Georgia Registered Agent Requirements (2026)
Every Georgia LLC and corporation must continuously maintain a registered agent with a physical Georgia street address (the registered office). The agent can be a Georgia resident or an entity authorized to do business in Georgia, is named in the Articles of Organization (Form CD 030), and receives service of process and official state notices on the company's behalf.
Quick Answer
- Required?
- Yes - for every Georgia LLC and corporation
- Who can serve
- A Georgia resident, or an entity authorized to transact business in Georgia
- Address
- A physical Georgia street address - no PO box alone
- Named where
- In the Articles of Organization (Form CD 030) and annual registration
- Change agent
- Amendment (Form CD 115), $20 online / $30 mail
- If missing
- Administrative dissolution by the Secretary of State
What a Georgia Registered Agent Is
A registered agent is the person or entity your business designates to receive service of process (lawsuit papers), tax notices, and official correspondence from the Georgia Secretary of State, Corporations Division. Georgia's Limited Liability Company Act, and the parallel Business Corporation Code, require every domestic filing entity to designate and continuously maintain both a registered agent and a registered office - the physical Georgia address where the agent can be found. See the national registered agent overview for how the role fits into formation.
The registered agent is how the state and the courts reliably reach your business. Because it is a continuous obligation, the agent and office must stay current for the life of the LLC - not just at formation. You first name the agent when you form your Georgia LLC, and you confirm or update the designation on each annual registration.
Who Can Be a Registered Agent in Georgia
Georgia lets you choose among several eligible agents, as long as the registered office is a physical Georgia street address:
- An individual Georgia resident - including yourself, a member, a manager, or an employee, provided they have a Georgia street address and are generally available during business hours.
- A domestic entity - a Georgia corporation or LLC with a Georgia office.
- A foreign entity authorized to transact business in Georgia - such as a commercial registered agent company registered with the Secretary of State.
The common requirement across all options is a physical street address in Georgia. A post office box alone does not satisfy the registered office requirement, although you may add a separate mailing address. Learn how the role works generally at what a registered agent is.
Being Your Own Registered Agent
You can serve as your own registered agent in Georgia if you are a Georgia resident with a physical street address in the state. This costs nothing beyond the standard filing fees. The practical trade-offs are privacy and availability: your address becomes part of the public record, and you must be reachable during business hours to accept service of process, including being personally served with a lawsuit at that address.
Many single-member LLC owners act as their own agent to save money, while owners who travel, work from home and value privacy, or operate in multiple states hire a commercial registered agent instead. Either choice is valid under Georgia law. For the cost comparison, see Georgia LLC cost.
How You Name the Agent
You designate the initial registered agent and registered office directly in the Articles of Organization (Form CD 030) when you file with the Corporations Division. The filing asks for the agent's name and the Georgia street address of the registered office. Once the Secretary of State accepts the Articles, the designation is official and public.
After formation, you reconfirm the agent and office on each annual registration, filed between January 1 and April 1 each year. Keeping this information accurate is part of staying in good standing.
How to Change Your Registered Agent
To change your registered agent or registered office, you file Articles of Amendment (Form CD 115) with the Corporations Division, or you update the agent when you file your annual registration. The amendment fee is $20 online ($30 by mail), and the change is effective when the Secretary of State accepts the filing. Online filing through the eCorp portal is the fastest route.
| Action | Form / method | Fee (2026) | Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name initial agent | Articles of Organization (CD 030) | Included in $100 filing | Secretary of State |
| Change agent or office | Articles of Amendment (CD 115) | $20 online / $30 mail | Secretary of State |
| Confirm agent yearly | Annual registration | $50 | Secretary of State |
| Reinstate after dissolution | Reinstatement application | $100 + late fees | Secretary of State |
If a commercial agent resigns, Georgia requires the company to designate a replacement promptly so there is no gap in coverage. Update the record as soon as your agent or office changes.
What Happens If You Have No Agent
Maintaining a registered agent is not optional. If your LLC fails to keep a registered agent and registered office, the Secretary of State can administratively dissolve the entity. A dissolved LLC loses its good standing and its authority to transact business, and its liability shield can be jeopardized while it is dissolved.
To fix the problem, you reinstate the LLC - bringing annual registrations current, correcting the agent record, and paying a $100 reinstatement fee plus any outstanding $25 late fees. The simplest way to avoid all of this is to keep your agent, office, and annual registration current. See Georgia LLC annual registration for the yearly deadline.
