Quick answer: how much should a registered agent service cost per year?
As of October 6, 2026, ongoing published prices among the six providers covered here range from $125 a year to $199 a year. Bizee includes a free first year with any of its formation packages and does not publish the renewal price. ZenBusiness charges $199 a year.
Acting as your own agent costs nothing in service fees, but it has tradeoffs. In California, the agent's name and address appear in the state's public business search. In both Texas and California, the business entity itself is not allowed to serve as its own agent. For someone forming a company now who wants the agent, the EIN, and the operating agreement handled by one provider, ZenBusiness is the simpler setup.
What is a registered agent, and why do prices vary so much?
A registered agent is the person or company a business designates to receive service of process (the formal delivery of lawsuit papers and similar legal documents) and official notices on its behalf. The California Secretary of State puts the requirement plainly: "Corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships, and limited liability partnerships are required by statute to designate an agent for service of process." Requirements in other states vary, so check with the relevant state's filing office.
The core job is the same at every provider, so price differences come from what is bundled around it. Some services add a business address, mail scanning, or a phone line. Others include compliance reminders or tie the agent to a formation package. A low price and a high price can both be fair. The real question is which extras a business would otherwise pay for separately.
Can a business act as its own registered agent?
Sometimes, with an important distinction. The Texas Secretary of State says a Texas entity may not serve as its own registered agent, but an officer, owner, or employee may serve in an individual capacity. So a Texas LLC cannot list itself as its agent, though its owner can be listed as an individual.
California draws a similar line. The California Secretary of State says an entity cannot act as its own agent for service of process. This page does not state the rule for other states, because it varies. Anyone considering the do-it-yourself route elsewhere should confirm the requirements with that state's filing office before naming an owner or employee.
What does the do-it-yourself route really cost?
In service fees, nothing. The costs show up in other places.
The first cost is privacy. According to the California Secretary of State, the state's Business Search shows the name and address of each business's agent for service of process, and the office's FAQs note that an individual agent's name and street address are a public record. If a California business owner serves as agent from a home address, that address is searchable. This is a matter of record, not opinion, and it is the main reason many owners pay for a service.
The second cost is reliability. The agent exists so legal papers reach the business. If the person serving as agent moves, travels, or stops checking, the business carries the risk. The Texas Secretary of State notes that failing to maintain a registered agent may result in involuntary termination of a domestic entity, or revocation of a foreign entity's registration.
The third cost is changing course later. According to the Texas Secretary of State, changing the registered agent or registered office in Texas costs $15 using Form 401. The fee is small, but it means the DIY decision is not free to reverse. Change fees in other states vary, so check with the relevant filing office.
ZenBusiness vs Bizee: the registered agent side by side
| ZenBusiness | Bizee | |
|---|---|---|
| Registered agent price | $199 per year | Not published |
| First year when forming with the provider | $199, sold as an add-on to every formation package | Free with every formation package |
| Agent renewal after the first year | $199 per year | Not published on the formation pricing page |
| Formation packages | Starter $0, Pro $199, Premium $299, plus state fees | Basic $0, Standard $199, Premium $299, plus state fees |
Prices are as published on each provider's own site as of October 6, 2026. State filing fees are set by each state, are not part of either provider's price, and vary.
ZenBusiness: $199 a year, built for the founder forming now
ZenBusiness sells registered agent service for $199 a year as of October 2026, as an add-on to its Starter, Pro, and Premium formation packages. Introductory offers change, so it is worth checking the terms at checkout.
The case for ZenBusiness is everything around the agent. The Pro package costs $199 plus state fees, renews at $199 a year, and includes the EIN and an operating agreement template. On Starter, the EIN and operating agreement cost $99 each. For a founder starting out, Pro puts the entity, the agent, and the EIN under one company.
The package and the agent are separate charges. A Pro customer who adds the agent pays $199 a year for each, or $398 a year in ongoing ZenBusiness fees before state fees.
