service, the Secretary may notify the company and, if it does not cure the default, prepare and file a certificate of dissolution by forfeiture - dissolving the LLC and stripping its rights and powers. Reinstating a forfeited LLC then requires curing the problem and paying a $120 certificate of reinstatement fee under section 34-243u. Just as damaging, without a working agent the LLC can miss a lawsuit entirely and lose by default when papers are served on the Secretary of the State as substitute agent under section 34-243r. Keeping a current agent avoids both risks.
A registered agent must maintain a physical street address in the state of formation - a post office box alone does not satisfy the requirement - and must be available at that address during normal business hours to accept service of process and official mail. If a lawsuit is filed against the LLC, the court papers are delivered to the registered agent, so a missed delivery can lead to a default judgment entered without the owner's knowledge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Connecticut LLC need a registered agent?
Yes. Section 34-243n requires every Connecticut LLC and every registered foreign LLC to designate and maintain a registered agent in the state. There is no small-business exception.
Who can be a registered agent in Connecticut?
A Connecticut resident individual, a corporation formed under Connecticut law, or another qualifying domestic or authorized foreign entity - each with a Connecticut street address for the registered office.
Can I be my own registered agent in Connecticut?
Yes, if you are a Connecticut resident with a Connecticut street address available during business hours. Your address becomes public, so many owners use a commercial agent instead.
How do I change my registered agent in Connecticut?
File a change of agent certificate with the Secretary of the State under section 34-243o. The fee is $50, and the new agent must have consented to serve.
What happens if my LLC has no registered agent?
The Secretary of the State may dissolve the LLC by forfeiture under section 34-267g, and the company can miss lawsuits served on the state. Reinstatement then costs $120.
Does the registered agent have to consent?
Yes. Under section 34-243n, designating an agent is itself an affirmation that the agent has already consented to serve, so you must have their agreement before filing.
Related
- Registered agent overview (cluster hub)
- Do I need a registered agent?
- How to form an LLC in Connecticut
- Connecticut LLC cost
- Connecticut annual report
- How to dissolve an LLC in Connecticut
- Business licenses in Connecticut
- How to form an LLC in Texas (sibling)
Sources
- Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-243n, Registered agent (duty to maintain; who qualifies; consent).
- Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-243o, Change of registered agent or address.
- Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-243p, Resignation of registered agent.
- Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-243r, Service of process, notice or demand.
- Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-243u, Fees payable to Secretary of the State ($50 change of agent; $50 resignation; $120 reinstatement).
- Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-247, Certificate of organization (initial agent named in the certificate).
- Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-267g, Dissolution by forfeiture (failure to maintain an agent).
- Connecticut General Statutes - § 34-275a, Foreign LLC registration to transact business.
- Connecticut Secretary of the State - business.ct.gov online business services portal.
- IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (entity background).
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number.
- Cornell Law School LII - Service of process (definition).
LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and deadlines change; verify current requirements with the Connecticut Secretary of the State before acting.