Top 10 Best New York Registered Agents 2024: Reviews & Guides
Reviewed by Randolph Vialva, MBA
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The criteria for a registered agent in New York may appear straightforward on the surface, but there is considerable depth to this function. Rather than spending hours investigating the rules and regulations on your own, we’ve put together a guide to make it simple for you to find out what you need to know. New York registered agent reviews may help you to find a better one.
So, in this article, we have mentioned the top 10 New York registered agents. We’ll go over each agent in detail and give objective suggestions based on your needs.
Read more: Best LLC Services In 2024
What Is A New York Registered Agent?
A business designates a “registered agent” (or RA, also known as an agent for service of process) to receive official legal documents such as lawsuit documents, subpoenas, wage garnishments, and other official legal papers. Every corporation, limited liability company (LLC), limited liability partnership (LLP), and limited partnership in New York must have a registered agent service. New York Registered Agent service reviews will help you in finding the best one.
Top 10 Best Registered Agents In New York: Reviewed & Rated
- Zenbusiness – Best Overall
- Northwest Registered Agent – Most Affordable
- IncFile – Best for ongoing legal services
- Harbor Compliance – Best Budget
- Rocket Lawyer – Best registered agent services
- Incorp– Affordable pricing
- Better Legal – Most friendly LLC formation services
- Legalzoom – Best Premium
- Inc Authority – Affordable formation services
- Swyft Filings – Best for Small businesses
Read more: Best LLC Formation Services In New York (NY) 2024
Features Of The Best Registered Agents In New York
We looked into many different registered agent services in New York and discovered that Northwest Registered Agent is the finest option. They provide all of the services that a registered agent service is required to give, as well as a few extras that set them apart. They not only give your LLC a physical address and accept official mail from the New York Secretary of State on your behalf, but they also forward mail to you, scan and upload your documents to an online portal, and keep you informed about upcoming compliance filing deadlines so that your LLC can get that Good Standing Certificate.
Top 10 New York Registered Agents Reviews In 2024
Zenbusiness
Zenbusiness, based in Austin, Texas, is a company formation and maintenance service. Since its inception in 2016, ZenBusiness has served over 70,000 customers and is a Public Benefit Corporation.
- Starts at $0 plus state fees
- Premium registered agent and compliances services
- Affordable EIN and expedited filing options
- There is no choice for a company seal.
ZenBusiness is the newest LLC Services company on the block, and it has completely revolutionized the industry. From formation to the all-important registered agent services, they’ve got your back. And with thier worry-free compliance services, you can gain peace of mind while focusing on what you do best: running your business. With ZenBusiness, if you go for the Starter Plan, you will get your operating agreement draft, registered agent service, and other benefits at $0. Besides, all the plans have free accounting consultations as well.
Their focus on efficiency (through online automation) and word-of-mouth marketing allow them to provide every important service for LLC formation for 30%–70% less than the big brand names.
Highlights
- Best Registered Agent service available.
- Registration as a DBA (doing business as).
- Agreements about how to run the business.
- Employer identification number issued by the federal government.
- State compliance obligations are ongoing.
- Annual business reports are published every year.
Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent has built a reputation as a no-nonsense organization that provides LLC forms and other legal services for businesses since opening its doors in 1998. This Northwest Registered Agent service LLC review goes over all of the features that set them apart from the competition.
- Their customer service is outstanding. Northwest Registered Agent employs a staff of fully qualified Corporate Guides to provide top customer service.
- They’re one of the few LLC service providers that provide a full year of registered agent service as part of the creation package.
- Northwest Registered Agent service, unlike many of its competitors, does not sell your information to third parties. They also manage their servers and develop their software. In a nutshell, they value your security and privacy.
- Northwest Registered Agent’s drawbacks include a lack of functionality compared to other low-cost LLC services with similar pricing.
Northwest Registered Agent service LLC is a Spokane, Washington-based LLC establishment and New York registered agent firm. They are a family-owned and operated medium-sized firm with roughly 200 employees, according to its website.
Highlights
- In all 50 states, there is a registered agent service.
- They offer services such as virtual offices and mail forwarding.
- Filing of annual company compliance reports.
IncFile
When it comes to legal assistance for your business, quality, affordability, and speed are all important considerations. On all three counts, Incfile delivers. They’ve spent years assisting new enterprises to get off the ground. They charge a single cost for all of their services. Most services can be completed with just a few mouse clicks.
- One of the greatest options for forming a corporate corporation.
- With the formation of a company entity, you get a year of free registered agent service.
- Incfile offers tax filing services, with a discount if you file both personal and business taxes with them.