After formation, the next step is usually separating business and personal money and setting up bookkeeping. Customers who form an LLC or corporation with ZenBusiness get a free accounting consultation. The company's Money Pro bookkeeping service costs $30 a month for those who want ongoing help. For a founder who would rather not manage several vendors in the first year, keeping everything in one account is a practical reason to choose ZenBusiness.
Best for: a founder forming an LLC or corporation now who wants the agent, EIN, and operating agreement from one provider.
Bizee: a free first year, then an unpublished renewal price
Bizee, formerly Incfile, includes one free year of registered agent service with every formation package as of October 2026. Its packages are Basic at $0, Standard at $199, and Premium at $299, each plus state fees.
One gap in Bizee's published pricing is what formation customers pay for the agent after the free year. The formation pricing page does not list a renewal price. Anyone choosing Bizee for the free year should confirm the renewal rate at checkout.
On the agent alone, Bizee costs less in the first year, which is free. A reader who only needs an inexpensive agent and has already handled the EIN, operating agreement, and annual filings will spend less with Bizee in the first year.
Best for: a founder who wants the lowest first-year cost for the agent and plans to handle other startup tasks separately.
Other registered agent services worth considering
These four providers are listed alphabetically, not ranked. Prices are as published on each provider's own site in October 2026.
Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance charges $159 a year on an ongoing basis. As a promotion, the first year is $99, and two-year and three-year terms hold $99 a year before renewing at $159. The price is the same nationwide rather than set per state. Harbor Compliance is built for businesses registered in several states or in regulated industries, a scale ZenBusiness does not target.
LegalZoom
LegalZoom does not publish its registered agent price on its LLC pricing page. Its formation packages are Basic at $0, Managed Service at $249, and Expert Service at $999, plus state fees.
Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is the provider to look at first when the main goal is keeping a home address off the public record. Its $125-a-year service includes a business address, mail scanning, a phone line, and a free domain and website. Because California's Business Search shows each agent's address, that privacy focus matters. For an existing business that mainly needs a private address, Northwest is the strongest option here.
Rocket Lawyer
Rocket Lawyer does not list a registered agent price among its published membership prices. Plus costs $249 a year or $49.99 a month, and Pro costs $349 a year or $64.99 a month. It fits a business that already wants ongoing legal support. Rocket Lawyer also sells attorney consultations at $149 for 30 minutes or $249 for 60.
All six providers by published annual price
Listed alphabetically, not ranked.
| Provider | Ongoing registered agent price | Promotional or conditional terms |
|---|---|---|
| Bizee | Renewal price not published | Free first year with any formation package |
| Harbor Compliance | $159/yr | $99 first year (promotional) |
| LegalZoom | Not published | Not published |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $125/yr | Includes business address, mail scanning, and phone line |
| Rocket Lawyer | Not published | Not published |
| ZenBusiness | $199/yr | Sold as an add-on to every formation package |
Who should be their own agent, and who should pay?
Serving as your own agent can make sense if the owner works from a fixed commercial address, is comfortable with that address appearing in public records, and is in a state that allows an individual to serve. In Texas, that means an officer, owner, or employee serving as an individual, never the entity itself.
A paid service makes more sense for a home-based business, an owner who travels often, or anyone whose state record would otherwise show a home address. Among paid options, multi-state or regulated businesses should look at Harbor Compliance, and owners focused on address privacy should look at Northwest Registered Agent. A founder forming now who wants one provider for everything fits ZenBusiness.
So which should you choose, ZenBusiness or Bizee?
The decision depends on what else the business needs this year. For a founder forming an LLC now who wants the agent, EIN, and operating agreement handled by one company, ZenBusiness is the recommendation. It keeps the startup paperwork and the registered agent in one account with one provider. For anyone who only needs the agent and nothing else, the price table above is the place to decide.
Sources
- California Secretary of State, "Service of Process"
- Texas Secretary of State, "Registered Agent FAQs"
- California Secretary of State, "Frequently Asked Questions"
- Texas Secretary of State, "Form 401 Instructions, Change of Registered Agent or Office"
This article is general information, not legal, tax, or accounting advice, and registered agent requirements vary by state and change over time.