Whether your goal is to open a business in Michigan or expand your existing business in this state, you’ll need a registered agent service that will keep you compliant with all the state regulations and deadlines. To help you in the quest of finding the right registered agent, we have compiled a list of the best Michigan registered agent services.
Our comprehensive guide contains individual reviews, but if you want the TLDR version, check out our short summary table below where we include all the features of our top three recommendations.
Best Michigan Registered Agent Services
| Registered Agent Service | Cost | Michigan Office Location |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest | $125 a year | Okemos |
| ZenBusiness | $199 a year | Not stated |
| IncFile | $119 a year/ first year free with incorporation | Not stated |
| CSC Global | $381 a year | East Lansing |
| Michigan Registered Agent | $49 a year | Okemos |
| InCorp | $129 a year | Eaton Rapids |
| Harbor Compliance | $99 a year | Okemos |
| Registered Agent Inc. | $200 a year | Not stated |
| MyCompanyWorks | $49 a year | Not stated |
| LegalZoom | $299 a year | Not stated |
| Registered Agent Solutions Inc. | $175 a year | Not stated |
| Registered Agent LLC | $75 a year | Not stated |
On top of that, our article also contains an FAQ section, as well as a section where we go over all the necessary steps of registering a business in Michigan.
Before we delve into our recommendations, let’s define the role of a registered agent.
What Is a Registered Agent?
A registered agent can be an individual or a company whose job is to receive and handle all your documents and legal correspondence, and notify you of all the documents once they receive it.
Does Michigan Require a Registered Agent Service?
Yes, in the state of Michigan, all businesses are required by law to designate and maintain a registered agent while their business is operating. However, there are no restrictions in terms of who can be a registered agent, so you can even appoint yourself as your own registered agent, or choose one of your family members/acquaintances.
Benefits of Hiring a Registered Agent Service
Here are all the benefits you can enjoy if you decide to hire a registered agent:
- You will be able to maintain your privacy;
- You will be able to easily expand your business across multiple states;
- Your documents will remain organized;
- Your business hours will be flexible and you can travel without worrying about missing an important document;
- You can dedicate more time to your business;
1. Northwest
Our top recommendation for a Michigan registered agent service is Northwest. They cover all the bases, including:
- Document storage
- Scanned documents
- Compliance alerts
- Mail forwarding
- Pre-filled state forms
- Annual report reminders
The biggest advantage of choosing Northwest is their outstanding customer support team. Also known as Corporate Guides, their customer support team is comprised of experts who are ready to help you solve any problem that might arise by offering professional advice.
Their registered agent services cost $125 a year, but you can access a small discount if you get their registered agent services in five or more states. Then, your yearly fee will be only $100.
During your first year, you will get complimentary access to their compliance calendar which will help you keep organized and stay on top of all your deadlines.
Just like any other registered agent service worth their salt, they will never sell your data to third parties or leak any of your personal information, thanks to their Privacy by Default practice.
Their Michigan address is located in Okemos, Ingham County.
Other services offered by Northwest include:
- Trademarking
- Annual report filings
- Mail forwarding
- Foreign qualification
- Virtual office
- Payment processing
- Phone service
2. ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness has mastered all the essentials required to keep a business compliant. Their registered agent package includes the following benefits:
- Email notifications
- Mail forwarding
- Expert handling of all your documents
- Access to a personalized dashboard
- Fast turnaround
- Document scanning
Their yearly fee is $199, and you can upgrade their registered agent package to include features such as annual support alerts and two free filing changes a year.
One of ZenBusiness’ strong suits is their dedication to supporting the entrepreneurial community – a percentage of their profit goes to their $5K Grant Program, which funds start-ups and helps entrepreneurs run their businesses.
Customers especially love how intuitive their website is to use, as well as the fast set up process.
Other services offered by ZenBusiness include:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Worry-free compliance
- EIN Number
- Taxes and accounting
- Operating agreement
- Domain name and website
- Annual reports
- Banking and finances
- Business license reports
3. IncFile
Another one of our top recommendations for a Michigan registered agent is IncFile. They will help your business meet all the deadlines and remain compliant with the help of the following tools:
- Access to all your correspondence on a personal dashboard
- Automatic mail forwarding
- Tailored email and text notifications
Their registered agent service has a pretty affordable fee – it only costs $119 annually. On top of that, you can get your first year of registered agent services with IncFile for free if you use their formation service.
