Louisiana Registered Agent for LLCs
Every Louisiana LLC must appoint a registered agent with a physical address in the state. Learn what a registered agent does, who qualifies, and how to appoint or change one.
Bizee Editorial Staff
Editorial Team
Louisiana LLC quick facts
Filing fee: $100 (online) / $75 (mail) for Articles of Organization
Processing time: 3–5 business days (online); longer by mail
State agency: Louisiana Secretary of State
Annual report due: Annual report required; due by the anniversary of formation
State tax rate: No state income tax on pass-through LLC income; Louisiana corporate income tax applies to C Corp elections
What is a registered agent?
A registered agent is a person or business designated to receive legal documents and official correspondence on behalf of your LLC. In Louisiana, every LLC must appoint and maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in the state. This is a legal requirement, not optional.
The registered agent's address is the official location where the Louisiana Secretary of State and courts can reach your business. That address becomes part of the public record when you file your Articles of Organization.
Louisiana registered agent requirements
Louisiana law requires every LLC to maintain a registered agent at all times. The agent must be either an individual who lives in Louisiana or a business entity authorized to do business in the state. A P.O. box does not qualify — the agent must have a physical street address in Louisiana.
When you file your Articles of Organization, you must include the registered agent's name and physical address. The agent must also sign the designation in the Articles. Louisiana is one of the states where that signature requirement catches people off guard.
- Must be an individual Louisiana resident or a business entity authorized to operate in Louisiana
- Must have a physical street address in Louisiana — P.O. boxes are not accepted
- Must be available during normal business hours to receive documents
- Must sign the registered agent designation in your Articles of Organization
What a registered agent does
A registered agent's job is to receive official documents on your LLC's behalf and make sure they reach you. The role is narrower than most people expect — it's not a general business advisor, it's a reliable point of contact for legal and government correspondence.
The documents a registered agent handles include service of process notices (lawsuits and legal claims), correspondence from the Louisiana Secretary of State, state and federal government notices, and requests to complete permits, filings, and reports.
Can I be my own registered agent in Louisiana?
Yes, you can serve as your own registered agent in Louisiana if you're a state resident with a physical address in Louisiana. You'll need to be available at that address during normal business hours to receive documents. It's allowed, but there are real trade-offs worth thinking through before you decide.
The biggest trade-off is privacy. When you list yourself as the registered agent, your personal address becomes a public record filed with the Louisiana Secretary of State. Anyone can look it up through the state's business database. If you work from home, that means your home address is publicly searchable.
Plus, you need to be physically present at that address during business hours every day your LLC is active. If you travel, move, or work irregular hours, you risk missing a time-sensitive legal notice. Using a professional registered agent service keeps a business address on the public record instead of your home address, and ensures someone is always available to receive documents.
How to appoint a registered agent in Louisiana
You appoint your registered agent when you file your Articles of Organization with the Louisiana Secretary of State. The Articles must include the agent's name and physical Louisiana street address, and the agent must sign the designation. You can file online through the Secretary of State's business portal or by mail.
If you form your LLC through Bizee, we handle the registered agent appointment as part of the formation process. Your first year of registered agent service is included at no additional cost, and the annual fee is $119 after that.
How to change your registered agent
You can change your registered agent after your LLC is formed. To do it, file a Statement of Change with the Louisiana Secretary of State. The form requires the LLC's name, the current registered agent's information, and the new agent's name and physical Louisiana address.
Make sure there's no gap in coverage during the transition. Louisiana requires your LLC to have a registered agent at all times — not just at formation. Filing the Statement of Change with the Secretary of State makes the new appointment official.
What happens if you don't have a registered agent?
If your LLC doesn't have a registered agent on file with the Louisiana Secretary of State, the state can administratively dissolve your LLC. That means your business loses its legal standing in Louisiana — and with it, the liability protection the LLC structure provides.
Beyond dissolution, missing a service of process notice because no agent was available can mean a court enters a default judgment against your business without you ever knowing a lawsuit was filed. Keeping a registered agent in place is one of the simplest ways to stay in good standing and avoid that outcome.
FAQ
Yes. Every LLC formed in Louisiana is required by law to appoint and maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in the state. This requirement applies from the moment you file your Articles of Organization and continues for as long as your LLC is active. There's no exception for small businesses or single-member LLCs.
You need to appoint a registered agent when you file your Articles of Organization with the Louisiana Secretary of State. The agent's name and physical Louisiana address must be included in the Articles, and the agent must sign the designation. You can't complete the formation filing without it.
Yes, but there are trade-offs. You can serve as your own registered agent if you're a Louisiana resident with a physical street address in the state and you're available there during normal business hours. The main downside is that your personal address becomes a public record filed with the Secretary of State — searchable by anyone through the state's business database.
Yes. Your registered agent must have a physical street address in Louisiana — not a P.O. box. If you use a registered agent service, that company must be authorized to do business in Louisiana. The address is what the state and courts use to reach your LLC, so it has to be a real, reachable location in the state.
You can look up the registered agent for any Louisiana LLC through the Louisiana Secretary of State's business database at coraweb.sos.la.gov. Search by business name and the public record will show the registered agent's name and address on file. This information is publicly available for all active Louisiana LLCs.
If your LLC doesn't maintain a registered agent on file, the Louisiana Secretary of State can administratively dissolve your business. Your LLC loses its legal standing in the state, which means the liability protection it provides goes away too. Missing a service of process notice can also result in a court entering a default judgment against your business without your knowledge.