Commercial Registered Agent Services
A commercial registered agent is a company, authorized to transact business in Georgia, that serves as agent for many businesses for an annual fee. This is a private-market service, not a state requirement - Georgia does not charge a state fee for the designation itself. People use commercial agents for privacy (keeping a home address off the public record), reliability during business hours, and coverage when they operate in multiple states.
LegalGlass does not recommend or sell any agent service. Whether you serve as your own agent or hire one, the legal requirement is the same: a continuously maintained agent with a physical Georgia street address. For the broader formation picture, see what is an LLC and the national how to form an LLC guide.
If you do hire a commercial agent, treat the arrangement as ongoing rather than one-and-done. Confirm each year that the service is still active and that your annual fee is paid, because a lapsed commercial agent leaves the same gap as having no agent at all. If the agent resigns or you switch providers, update the record promptly through an amendment or your next annual registration so the Corporations Division always has a current name and Georgia street address on file. Continuity is the whole point of the requirement, and a short lapse is enough to put the LLC at risk of administrative dissolution.
What the Agent Actually Receives
The registered agent's core job is to be a reliable point of contact for two kinds of documents. First is service of process - the summons and complaint that start a lawsuit against the LLC. If a plaintiff sues your business, they serve your registered agent, and the clock on your deadline to respond starts running from that service. Missing it because mail sat unopened can lead to a default judgment, which is exactly why availability during business hours matters.
Second is official state correspondence: annual registration reminders and notices from the Secretary of State, and tax-related notices routed to the business. A good agent forwards these promptly so you never miss a filing deadline or a demand letter. If you serve as your own agent, build a simple habit of checking and logging anything that arrives at your registered office. If you use a commercial agent, confirm how and how quickly they forward documents, because the legal responsibility for acting on them stays with the LLC, not the agent.
Privacy and the public record
Whatever agent you choose, the registered office address becomes part of the LLC's public record with the Corporations Division. Anyone can look it up. For home-based businesses, that is the main reason to consider a commercial agent or a separate office address: it keeps your home address off the searchable record. This is a personal trade-off, not a legal requirement - Georgia allows you to list your home address as the registered office if it is a physical Georgia street address where you can be served. Weigh privacy against the cost of a service when you form your LLC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Georgia LLC need a registered agent?
Yes. Every Georgia LLC must continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in Georgia. You name the agent in the Articles of Organization (Form CD 030), and the agent must have a physical Georgia street address, not just a PO box.
Can I be my own registered agent in Georgia?
Yes, if you are a Georgia resident with a physical street address in the state and are available during business hours to accept service of process. Members, managers, and employees may also serve.
Who can be a registered agent in Georgia?
An individual Georgia resident, or a domestic or foreign entity authorized to transact business in Georgia. In every case the agent must maintain a physical Georgia street address.
How do I change my registered agent in Georgia?
File Articles of Amendment (Form CD 115), or update the agent on your annual registration. The amendment fee is $20 online or $30 by mail, effective when the Secretary of State accepts it.
What happens if my Georgia LLC has no registered agent?
The Secretary of State can administratively dissolve the LLC. You then lose good standing and the authority to transact business until you reinstate and correct the agent record.
Can a registered agent use a PO box in Georgia?
No. The registered office must be a physical Georgia street address. A PO box alone does not satisfy the requirement, though a mailing address can be listed in addition.
Related
- What is a registered agent (cluster hub)
- How to form an LLC in Georgia
- Georgia LLC cost and filing fees
- Georgia LLC annual registration
- How to dissolve an LLC in Georgia
- How to get a business license in Georgia
- How to get an EIN
Sources
- Georgia Secretary of State - How to Guide: Register a Domestic Entity (registered agent and registered office in the Articles of Organization).
- Georgia.gov - Register an LLC with the Georgia Secretary of State (agent named at formation; filing fees).
- Georgia Secretary of State - Business Division FAQ (registered agent requirement; administrative dissolution; reinstatement).
- Georgia Secretary of State - Georgia Business Forms (Articles of Amendment CD 115).
- Georgia Secretary of State - How to File Annual Registration ($50 fee; confirming the agent yearly).
- Georgia Secretary of State - eCorp online filing portal (file and update the registered agent).
- Georgia Secretary of State - How to Reserve a Name (Corporations Division filing process).
- IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (federal treatment of the entity).
- IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN for the entity).
- Legal Information Institute - Service of process (what the registered agent receives).
- Legal Information Institute - Registered agent (definition and role).
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 requirements change; verify current requirements with the Georgia Secretary of State before acting.