Apart from formation and registered agent services, you can also hire IncFile for:
- Business licenses and permits
- Trademarking
- EIN Number
- Virtual address
- Certificate of good standing
- Tax consultations
- Foreign qualification
- Amendment
4. CSC Global
We recommend CSC Global to business owners who don’t mind portioning a larger percentage of their budget for an excellent registered agent service. While their registered agent services are slightly more expensive than some of the other recommendations in our guide, they provide amazing tools to help your business stay on top of everything. These tools include:
- Electronic delivery of your documents
- Same-day document scans
- Annual compliance reminders
- Access to a personalized online dashboard
They also provide access to their SOC-2 facilities, which will help your business remain safe and protect your personal data, so you won’t have to worry about third parties getting a hold of your information.
Their annual fee is $381 and their Michigan location is in East Lansing.
CSC Global also offer the following services:
- UCC
- Entity management
- Legal management
- Corporate filings
- Real estate and erecording
- Digital brand services
5. Michigan Registered Agent
On the other hand, if you’re just starting out and you don’t have a big budget to work with, hiring an affordable service like Michigan Registered Agent might be the way to go. For only $49 a year, you can access perks such as:
- Annual report reminders
- Email notifications
- Online document storage
- Access to pre-filled state forms
Their pricing remains transparent despite being affordable, so you won’t encounter any hidden fees or auto-renewals.
Their Michigan office is located in Okemos.
In addition to offering registered agent services, you can also hire Michigan Registered Agent for:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Filing services
6. InCorp
Another Michigan registered agent service that combines affordability with excellent service is InCorp. They offer an array of compliance tools, including:
- Annual report filings
- Access to their Entity Management System
- Mail forwarding
- Legal notifications
Their Entity Management System ensures that you never miss an important deadline or state notice, while their EntityWatch technology prevents identity theft and gives you the latest information about the status of your filings.
InCorp’s registered agent services will cost you only $129 a year. If you use their multi-year service, you will pay as low as $87 a year.
Their Michigan office is located in Eaton Rapids.
The other services provided by InCorp include:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Copyright and trademarking
- Apostille service
- UCC search
- Articles of amendment
- EIN Number
- DBA filing
7. Harbor Compliance
Harbor Compliance offer an outstanding registered agent service that costs only $99 a year. For this rate, they provide:
- Pre-filled state forms
- Same-day electronic delivery of all your documents
- Annual report reminders
If you use their registered agent services for multiple years, you can get an additional 10% off their annual fee. Being a nationwide company, they allow you to expand your business without changing registered agents, which is always a plus.
Apart from their affordable service, Harbor Compliance are also known for their fast processing speed – you will receive all your important documents and notices in due time, ensuring that you never encounter any fees or missed deadlines.
Their Michigan office is located in Okemos.
On top of their registered agent service, they also offer:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Amendments
- Registration
- Business licenses
8. Registered Agent Inc.
If you’re on the lookout for a nationwide registered agent service that grants you access to all the necessary tools, look no further than Registered Agent Inc. For $200 a year, you will get:
- Digital notifications
- Compliance reminders
- Professional filler tips
- Access to a Corporate Accounts Portal
One of the features their customers particularly love is how intuitive and easy-to-use their website is.
Here are the other services offered by Registered Agent Inc.:
- Incorporation services
- BOC-3 Process Agent Service
- Start-up formation
9. MyCompanyWorks
MyCompanyWorks offer a comprehensive registered agent service that includes the following tools:
- Access to an online dashboard
- Free E-delivery
- Access to the Startup Wizard
- Online order tracking
- Compliance monitoring
You can enjoy all the benefits mentioned above for only $99 a year. Additionally, they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the service.
Here are all the other services offered by MyCompanyWorks:
- LLC formation
- Incorporation
- Annual reports
- Virtual office
- Business licenses
- Company dissolution
- File a DBA
10. LegalZoom
LegalZoom is a nationwide registered agent service that offers a plethora of legal services and comes with many unique features, such as:
- Mail alerts
- Unlimited cloud storage
- Annual report reminders
- $1M in identity theft protection
On top of that, LegalZoom offer to change your current registered agent on your behalf and cover any fees in the process.
The combination of their expert IP protection and $1M identity theft insurance allows you business to remain protected at all times.
Since their fee is slightly higher ($299 annually), they are a great fit for businesses that are on the bigger side and require a wide range of comprehensive legal services.
You can also hire LegalZoom for:
- Copyright
- Incorporation
- EIN Number
- Trademarking
- Annual reports
- Power of attorney
- Taxation
- Foreign qualification
- Business registration
- Business formation
- Residential lease
11. Registered Agent Solutions Inc.
Another incredible option for larger businesses is Registered Agent Solutions Inc. Their registered agent offer comes with the following perks:
- Fast processing
- Online application tools
- Custom notifications
- Added privacy
Another thing customers really appreciate is how responsive and supportive their customer service is.
