LLC registered agent rules by state (2026)
46 states require a registered agent with an in-state street address. Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia are different. Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, includes the agent.
States that differ
| State | Rule | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | Office required | A Minnesota LLC must keep a registered office in Minnesota; naming an agent there is optional. |
| New York | Optional | The Secretary of State is the agent for service of process for every New York LLC; naming a registered agent is optional. |
| Pennsylvania | Office required | Pennsylvania requires a registered office (a Pennsylvania street address or a Commercial Registered Office Provider), not an agent. |
| West Virginia | Optional | The statute says an LLC "may" keep an agent; the Articles ask for one "if any". |
Where the agent can be
All states: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming.