Updated
GL-R-06
Glossary · Structures and trusts
Registered agent - the address through which the state talks to your company
01 / In 30 seconds
The short answer
- Who it is
- A company’s licensed representative in the country of registration
- What it does
- Receives official correspondence and provides the link with state bodies
- Is it mandatory
- In many jurisdictions, yes — without one the company will not be registered
- What matters
- Notices of deadlines, penalties and requirements go through them
- The main risk
- A silent agent — and you learn of a problem when the company is already overdue
02 / In plain words
What Registered Agent means
A registered agent is a company’s licensed representative in its country of registration. Put simply: the official addressee through whom the state communicates with your company. They receive correspondence from the register, the tax authority and the courts and pass it on to you.
In many jurisdictions having an agent is a mandatory condition for registering and maintaining a company. Notices of reporting deadlines, changes in requirements, fees charged and penalties come through them. They also often help with annual formalities and keeping corporate documents.
The main risk here is underestimated. If the agent works formally, does not pass on notices or loses contact with the client, the company learns of a problem only when it is already overdue: penalties have been charged, its status in the register is damaged, and the bank is asking questions. That is why an agent is chosen for reliability and quality of communication, not for the lowest annual price.
A case from practice
A client’s company fell behind on its annual formalities: the agent was writing to an old email address, and the letters were not getting through. Restoring its status took time and money, even though the cause was an out-of-date contact.
When the agent is critically important
- Registering a company abroad
- Annual renewal and reporting
- Receiving notices from the register
- Changes in officers
- Court and tax correspondence
- Restoring the company’s status
03 / What it covers
What their work includes
Correspondence
- Receiving official letters
- Passing on notices
- Keeping documents
Formalities
- Annual renewal
- Changes in the register
- Filing forms
Reliability
- The agent’s licence
- Speed of communication
- Experience
Cost
- The annual fee
- Additional services
- Penalties for late filing
04 / How it works
How to work with an agent
Choose an agent for reliability
We compare reputation, licence and response speed.
Fix the contacts and channel of communication
Current email, phone and a responsible contact.
Pay for the services on time
The annual fee, so the agent does not stop working.
Respond to notices
We answer the registry's and tax authority's letters on time.
A company in good standing
The company is on the register with no overdue items or penalties.
05 / Key facts
What you need to know
01Who it is
A licensed representative
Represents the company in its country of registration: receives letters from the registry, tax authority and courts and passes them on to you.
02Is it mandatory
In many jurisdictions, yes
Without an agent the company cannot be registered or kept on the register.
03What goes through it
Deadlines, fees, penalties
Notices about filings, changing requirements and annual fees. It often handles annual formalities too.
04Main risk
A silent agent
If letters do not reach you, the company learns of a problem only when already overdue: penalties, a damaged status, questions from the bank.
Common mistakes
Choosing the cheapest agent
Look at reliability, response speed and how they contact you.
Not updating your contacts with the agent
Give the agent your new email and phone as soon as they change.
Forgetting the annual fee
Set a reminder: without payment the agent stops its service.
Relying only on what the agent says
Check the company's status in the public register yourself once a year.
06 / Expert advice
How to prepare in advance
The agent is chosen for reputation and quality of communication, and your current contact details are updated with them immediately whenever your email or phone number changes. Once a year it is useful to check the company’s status in the register yourself: it takes minutes and shows the real picture rather than what you have been told.
What we do for you. We pay attention to such details in advance: the status of your companies in the registers comes up both when opening an account and in programme due diligence. A company in arrears is an unnecessary reason for questions where there need not have been any.
Anna KovalevskayaLead lawyer for EU citizenship and residency, 12 years of practice
07 / Questions
Frequently asked questions
A company’s licensed representative in the country of registration, who receives official correspondence and provides the link with state bodies.
In many jurisdictions, yes: without an agent the company will not be registered or maintained in the register.
They stop providing the service, contact with the register is lost, notices do not get through, and the company falls into arrears with penalties.
Yes, it is a routine procedure. It is important to carry it out properly and make sure the information in the register is updated.
The agent is a representative; the office is the company’s official address. Often the same firm provides both services.
Once a year check the company’s status in the jurisdiction’s public register yourself, rather than relying only on what the agent says.
INITIAL ASSESSMENT
Tell us what outcome your family needs
We will design a solution for your case, choose the country and the right status, and take the whole process through to the result.