The yearly fee of Registered Agent Solutions Inc. is $175.
Apart from offering registered agent services, they also specialize in:
- Reporting
- Tax clearance
- Certificate of good standing
- Foreign qualification
- Annual reports
- Dissolutions
- Entity management
- Business registrations
- Name registrations
- Certificate of good standing
- Trademarking
11. Registered Agent LLC
If you’re working on a limited budget and your priority is to find an affordable registered agent service, we highly recommend Registered Agent LLC. Costing only $75 a year, this A+ rated registered agent service grants you the following benefits:
- Immediate notifications
- Annual reports
- Compliance reminders
- Access to an online account
- Pre-filled state forms
Their pricing remains transparent and they offer a satisfaction guarantee in case you’re not thrilled with the service.
How Do I Register a Business in Michigan?
Now that we’ve gone over all our top recommendations for the best Michigan registered agent services, it’s time to elaborate on all the steps required to start a business in Michigan.
Brainstorm a Name for Your Business
One of the first and most important steps in starting any kind of business is finding the right name. Your business name is one of the first things your clients will see and it should accurately represent your professional values and the type of goods/services you’re selling.
The key thing to keep in mind if you’re starting an LLC or a corporation is that the business name you choose has to be unique and distinguishable from other businesses in the state. To ensure that this is the case with the name you have in mind, it’s a good idea to do a business entity search.
The process of starting your business can be long and arduous. If you have a name in mind and you’d like to reserve it so that no other business grabs a hold of it while you’re preparing all the necessary documentation, you can apply for a name reservation with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The filing fee is $25 and the name will remain reserved for six months.
Another important thing to keep in mind when it comes to naming your business is considering which words you aren’t allowed to use in the name, as well as the words that must be included, depending on your business structure. Such words include “Limited”, “Inc.”, “LLC:, “Incorporated”, and all their abbreviations.
Choose a Business Structure
Before you proceed to learning about all the state requirements for your business, you have to choose a business structure. There are four main types of business structures in Michigan:
- Sole proprietorship
- Partnership
- LLC
- Corporation
Your obligations with the state, both during the formation process of your business and on an annual basis, will depend on the type of business structure you choose. In Michigan, only LLCs and corporations are required to hire a registered agent.
File Articles of Organization with the State of Michigan
If LLC is the type of business structure you want to form, one of the obligations you’ll have at the start is to file articles of organization with the state.
Articles of organization is a document that entails information about your business, such as its location, its owners, and information about the registered agent. At this point, you’ll need to have chosen which registered agent will represent your business.
An optional step for anyone planning on operating an LLC is to create an operating agreement – a document whose purpose is to lay out the specific responsibilities of each member and the rules of the LLC.
The filing fee for articles of organization is $50.
File Articles of Incorporation with the state of Michigan
If, on the other hand, you decided to start a corporation, then you’ll need to file articles of incorporation with the state. This document has a similar purpose to articles of organization and it’s a mandatory step for any corporation owner.
The filing fee for articles of incorporation is also $50.
Apply for an EIN
Obtaining an EIN (Employee Identification Number) is crucial for any business that has employees or is taxed separately from its owner.
You can apply for an EIN with the IRS. The application can be completed online and there is no filing fee.
Obtain the Necessary Licenses and Permits
Last but not least, to ensure that your business is operating legally, you’ll need to get all the required licenses and permits.
Any business that is dedicated to selling tangible goods is required to get a sales tax license. The Michigan Government website has a useful section that includes information about all the businesses required to get a sales tax license.
Keep in mind that some licenses are issued on a local level, so ensure that you check the website of the county/city where your business is located to see if you need to get a special license.
Depending on your industry, you might need a professional license. Typically, business that work in areas like health, food, environment, and childcare require special licenses.
FAQs
Where Can I Do a Michigan Business Entity Search?
You can do a Michigan business entity search on the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs website.
How Much Does It Cost to Register a Business in Michigan?
The cost for registering an a business in Michigan is $50.
Do I Need a Registered Agent in Michigan?
Yes, it’s required by law by the state of Michigan to appoint a registered agent during the formation process of your business.
A Word of Farewell
We hope you found our article on the best Michigan registered agent service helpful in the pursuit of finding the right registered agent for your business.
If you don’t have specific requirements and you’d like to hire the best service available, we recommend Northwest, ZenBusiness, and IncFile, all of which come with a myriad of tools to aid your compliance.
If you’re short on budget, check out our top affordable recommendations – Registered Agent LLC and Michigan Registered Agent.
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