- Incfile allows you to keep track of changes to your business, such as changes to your New York registered agent service or business name.
- There is no possibility to contact or engage an attorney, and intellectual property services are limited.
Incfile is a legal services provider that allows small business owners to incorporate corporations, file compliance forms, and file taxes online. The services you receive are tailored to the state or states in which your company operates. There are no long-term contracts or retainers to pay because Incfile charges a flat, one-time fee for services.
Highlights
- Incfile will assist your company with compliance issues such as obtaining an EIN and completing a corporation’s annual report.
- The services will assist you with filing the appropriate papers if your company receives a New ork registered agent, changes its name, or any other information changes.
- Incfile does offer trademark registration services, while not being particularly active in the field of intellectual property filings.
- Certificate of Good Standing: Your firm may be asked to demonstrate proof of good standing by lenders, investors, or government organizations.
Harbor Compliance
A look at the Harbor Compliance website reveals that they are distinct from the other LLC formation firms. The majority of the other guys let you fill out an online questionnaire or order form. We prefer the option of submitting information online, but personalized service is valued.
- Pros of personal customer service
- One-day processing time
- Google Harbor gives it a 4.5 out of 5 rating.
- Really costly
Over 10,000 businesses rely on Harbor Compliance to stay in compliance with federal, state, and municipal business licensing agencies. Their licensing professional’s draught and file applications, and their proprietary software keep track of deadlines, renewals, and fees.
Highlights
- Checking the availability of the company name you want and submitting Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State in your state
- Providing you with a template for an Operating Agreement that may be used to outline how your LLC will be administered
- Act as your registered agent service (which you are legally obligated to have) and receive vital legal communications for your business
Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer is a good alternative for online estate planning, but there are a few drawbacks. You can draught a will and other legal papers online during the company’s free seven-day free trial, but you must input your credit card information and pay for broader access to the site.
- A wide range of options
- Direct access to lawyers
- Excellent customer service
- High members relatively costly
Rocket Lawyer is a powerful estate planning software. You’ll be able to produce a variety of legal papers, some of which may or may not be related to estate planning. You can build wills and trusts, but you can also form LLCs, non-profits, and corporations, as well as other unique legal papers and contracts.
Highlights
- Make legal documents and contracts that are unique to you.
- Examine paperwork and contracts.
- Create your LLC, company, or nonprofit with the help of a lawyer.
Incorporate
Incorporate.com provides a wide range of business formation and compliance services, including both incorporation and LLC forms. They provide a user-friendly website with a wealth of information regarding when and why such services might be beneficial to you.
- If they make a mistake with any of your document submissions, they’ll either fix it or pay you up to $75,000 to fix the problem.
- The Company Corporation, which began in 1899, was the forerunner to Incorporate.com. Needless to say, they have an unrivaled track record in the sector.
- They offer an online learning center, as do other organizations in this industry. However, compared to many of their competitors, theirs has a significantly larger document library.
- There are much less expensive New York registered agent services options available. Their annual rate of $235 is more than double what many providers charge.
The Corporation Services Company (CSC), which was founded in 1899, claims to have assisted over 750,000 corporations with their formation and compliance issues. CSC is a massive corporation with approximately 2,500 people.
Highlights
- Formations and Incorporations of Limited Liability Companies (LLCs)
- Services of a Registered Agent
- Bylaws and Operating Agreement Drafting
- Annual Reports, as well as Business Licenses and Permits, must be filed.
Better Legal
Overall, BetterLegal provides a wealth of benefits to its clients. They have inexpensive rates for their business services, as well as a low flat cost for new business owners. They have a fantastic website that offers a fantastic user experience as well as incredible speed when handling documents, resulting in quick turnaround times of only two business days.
- Pros of Quick Turnaround
- Excellent Customer Reviews
- Inexpensive Registered Agent services
- Lack of flexibility
BetterLegal is a new LLC formation service that launched in 2016. Even as a newbie to the industry, they have managed to build a reputation for themselves by providing exceptional service and delivering consistent results.
Highlights:
- Drafting of an operating agreement and bylaws and a search service for business licenses and permits.
- Services relating to compliance, such as the submission of annual reports.
- Amendment filings, such as those required to update your company’s name, address, operating state, or member information.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom‘s registered agent services are more expensive than those offered by other companies that provide similar, if not higher-quality, services. LegalZoom’s registered agent services, for example, start at $299 for the first year, whereas competitors like ZenBusiness’s are only $99 per year.
- You get more than just document forwarding with LegalZoom. They also give a Compliance Calendar to remind you of critical filing deadlines, scan and copy all documents, and call you immediately if you receive a court summons as your ew York registered agent service.
