Registered agent for a North Dakota LLC
Data last updated: Apr 22, 2026The quick read on North Dakota registered agents
Every North Dakota LLC is legally required to maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in the state. The role is to receive service of process (lawsuit papers), state tax notices, and other official government mail on the LLC's behalf. You can serve as your own agent if you live in North Dakota and meet the requirements, or hire a commercial service for typically $99 to $299 per year.
North Dakota-specific rules matter. The statute is N.D.C.C. § 10-32.1-17. The registered agent's address goes on the public state record, so most owners who want privacy use a paid service to keep their home address off the record. Owners who live in the state and don't mind the public listing often save $100 to $250 per year by serving as their own agent.
Who can serve as a registered agent in North Dakota
North Dakota allows an individual ND resident (at least 18) or a domestic or foreign entity authorized to do business in ND to serve as registered agent. The registered office must be a physical North Dakota street address, and business-hours availability is required. National services (Northwest, CT Corporation, Bizee) qualify via their standard ND foreign entity registrations through the FirstStop portal.
North Dakota does not operate a separate commercial registered agent registry. Any qualifying individual or entity can serve without a dedicated commercial-agent filing. The LLC's own member or manager can serve as RA if they meet the residency or entity-authorization rule, which is the default for Fargo, Bismarck, and Grand Forks-based single-member LLCs.
What North Dakota requires of a registered agent
- Physical street address in North Dakota
Not a PO box, not a mail-drop. The address becomes part of the public record visible on the Secretary of State's business entity search.
- Available during business hours
Typically 9 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday. The agent has to be physically present (or have staff present) to accept service, not just reachable by phone or email.
- At least 18 years old and a resident or registered entity
Individual agents must be 18+ and reside in North Dakota. Entity agents must be registered to transact business in North Dakota.
- Written consent on file
North Dakota requires the registered agent to consent in writing to serve. Formation services handle this automatically when you sign up. For an individual agent, a simple signed consent letter suffices.
North Dakota statute and change-of-agent rules
| Statute | N.D.C.C. § 10-32.1-17 |
| Change of registered agent form | Statement of Change of Registered Agent |
| Change filing fee | $10 |
| Online filing | Accepted |
| Processing time | 5 business days |
| Commercial agents must register separately | No |
Choosing the right registered agent in North Dakota
North Dakota is a cheap-to-maintain state. The $50 annual report, no franchise tax on pass-through LLCs, and online-only FirstStop portal keep ongoing compliance simple. That context makes the RA decision mostly a convenience call for ND residents. Self-serving from a stable address saves $100 to $250 per year and is legitimate.
For paid services, Northwest at $125 per year is the default recommendation for ND LLCs and handles the $10 change-of-agent filing for free when you switch. Bizee at $119 is marginally cheaper. ZenBusiness at $99 is the cheapest national option. Local ND law firms occasionally offer RA service at $75 to $150 per year when bundled with broader business-services work. The November 15 annual report deadline is easy to miss when you're used to the more common April 15 deadline, so a service with compliance reminders is worth considering if calendar management isn't your strength. The North Dakota formation page covers the full FirstStop walkthrough.
Registered agent services that operate in North Dakota
National commercial registered agent services operate in all 50 states plus DC, so every provider below accepts North Dakota LLCs. Sorted by annual renewal cost. Click the service name for the full review.
| Service | Annual renewal | Trustpilot | Review count |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZenBusiness | $99/yr | 4.8 | 28,984 |
| Bizee fka Incfile | $119/yr | 4.7 | 25,227 |
| MyCorporation | $120/yr | 3.7 | 279 |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $125/yr | 3.8 | 217 |
| CorpNet | $149/yr | 4.9 | 1,205 |
| doola | $197/yr | 4.6 | 2,005 |
| Tailor Brands | $199/yr | 4.7 | 14,203 |
| BizFilings | $220/yr | 4.5 | 170 |
| Inc Authority | $249/yr | 4.9 | 46,831 |
| LegalZoom | $249/yr | 4.6 | 30,014 |
| Rocket Lawyer | $250/yr | 4.5 | 9,717 |
| Firstbase | $299/yr | 4.8 | 1,045 |
If you let your North Dakota registered agent lapse
Under N.D.C.C. § 10-32.1-55, the Secretary of State can administratively dissolve an LLC that fails to maintain a registered agent for 60 consecutive days or misses the November 15 annual report. The SoS sends a cure notice before dissolution. Reinstatement under § 10-32.1-56 costs $50 plus all delinquent $50 annual reports and late fees. A two-year ND lapse costs around $200 in state fees, among the cheaper reinstatement bills in the country. FirstStop processes reinstatements in roughly 5 to 10 business days once all fees are paid.
