An Oregon Registered Agent is a person or business that maintains a registered office for an LLC. The registered office is where certified documents addressed to the LLC can be delivered during normal business hours. Every LLC in Oregon must appoint and maintain a registered agent in the state.
The primary role of the agent is to receive service of process. The agent can serve as a general point of contact between the state and the LLC. Therefore, the agent can also receive communication from the state, including payment reminders, tax notices, etc.
Service of process generally involves legal documents like notice of a lawsuit, summons, complaints, and subpoenas. Once the agent receives these documents, the court system assumes that the LLC has been notified. As such, the agent must forward these documents to the LLC in a timely manner (as quickly as possible).
Legal Requirements For Appointing An Oregon Registered Agent
When appointing a registered agent, you’ll have to make sure they can fulfill the requirements laid down by the state. These aren’t difficult to meet and are more geared towards the general functioning of the agent, rather than being random red tape.
- The agent must have a physical street address in Oregon. This functions as the registered office of the LLC. Use of PO Box addresses or similar services is not allowed.
- If the agent is a person, he or she must be an adult capable of receiving legal documents during normal business hours.
- If the agent is a business entity, they must be in good standing with the state of Oregon. Additionally, the business must have a physical office in Oregon.
The business entity could be any eligible business in the state. However, in practical use, these are usually represented by commercial registered agents. These are businesses that offer their professional services as Oregon registered agents for a fee.
What Does A Registered Agent In Oregon Do?
At a minimum, a registered agent should be expected to handle the following requirements:
- Maintain the registered office of the Oregon LLC.
- Be available during normal business hours (9 am to 5 pm).
- Receive service of process if and when it arrives. The LLC should be notified of this promptly.
- Receive documents and notices from the state and inform the LLC.
Who Can Be The Oregon Registered Agent?
Oregon allows a fairly wide range of options when choosing your registered agent. As we see above, the requirements leave an LLC plenty of room to maneuver and choose its own agent.
- You can be the registered agent of your Oregon LLC.
- It is possible to appoint a friend or family member as the registered agent.
- You can hire a commercial registered agent.
Given the range of options available, it is important to consider the reliability of the agent and their ability to handle the responsibilities.
If you choose to be your own registered agent, remember that you’ll have to shoulder these responsibilities. Being your own registered agent (or appointing family/friends) can save you the money you’d spend on hiring a commercial agent. But you should make sure that it doesn’t come at the cost of reliability or professional service.
Reliability shows up as your ability to receive service of process. A registered agent is required to be available during normal business hours and that could be troublesome for individuals. People like to go on vacations or spend some time out with friends or family.
It could be troublesome if service of process were to arrive during these times. The chances of this happening are low, but the possibility should be considered.
Privacy is another issue. The address details of a registered agent are part of the public record in Oregon. Many people aren’t comfortable with their details being so freely available.
If these possibilities don’t trouble you, or you think you could handle them, being your own agent could be useful. Otherwise, it’s a better option to hire a commercial registered agent.
Hiring A Commercial Registered Agent In Oregon
Several Oregon registered agent service companies are available if you want to hire a registered agent. The fees of these companies vary, but most fall in the range of $30-$300. Several factors affect this pricing, including the services on offer. It is best to look closely into the services they offer and the related pricing.
At the very least, you should see the following benefits of hiring a commercial agent:
- Professional Service: Commercial registered agents usually have fully staffed offices that allow them to offer reliable and professional service. They would be well-trained to receive service of process and handle the steps that follow.
- Privacy: Since your Oregon LLC will use the address of the commercial registered agent where necessary, your own address can remain private.
- Convenience: Generally, it is more convenient to hire a commercial registered agent. They can handle the aspects related to service of process and official notices, while you focus on the business of the LLC.
- Discreet: Service of process will be delivered at the address of the commercial registered agent. That way, your LLC’s employees, customers, or clients don’t need to see your business getting served legal papers.
How To Change My Oregon Registered Agent?
Changing your registered agent is fairly simple in Oregon. You’ll have to file a form for Corporation/Limited Liability Company – Information Change available on the Oregon Secretary of State website. The form can be filed via mail, fax, or in-person. There is no filing fee for this form.
An LLC may also change its Oregon Registered Agent while filing its annual report. The report can be filed online. If you’re hiring a commercial registered agent, many of them may offer to help with completing the change. However, you might still have to do the work with managing the forms, so it’s best to know how to proceed.