- They serve a huge number of people, with approximately 4 million people served since 1999. One of the most well-known online legal services is LegalZoom.
- Within 60 days of purchase, you have the option of receiving a complete refund of any fees paid to LegalZoom, no questions asked.
- Customer feedback is mixed, which is understandable given the company’s size.
LegalZoom is similar to Rocket Lawyer in that it offers low-cost legal services to the general public. Both businesses are well-known and have substantial marketing budgets. Wills, trusts, LLC formation, incorporation, trademarks, and legal registration are all things that it can help with.
Highlights:
- Registered agent services
- Data security in the workplace
- Calendar of compliance with unlimited cloud storage
Inc Authority
The free LLC filing setup service is Inc Authority’s most popular bundle; all you have to pay are state costs. Optional services, such as domain registration for your website and assistance from an Inc Authority advisor, are available to aid startups with a variety of needs.
- Top Customer Reviews
- Free LLC Formation and Incorporation
- 30+ years of experience
- Limited price transparency
One of the few LLC formation firms that have changed to a free formation approach is Inc Authority. We believe the company is a credible source for online LLC registration based on its high ratings, favorable reviews, and a number of years in operation.
Highlights
- Services for forming a limited liability company
- IRS form 2553 filings are handled by a registered agent service (S-corp elections)
- Searches for business licenses as well as several others
Swyft Filings
Swyft Filings is a company that delivers exceptional customer service in terms of reaction time and can save you thousands of dollars thanks to the value it offers on its packages. We also like how it has a lot of extra features in its packages, as well as a simple yet easy-to-navigate website, which is great if you’re beginning a new business and want to keep your paperwork to a minimum.
- Flexible price plan and a low-cost formation service
- Customer service that is direct and personal
- Good turnaround time
- Trustpilot gave it a 4.6/5 rating and Sitejabber gave it a 4.5/5
- Unnecessary upselling
- Service listings that are unclear
- registered agent services formation packages does not include
Swyft Filings is a good alternative for your LLC formation or incorporation because of its flexible and reasonable pricing strategy and quick turnaround times. Even though they have only been in business since 2015, they have received thousands of great reviews from happy consumers.
Highlights:
- Forming new company entities, including business name verification and other required contacts and filings with state authorities
- Assisting with the initial IRS papers (e.g., obtaining an EIN)
- Providing you with customized, commonly-used legal papers including Operating Agreements and banking resolutions.
- Helping you stay in good standing with federal agencies by reminding you of crucial deadlines, such as annual reports.
What Is A New York Registered Agent?
A business designates a “registered agent” (or RA, also known as an agent for service of process) to receive official legal documents such as lawsuit documents, subpoenas, wage garnishments, and other official legal papers. Every corporation, limited liability company (LLC), limited liability partnership (LLP), and limited partnership in New York must have a registered agent service. New York Registered Agent service reviews will help you in finding the best one.
What Does A New York Registered Agent Do?
A registered agent’s sole responsibility is to receive documents on behalf of a company and forward them to the relevant person within the company. You can inform the agent who to contact if they receive lawsuits or other paperwork once you’ve picked a registered agent.
The work of the agent appears straightforward, yet lawsuits, subpoenas, and notices all have stringent deadlines. Deadlines that are missed might have legal and financial ramifications. As a result, having a responsible agent who can be trusted to pass along information quickly is crucial.
Ranking Methodology
Registered agents are ranked as per their specialty, price, and services. We have compiled all the best of New York’s registered agent services and ranked them according to their specialty.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Registered agent service is required in all 50 states for business entities such as corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs). To stay in good standing with your state, you’ll need a registered agent.
Your accountant may also act as a registered tax agent (see below) and/or interact with third parties such as vendors, consumers, and financial institutions such as the Australian Tax Office (ATO) and Revenue NSW.
A registered agent service’s principal objective is to help your business maintain effective corporate compliance by informing you of legal notices or sending annual report filing reminders, in addition to receiving official mail on your behalf.
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- Legislation. NY State Senate. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/BSC/305
- ebiennialweb. filing.dos.ny.gov. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://filing.dos.ny.gov/eBiennialWeb/
- Types of Businesses Operating in New York State. Department of State. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://dos.ny.gov/types-businesses-operating-new-york-state
- Get a New York Registered Agent Today. ZenBusiness Inc. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.zenbusiness.com/new-york-registered-agent/
- Legislation. NY State Senate. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/LLC/302
- New York Registered Agent | For LLCs & Corporations. Northwest Registered Agent. Accessed November 11, 2022. https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/registered-agent/new-york