North Dakota filing agency
North Dakota Secretary of State - Business Services
- Website
- sos.nd.gov
- Phone
- (701) 328-2900
- sosbir@nd.gov
- 600 E Boulevard Avenue, Dept 108, Bismarck, ND 58505-0500
- Hours
- 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Central, Monday to Friday
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who can be a registered agent for a North Dakota LLC?
An individual ND resident at least 18 with a physical ND street address, or a domestic or foreign entity authorized to do business in ND. PO boxes don't qualify as the registered office. The LLC's own member or manager can serve if they meet the residency or entity-authorization rule.
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How much does a North Dakota registered agent service cost?
National services run $99 to $249 per year, with ZenBusiness at $99, Bizee at $119, and Northwest at $125 as the common mid-tier options. Local ND law-firm RA offerings occasionally sit in the $75 to $150 range, though the market is thinner than in larger states.
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Can I be my own registered agent in North Dakota?
Yes, if you reside in ND, have a physical ND street address, and are available during business hours to accept service of process. Your name and address appear on the public FirstStop business entity search. Self-serving is viable for ND residents with a stable address who accept the public-record exposure.
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What does it cost to change my North Dakota registered agent?
$10 for the Statement of Change of Registered Agent, filed online through the FirstStop portal at firststop.sos.nd.gov. ND does not accept paper filings for this form (or any LLC filings) since the FirstStop portal migration. Processing runs about 5 business days.
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What happens if my North Dakota LLC's registered agent resigns?
You have 60 days to designate a replacement after the Secretary of State's cure notice under § 10-32.1-55. Miss the window and the LLC can be administratively dissolved. Reinstatement costs $50 plus all delinquent $50 annual reports. A two-year ND lapse costs around $200 total, among the cheapest in the country.
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When is the North Dakota annual report due?
Business LLCs (the typical LLC type) file annual reports by November 15 each year. Farming/Ranching and Authorized Livestock Farm LLCs file by April 15. The November 15 deadline is unusual compared to most states' April/spring deadlines, and it catches first-time ND LLC owners off guard. A commercial RA service with compliance reminders helps avoid this trap.
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Does North Dakota operate a commercial registered agent registry?
No. ND has no separate commercial RA registry. Any qualifying individual or entity can serve as RA via the FirstStop portal without a dedicated commercial-agent filing. National services like Northwest and Bizee operate in ND through their standard foreign entity registrations.
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Do I need a registered agent for a North Dakota LLC?
Yes. North Dakota law requires every LLC to designate a registered agent with a physical street address in North Dakota and availability during business hours. There is no exception for inactive or small LLCs. If the LLC loses its registered agent and doesn't designate a replacement within the state's grace period, North Dakota begins administrative dissolution of the entity.
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How much does a registered agent service cost in North Dakota?
National services range from $99 per year (ZenBusiness) to $299 per year (Firstbase). The $190 average is close to the market median. North Dakota-based local registered agent services also operate in the state, typically pricing between $50 and $150 per year.
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How do I change my registered agent in North Dakota?
File Statement of Change of Registered Agent with North Dakota Secretary of State - Business Services. The fee is $10. Online filing is accepted. Processing takes about 5 business days. Most formation services handle this paperwork for free when you sign up.
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Is the registered agent fee tax deductible?
Yes. Registered agent fees are an ordinary and necessary business expense deductible on the LLC's federal tax return (Schedule C, Form 1065, or 1120/1120-S depending on tax treatment). North Dakota state tax treatment follows federal on this deduction. Keep the invoices with your tax records.
Related
Sources
- Statute: www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t10c32-1.pdf · verified April 22, 2026
N.D.C.C. § 10-32.1-17 (Registered agent) under Chapter 10-32.1 (Uniform Limited Liability Company Act) requires every ND LLC to continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office in the state. - Change of agent: www.sos.nd.gov/business/business-services/business-structures/limited-… · verified April 22, 2026
North Dakota SoS LLC fees page: Statement of Change of Registered Agent filing fee is $10. Filed online through the FirstStop portal. Processing typically runs 5 business days in line with ND's overall filing cadence. - Penalty: www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t10c32-1.pdf · verified April 22, 2026
N.D.C.C. § 10-32.1-55 authorizes administrative dissolution for failure to file annual reports or maintain a registered agent. Section 10-32.1-56 governs reinstatement; fee is $50 plus all delinquent annual reports. 60-day cure notice required before dissolution.