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ZenBusiness |
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Visit ZenBusiness |
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Northwest Registered Agent |
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Visit Northwest |
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Harbor Compliance |
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Visit Harbor Compliance |
For anyone planning to start a business in Alaska, there’s a process in place that you must follow to get up and running. As with many states, there’s paperwork that’s required to establish a business, like an LLC or a corporation. Part of that paperwork requires you to select and list a registered agent. This person serves as the company’s official point of contact.
Since selecting a registered agent is tied to setting up a business, we’ll explain how the entire process works in The Last Frontier.
What is an Alaska registered agent?
A registered agent is a person or a company that’s willing to receive legal paperwork on behalf of your company. Official paperwork could include tax forms, court documents, or paperwork that’s served during a lawsuit.
Read more: What is a registered agent?
How does an owner select a registered agent in Alaska?
The registered agent is listed on the LLC formation paperwork; the Articles of Organization. The registered agent should be aware of this role and understand the responsibility that comes with it.
Who can be a registered agent in Alaska?
In Alaska, the law says the business owner can be the registered agent on file, but it can also be a friend, neighbor, local company, or a registered agent service.
In Alaska, a registered agent can be:
- Anyone who is 18+ years old
- Has a physical street address in Alaska; and
- Is home during the day to accept mail or legal paperwork delivered in person
Can I be my own registered agent in Alaska?
Yes. It’s actually fairly common for the business owner or the person who files the Articles of Organization to serve as the registered agent. However, under state law, a registered agent can be another person or company.
Why would a company choose to work with a registered agent service?
The role of a registered agent isn’t hard. Essentially, this person or company is simply there to accept paperwork on an occasional basis. Since it’s a straightforward job, you might be wondering why some companies choose to hire a registered agent service.
There are benefits to hiring a service to fill this role. Those benefits include:
- Convenience. Being able to accept paperwork at any time on any day might not be feasible for a business owner. For convenience, some people opt for an agency that’s open during the day and can notify them when something arrives.
- Companies with multiple locations. For companies with multiple locations, having a registered agent service gives owners peace of mind that nothing gets missed.
- Privacy. If your company is sued, the documents are served off-site and not in front of any employees. This provides a layer of privacy that some entrepreneurs prefer to have in place.
Read more: Best Registered Agent Services
How much does a registered agent service cost in Alaska?
As a new business, adding any expense to the bottom line might be out of the question. However, the cost of a registered agent service isn’t as expensive as you might expect.
Registered agent services charge an annual fee for their services. Basic services, which could include mail forwarding, are usually $50 or less. For more advanced services with mail forwarding, online accounts, and reminders regarding annual reports, prices hover around $100-250 annually.
List of Alaska registered agent services
For companies looking for a registered agent service, there are many to choose from in Alaska. As you look through your options, look at the different services that each provides. A few choices include:
- ZenBusiness is fairly new to the market, but it’s grown a strong following. Business owners love the affordable rates for a registered agent service, which are as low as $99 per year. The company also offers worry-free compliance to help business owners file the necessary reports on time.
- Northwest Registered Agent is one of the most recognized names in the registered agent business. The company has decades of experience and local offices scattered across the U.S. to serve small businesses like yours. The cost for a registered agent service is comparable to others. Business owners can also take advantage of additional services like report filing.
- Harbor Compliance is a great fit for organizations that register in multiple states and for those who don’t want to pay excessive service fees. With their network and electronic document delivery, they help ensure your business never misses a legal notification.
Alaska registered agent FAQs
Do I really need a registered agent in Alaska?
Yes. State law requires all companies to list a registered agent. This isn’t unique to Alaska, it’s actually a law in most states. There must be a point of contact on file with the state so documents can be delivered to the company when needed.
Can a company change its registered agent?
A registered agent can be changed. To make the change, business owners fill out a Statement of Change Form with the Alaska Corporations Section. There are different change forms for different business entities, so if your business is an LLC be sure to select that form.
To complete this business filing, expect to pay $25. It will take between 10-15 days for the change to take place.
The term registered agent has several different names, depending on the state you’re in. Alaska uses both registered agent and service of a process agent. They mean the same thing.
What’s a commercial registered agent?
When filling out the LLC formation paperwork, you might be asked if the appointed registered agent is commercial or non-commercial. The definition of a commercial registered agent is a registered agent service, a non-commercial agent is a person or company that you’ve appointed to do the job but isn’t paid to do so.