Nevada Registered Agent: Requirements and How to Choose One
Last verified: November 5, 2026
Every Nevada LLC and corporation has to name a registered agent with a street address in Nevada, and the choice is smaller than the sales pages make it look. The agent receives lawsuits and Secretary of State notices for you, and that is nearly all the law asks of one. This page covers the rules, which kind of agent fits which owner, and what to get in writing before you pay. If you already know you want a paid agent and need provider prices, see the Nevada registered agent services comparison.
What Nevada Requires of a Registered Agent
Chapter 77 of the Nevada Revised Statutes (the Model Registered Agents Act) sets the rules that apply to every agent, and the LLC and corporation chapters add one requirement each.
- You must have one: an LLC must have a registered agent with a street address for service of process, and that address is the LLC's registered office (NRS 86.231). A corporation must have one who resides or is located in Nevada (NRS 78.090).
- A Nevada street address: the filing must state an actual street address or rural route box number in Nevada, plus a Nevada mailing address if it differs (NRS 77.300). A P.O. box can be the mailing address only. For a corporation the statute says so directly (NRS 78.090).
- A signed certificate of acceptance: the appointment must be accompanied by the agent's certificate of acceptance (NRS 77.310). You cannot name someone who has not agreed.
- Commercial registration at 10 or more entities: an individual or a company that serves as agent for 10 or more entities must register as a commercial registered agent with the Secretary of State (NRS 77.320 and NRS 77.040). Below that line the agent is a noncommercial agent.
- Naming one when you form: the agent goes in your articles of organization or incorporation. Beyond the filing fee for the articles (LLC: $75, NRS 86.561) there is no separate fee for naming the agent.
Which Kind of Agent Fits Your Business
Our position: name yourself only if you will actually be at a Nevada street address during the week, and use a commercial agent in every other case. The statutes do not set office hours for either kind, so the reasoning below is ours, not a quoted rule.
Yourself or Someone You Name
An individual in Nevada, or an office or position inside the company, can be the agent (NRS 77.310). It costs nothing beyond the articles fee. It fits a one-owner business with a stable address. The limits are practical: lawsuits and Secretary of State notices are delivered to that street address, so someone has to be there to take them, and that address goes on your filing. If the person moves or becomes unreachable, the notices still go to the old address until a new filing takes effect.
A Commercial Agent
A commercial agent is a business registered with the Secretary of State that serves many entities from a Nevada place of business (NRS 77.320). It fits owners who live out of state, travel, or do not want a home address on the filing. The cost is a recurring fee for a service you hope never to use, and you depend on how well the company passes documents on.
When Neither Is Enough
A commercial agent does not run your compliance. Under the statute an agent receives and forwards process and notices, keeps its own registration or filing current, and keeps a contact person for each entity (NRS 77.400). Filing your annual list, renewing your state business license and paying taxes stay with you, or with an accountant you hire.
What to Get in Writing Before You Hire a Commercial Agent
The statute sets only a minimum, so the contract decides what you get. Ask for these in writing:
- Forwarding method and speed: how a served lawsuit or notice reaches you (email, portal, mail) and how fast. Chapter 77 sets no forwarding deadline, so a turnaround promise exists only if the contract states one.
- Secretary of State notices: the Secretary of State sends default and revocation notices to your registered agent (NRS 86.274 for LLCs). An agent that sits on them can cost you the company.
- Renewal price: the first-year price is often not the second-year price, and any per-document forwarding charge.
- A real Nevada place of business: the agent's registration must state a Nevada place of business where process can be delivered (NRS 77.320).
- A lawful registered office: where an agent serves more than one corporation, the corporation's registered office street address must be at a location where that use is not prohibited by local ordinance (NRS 78.090). Ask the agent to confirm in writing.
- What is bundled: formation, annual list filing and reminders are separate services. Decide whether you want them from the same company.
Changing or Replacing Your Registered Agent
Changing agents is one filing. You file a statement of change with the Secretary of State, it takes effect on filing, and the members or governors do not need to approve it (NRS 77.340). The new agent must sign a certificate of acceptance. The fee is $60 (NRS 77.280). You can file through the Secretary of State's SilverFlume online filing portal, or have the new agent file it.
If the agent resigns, the resignation takes effect on the earlier of the 31st day after filing or the day a new agent is appointed (NRS 77.370). Treat that as a deadline: the entity still has to have an agent. A noncommercial agent who changes address must file a statement of change for each entity represented (NRS 77.350). If the Secretary of State cancels a commercial agent's registration because the agent changed its address without filing, the entity is notified and has to appoint a new agent (NRS 77.360).
Registered Agent Fees Set by Statute
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Naming the agent in LLC articles of organization | $75 for the articles, nothing extra for the agent | NRS 86.561 |
| Statement of change (new agent or address) | $60 | NRS 77.280 |
| Agent's statement of resignation | $100 for the first entity | NRS 77.280 |
| Service of process on the Secretary of State as an LLC's agent | $100, recoverable as costs by the prevailing party | NRS 86.561(2) |
| Commercial agent's own fee | Set by contract, not by statute | Your agreement |
These are statutory amounts as of November 5, 2026. The Secretary of State's own fee schedule could not be read from here, so confirm the current amount on the Secretary of State's Nevada Secretary of State: registered agents before you file. Corporation articles fees depend on authorized shares (NRS 78.760); see the Nevada startup cost guide for the whole formation.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using an out-of-state address: The filing must state a street address in Nevada (NRS 77.300). An agent in California does not satisfy it.
Forgetting to update after a move: If you are your own agent and move out of Nevada, the address on file stops working. File the statement of change before you go.
Naming someone without their consent: The appointment must carry the agent's signed certificate of acceptance.
Assuming the agent files your annual list: It does not, unless you buy that as a separate service. An LLC that misses its annual list is in default and owes a $75 penalty on top of the fee (NRS 86.272). The charter is revoked on the first day of the first anniversary of the month after the filing was due (NRS 86.274), and reinstatement costs $300 plus back fees and penalties (NRS 86.276).
Ignoring default notices: Those notices go to the registered agent. If your agent forwards them slowly, the first you hear of a default may be the revocation.
Registered Agent vs. Business Address
The agent's street address is the entity's registered office, where legal papers are served. Your business address is where you work. They can be the same or different: you can run the business from a home office and have the registered office at a commercial agent's Nevada address. Only the registered office address is a compliance matter.
Next Steps
Decide between yourself and a commercial agent using the section above, get the certificate of acceptance signed, and put the agent in your formation filing. If you are still choosing a provider, the services comparison and the Nevada LLC services guide cover the options. For the whole filing process, start with the Nevada LLC guide.
Disclaimer
This content is informational only and is not legal or tax advice. Nevada registered agent requirements are set by NRS Chapter 77 and the chapter that governs your entity type. Consult a Nevada attorney for advice specific to your business, and confirm all requirements and fees with the Nevada Secretary of State before filing.
Sources
- Nevada Legislature: NRS Chapter 77, Model Registered Agents Act (sections 77.040, 77.280, 77.300, 77.310, 77.320, 77.340, 77.350, 77.360, 77.370, 77.400), revised April 15, 2026
- Nevada Legislature: NRS Chapter 86, limited-liability companies (sections 86.231, 86.272, 86.274, 86.276, 86.561)
- Nevada Legislature: NRS Chapter 78, private corporations (sections 78.090, 78.760)
- Nevada Secretary of State: registered agents (link to the agency page; its fee schedule could not be read from here, so fees above come from the statutes)
- SilverFlume online filing portal (Secretary of State online filing)