Puerto Rico Registered Agent
What is a Puerto Rico registered agent?
A Puerto Rico registered agent is a person or entity appointed to accept legal mail for a business. The registered agent must accept any documents in person at a physical address on file with the Puerto Rico Department of State. You can act as your own registered agent or appoint someone else.
Purpose of a Puerto Rico Registered Agent
The purpose of a Puerto Rico registered agent is to act as a reliable contact point for businesses. If someone sues a business, the registered agent will accept service of process. Once they accept the documents, the registered agent will forward them to the affected business.
A registered agent is also a way for the Puerto Rican government to contact businesses about taxes, annual report reminders, and other important issues.
Puerto Rico Registered Agent Requirements
Puerto Rico registered agents–also known as resident agents–must be either individual residents or business entities. They must also have a registered office with a physical address within Puerto Rico’s borders. P.O. boxes are not permitted.
Aside from that, each registered agent must maintain regular business hours and forward all documents accepts on behalf of their clients without delay.
Can I be my own registered agent in PR?
You can act as your Puerto Rico registered agent as long as you’re a resident with a registered office that allows you to physically receive mail. You must also be present at the registered office during regular business hours Monday through Friday.
How to Find a Registered Agent in Puerto Rico
First, decide if you’d rather be represented by an individual or an entity. There’s no wrong answer here, since the decision is more about your personal comfort level.
If you want an individual to act as your registered agent, check with people in your social circle. Business associates are an obvious avenue to explore, but you can also see if family or friends would be willing to serve as your registered agent. Whoever you choose, make sure they can fulfill the requirements and are trustworthy enough to handle sensitive legal documents.
If you’d rather go with an entity, finding a registered agent service will likely give you the best and most consistent experience. Accepting legal mail is the bare minimum for registered agents, so take a look at what else each company offers too. For instance, if you hire a service like Registered Agents Inc, we’ll also take care of your annual report filing.
Reasons to Hire Registered Agents Inc
Being a registered agent may seem like an easy task, but hiring Registered Agents Inc provides you with more than just the basics:
Same-day document processing
As soon as we get legal mail for you, our Puerto Rico team begins scanning and uploading it to your secure online account. Your documents never leave our building for processing.
Real-time updates
When a new document is added to your account, you’ll get an emailed notice. There’s no need to refresh your account anxiously.
Annual report filings
In Puerto Rico, corporations have to file an annual report while LLCs must pay an annual fee. The due date is April 15, but when you hire us as your registered agent, we’ll take care of your annual report filing for you. All you do is pay Puerto Rico’s fee.
Offices all over
At Registered Agents Inc, we’ve got local offices in 50 states and Puerto Rico. So if your Puerto Rico business expands to Florida, we can take care of you.
Secure online account
You get access to your online account as soon as you hire us. This is the place where we upload any legal mail we receive on your behalf.
Expert help
We have customer support team members who know the particulars of Puerto Rico business filings. If you need assistance with Puerto Rico’s paperwork or have questions about your account, they’ll be there to help. get legal mail for you, our Puerto Rico team begins scanning and uploading it to your secure online account. Your documents never leave our building for processing.
If you want to offer registered agent services to your clients, check out our Wholesale Program for more details.
How to Appoint a Puerto Rico Registered Agent
You’ll use your formation paperwork to appoint your registered agent in Puerto Rico.
If you’re forming an LLC, the agent’s name and address must be listed on the Certificate of Formation. If you’re forming a corporation, list the information on your Certificate of Incorporation. Regardless of which form you use, you must submit it to the Puerto Rico Department of State online, by mail, or in person.
In Puerto Rico, it costs $150 to form a corporation and $250 to form an LLC.
How to Change a PR Registered Agent
The simplest way to change your Puerto Rico registered agent is to fill out a Change Resident Agent form. This is the form you file when one agent is departing and another is taking their place.
If your agent has already resigned, your business must file the Resident Agent Resignation With Successor or Resident Agent Without Successor form. The first one is filed if you already have a replacement in mind, while the second one is for cases where you don’t know who will replace the departing agent. If that’s the case, you’ve got 30 days to find and appoint someone new.
You can only change your Puerto Rico registered agent online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a registered agent cost in Puerto Rico?
In Puerto Rico, a registered agent service typically costs between $50 and $300 a year. Our premium registered agent service is $200 a year, and it includes a free domain name for your business in the first year.
How much does it cost to register a business in Puerto Rico?
In Puerto Rico, it costs $150 to form a stock corporation and $250 to form an LLC. Forming a non-stock corporation (aka a nonprofit corporation) costs $5.
Does Puerto Rico require a registered agent?
Yes, a Puerto Rico registered agent is required by law for every business in the territory.
