Quick answer

A professional registered agent for one business in one state typically costs about $125 to $199 a year, based on the ongoing prices published by the national providers here that publish one, as of October 6, 2026. ZenBusiness charges $199 a year, at the top of that range. That is a fair price for a business forming with ZenBusiness that wants formation, compliance filings and its agent on one account. Promotional first-year terms vary widely, so the renewal price is the number to compare.

How much should a registered agent cost per year?

For one entity in one state, the national providers here that publish an ongoing price charge between $125 and $199 a year, as of October 6, 2026. The lowest standalone rate in this comparison was $125. ZenBusiness sits at $199.

Three things explain most of the spread. The first is whether the agent is bought alone or bundled with a formation package, since several providers discount or waive the first year for new formations. The second is the gap between an introductory rate and the renewal rate, which is the number that matters after year one.

The third is what comes with the agent. Some providers bundle mail scanning, a business address, compliance filings or attorney access, and some require a membership before the agent can be bought at all. Comparing headline prices without checking those terms is how a $125 agent ends up costing more than a $199 one, or the reverse.

Acting as one's own agent avoids the fee where state law allows an individual to serve. The tradeoff is that the agent's address goes on file with the state, which is the subject of the next section.

Why it is a recurring cost: what state law requires

Registered agent rules are set by each state, and they differ. Two large states show how the requirement works in practice.

The Texas Secretary of State says a Texas entity may not serve as its own registered agent. An officer, owner or employee may serve in an individual capacity, but the entity itself cannot. The office also warns that failing to maintain a registered agent may result in involuntary termination of a domestic entity, or revocation of a foreign entity's registration.

In California, the 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." As in Texas, a California entity cannot act as its own agent.

California also makes the agent's details public. The Secretary of State's Business Search contains the filings of record in its office, including the name and address of the agent for service of process. That is the factual basis for the privacy argument behind paid agents: whoever serves as agent has that address in a searchable public database. For any other state, the rules vary, and that state's business filing office is the place to confirm them.

Published registered agent prices, side by side

Providers are listed alphabetically, not ranked. Editorial judgment appears in the provider entries and the verdict below.

  • Bizee: The first year is free with any formation package. The renewal price after the free year is not stated on its formation pricing page.
  • Harbor Compliance: $159 a year ongoing. The first year is $99 (promotional). It charges one national price rather than a per-state price.
  • LegalZoom: the registered agent price is not published on its LLC pricing page.
  • Northwest Registered Agent: $125 a year, with no introductory rate listed. A business address and mail scanning are included.
  • Rocket Lawyer: its pricing page lists memberships and LLC registration, not a registered agent price.
  • ZenBusiness: $199 a year. The agent is an add-on to every formation package.

Prices are as of October 6, 2026. Each figure was taken from the provider's own site.

The providers, in alphabetical order

Bizee

Bizee includes a free first year of registered agent service with every formation package, including Basic at $0 plus state fees. Standard is $199 and Premium is $299, each a one-time payment, as of October 6, 2026.

The formation pricing page does not publish what the agent costs once the free year ends, so that renewal figure is worth confirming before choosing Bizee on the strength of the free year. Best for: forming on a tight budget and deferring the agent cost by a year.

Harbor Compliance

Harbor Compliance charges $159 a year ongoing, with a promotional first year at $99, as of October 6, 2026. Two- and three-year terms hold the $99 annual rate for the full term, then renew at $159. It is one national price rather than a per-state price.

Harbor Compliance, like CSC, is built for multi-state and regulated filings at a scale ZenBusiness does not target. Best for: entities registered in several states or operating in licensed industries.

LegalZoom

LegalZoom offers registered agent service, and its price is not published on the LLC pricing page. For businesses switching to it, LegalZoom says it handles the change paperwork and covers the state fees.

Its LLC formation packages are Basic at $0 plus state fees, Managed Service at $249 and Expert Service at $999, as of October 6, 2026; the agent price does not appear on that LLC pricing page. Best for: owners already using LegalZoom for legal documents who want the agent in the same account.

Northwest Registered Agent

Northwest Registered Agent charges $125 a year, as of October 6, 2026. That price includes a free domain, website, business address, phone line and mail scanning. Privacy is the center of its pitch, and the bundled business address is the practical reason why: it gives a home-based owner a non-home address to use beyond the agent listing.

ZenBusiness, by contrast, states that its agent address is for legal and government documents only and cannot serve as a business address. For a reader whose main goal is keeping a home address out of public view, Northwest deserves a serious look. Best for: home-based owners who put address privacy first and want the lowest straightforward annual price.

Rocket Lawyer

Rocket Lawyer does not list a registered agent price on its pricing page, which is built around memberships. Plus costs $49.99 a month or $249 a year, and Pro costs $64.99 a month or $349 a year, as of October 6, 2026.

Memberships come with a 7-day free trial, and attorney consultations are priced at $149 for 30 minutes or $249 for 60. Best for: owners who want ongoing attorney access and would pay for a membership anyway.

ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness sells registered agent service for $199 a year as an add-on to all three of its LLC formation packages. Any introductory terms should be checked at checkout, since promotional pricing changes and conditions attach to it.

The service covers LLCs and corporations, whether formed with ZenBusiness or elsewhere. ZenBusiness does not currently offer it to professional LLCs or nonprofits. It monitors state notices sent to the agent address, scans and uploads documents to the customer dashboard, sends email notifications and mails legal notices that need attention, all for one yearly price without per-document charges.

The formation packages, as of October 6, 2026, are Starter at $0 plus state fees, Pro at $199 and Premium at $299, with Pro and Premium renewing at their annual prices. The EIN and operating agreement are included from Pro up and cost $99 each on Starter. Pro also covers the state-required annual report filing.

Best for: someone forming a business now who wants formation, EIN, compliance filings and the registered agent from one provider, with one vendor to track.

Is $199 a year fair?

At $199, ZenBusiness sits at the top of the published range in this comparison. Where the price shows its value is inside the ZenBusiness bundle, where the agent is one part of a larger setup rather than a standalone line item.

A Pro customer who adds the agent renews two items at $199 each, $398 a year before any state fees, and that covers the agent and the annual report filing. An owner who would otherwise track and file the annual report alone, or pay someone else to, is buying back time and reducing the risk of a missed deadline with part of that figure.

A first-year promotion, where one applies, should not drive the decision, because $199 is the ongoing price. Judged on the renewal price, ZenBusiness is a fair, upper-range agent that makes the most sense for owners consolidating their setup with one company.

Where the agent fits when starting a business

For someone forming a business now, the agent is one step in a sequence: the entity, then an EIN, then a separate business bank account, then the books. The IRS says in Publication 583 that opening a business checking account is one of the first things to do when starting a business. For the broader registration steps, the U.S. Small Business Administration's Register Your Business guide is the federal starting point.

ZenBusiness covers the first stretch of that sequence. It handles formation, obtains the EIN on Pro and Premium, and lists small business banking among its services. Its Money Pro bookkeeping is $30 a month as of October 6, 2026.

Customers who form an LLC or corporation with it also get a free accounting consultation with recommendations for first-year accounting, bookkeeping and tax needs, as ZenBusiness describes on its accounting page. That consultation is a reason to choose the provider before choosing any bookkeeping tool, since it shapes what the business actually needs.

What to check before paying any registered agent

Start with the renewal price, not the first-year price, and confirm whether the provider covers the entity type in question; ZenBusiness, for instance, excludes professional LLCs and nonprofits. Check whether the agent address can double as a business address, whether any documents carry extra charges, and whether a membership is required before the agent can be bought.

Finally, factor in the cost of changing course. The Texas Secretary of State charges $15 to change a registered agent or registered office using Form 401, and other states set their own fees. A slightly cheaper agent that has to be replaced in a year or two can end up costing more than choosing well the first time.

Sources

This article is general information, not legal, tax or accounting advice, and registered agent requirements vary by state and change over time.