Registered agent for a Louisiana LLC
Data last updated: Apr 22, 2026The quick read on Louisiana registered agents
Every Louisiana 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 Louisiana and meet the requirements, or hire a commercial service for typically $99 to $299 per year.
Louisiana-specific rules matter. The statute is La. R.S. 12:1308. 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 Louisiana
Louisiana accepts either an individual Louisiana resident of full age (18+) or a domestic or foreign entity authorized to transact business in the state. The registered office must be a physical Louisiana street address, and a PO box alone does not satisfy the statute. The agent must be available during ordinary business hours to accept service of process and legal notices.
Unlike Delaware, Wyoming, and Nevada, Louisiana does not run a separate commercial registered agent registry. Any qualified entity can act as RA without an extra commercial-agent filing, which is why Louisiana's local RA market is a mix of law firms, CPA offices, and national services rather than a dedicated industry. The LLC's own member or manager can serve as agent so long as they meet the residency and availability rules, and this is a common choice for Louisiana-based single-member LLCs.
What Louisiana requires of a registered agent
- Physical street address in Louisiana
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 Louisiana. Entity agents must be registered to transact business in Louisiana.
- Written consent on file
Louisiana 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.
Louisiana statute and change-of-agent rules
| Statute | La. R.S. 12:1308 |
| Change of registered agent form | Notice of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent(s) (Form 359) |
| Change filing fee | $25 |
| Online filing | Accepted |
| Processing time | 5 business days |
| Commercial agents must register separately | No |
Choosing the right registered agent in Louisiana
If you live in Louisiana and run the LLC from a home or business address, self-serving is legitimate and saves $100 to $250 a year. The tradeoff is that your address lands on the public CORA entity record and a process server can show up at your door during the workday. For Louisiana residents who don't mind either, the math favors DIY. If you form a Louisiana LLC while living elsewhere (rare, because Louisiana is not a natural destination state for out-of-state owners), a commercial service is effectively required.
For paid services, Northwest at $125 per year is the usual middle-ground recommendation and handles Louisiana's notarization-heavy paperwork competently. Bizee runs cheaper at $119 per year after a free first year when bundled with formation. LegalZoom at $249 is not meaningfully better for Louisiana, and the local law-firm RA options ($75 to $150 per year) are viable if you already have a relationship with a Baton Rouge or New Orleans firm. Check the Louisiana formation page for the full filing walkthrough.
Registered agent services that operate in Louisiana
National commercial registered agent services operate in all 50 states plus DC, so every provider below accepts Louisiana 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 Louisiana registered agent lapse
Under La. R.S. 12:1308.1, if your Louisiana LLC's registered agent resigns or dies and no replacement is designated within 30 days, the Secretary of State can revoke the articles of organization. Revocation also happens routinely for missed annual reports, which are separately due each year at $30 per filing. Reinstatement runs $75 in state fees plus all back-owed annual reports, and practically takes 5 to 10 business days through geauxBIZ once the missing filings are caught up. While the LLC is revoked, the limited liability shield is compromised and the entity loses the right to sue or defend in Louisiana courts until restored.
Louisiana filing agency
Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division
- Website
- www.sos.la.gov/Pages/default.aspx
- Phone
- (225) 925-4704
- Commercial Division, Louisiana Secretary of State, P.O. Box 94125, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9125
- Office
- 8585 Archives Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70809
- Hours
- 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Central, Monday to Friday
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who can be a registered agent for a Louisiana LLC?
An individual Louisiana resident of full age (18+) with a physical Louisiana street address, or a Louisiana-registered entity authorized to transact business in the state. PO boxes don't qualify as the registered office. The LLC's own owner or manager can serve if they meet the residency and availability rules.
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How much does a Louisiana registered agent service cost?
National services run $99 to $249 per year, with Northwest at $125 and Bizee at $119 as the two most common mid-tier choices for Louisiana LLCs. Local law-firm RA offerings often sit in the $75 to $150 range, which makes sense if you already work with a Louisiana attorney. ZenBusiness is the cheapest nationally at $99 if you're comfortable with a thinner feature set.
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Can I be my own registered agent in Louisiana?
Yes, if you're 18+, have a physical Louisiana street address (not a PO box), and are available during normal business hours to accept service of process. Your address shows up on the public CORA entity record at coraweb.sos.la.gov, so self-serving from a home address means that address is searchable by anyone.
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What does it cost to change my registered agent in Louisiana?
$25 for the Notice of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent (Form 359), filed with the Secretary of State. Filing is available online through geauxBIZ or by mail, and online processing runs about 5 business days. Credit card payments add a $5 convenience fee.
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What happens if my Louisiana LLC's registered agent resigns?
You have 30 days to designate a replacement under La. R.S. 12:1308.1. After that, the Secretary of State can revoke the articles of organization. Reinstatement costs $75 plus any delinquent $30 annual reports, and runs 5 to 10 business days once you're caught up.
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Does Louisiana require my registered agent filings to be notarized?
The original Articles of Organization (Form 365) must be notarized under La. R.S. 12:1301, which is a Louisiana quirk most states don't share. The standalone Form 359 Notice of Change of Registered Agent does not require notarization, but the Initial Report filed with formation (Form 973) does. This is the main reason LLC owners in Louisiana find the paperwork more annoying than in neighboring states.
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Does Louisiana operate a commercial registered agent registry?
No. Unlike Delaware, Wyoming, and Nevada, Louisiana has no separate commercial RA registry. Any qualified individual or entity can act as RA without an additional commercial-agent filing. This keeps the statute simple but also means the Louisiana RA market is less standardized than in the privacy-cluster states.
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Do I need a registered agent for a Louisiana LLC?
Yes. Louisiana law requires every LLC to designate a registered agent with a physical street address in Louisiana 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, Louisiana begins administrative dissolution of the entity.
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How much does a registered agent service cost in Louisiana?
National services range from $99 per year (ZenBusiness) to $299 per year (Firstbase). The $190 average is close to the market median. Louisiana-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 Louisiana?
File Notice of Change of Registered Office and/or Registered Agent(s) (Form 359) with Louisiana Secretary of State, Commercial Division. The fee is $25. 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). Louisiana state tax treatment follows federal on this deduction. Keep the invoices with your tax records.
Related
Sources
- Statute: legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=108568 · verified April 22, 2026
Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 12 Chapter 22 (Limited Liability Companies), La. R.S. 12:1308 governs the registered office and registered agent requirement. Every LLC must maintain a registered office in Louisiana and one or more registered agents. - Change of agent: www.sos.la.gov/BusinessServices/FileBusinessDocuments/GetFormsandFeeSc… · verified April 22, 2026
Louisiana Secretary of State Get Forms and Fee Schedule: Notice of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent (Form 359) filing fee is $25. May be filed online through geauxBIZ or by mail. Credit card payments carry an additional $5 convenience fee. - Penalty: legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=108571 · verified April 22, 2026
La. R.S. 12:1308.1 and 12:1364 address vacancy in the registered agent office and revocation of articles for failure to maintain a registered agent. Reinstatement fee is $75 under the Secretary of State fee schedule, plus all delinquent annual report fees.