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What is a Massachusetts Registered Agent?
Note: Some states refer to Registered Agents as a “Statutory Agent” or “Agent for Service of Process”. Massachusetts uses the term “Resident Agent”. These all mean the same thing and we’ll use them interchangeably.
Special offer: Hire Northwest to form your LLC ($39 + state fee), and you'll get a free year of Registered Agent service.
(Why is Northwest the best? Read our Northwest Registered Agent review)
Massachusetts Registered Agents also serve as a general point of contact for receiving business and tax notices, payment reminders, and other documents.
What are the requirements to be a Registered Agent in Massachusetts?
Your Registered Agent must be at least 18 years old and have a physical street address in Massachusetts. PO Boxes are not allowed.
Your Registered Agent must also be available during normal business hours (9am – 5pm) in case Service of Process arrives. Service of Process for an LLC includes delivery of legal documents such as complaints, summons, and/or subpoenas.
Who can be your Registered Agent in Massachusetts?
When you form an Massachusetts LLC, you have 3 options for who can be your Registered Agent:
- You can be your own Registered Agent.
- A friend or family member can be your LLC’s Registered Agent.
- You can hire a professional Registered Agent Service (also called a Commercial Registered Agent).
Important: If your Massachusetts Registered Agent is going to be an individual (you, a friend, or a family member), that individual must be a resident of Massachusetts.
How do I know which Registered Agent to choose?
If you have a physical address located in Massachusetts (such as a home or office), and are available during regular business hours, you can be your own Registered Agent.
If you don’t have a physical address in Massachusetts, you can use a friend or family member’s address. They need to have a street address in Massachusetts and be available during business hours.
If you don’t have a street address in Massachusetts, and you don’t have a friend or family member’s address that you can use (or prefer not to), you can hire a Massachusetts Registered Agent Service.
Massachusetts Registered Agent Services offer more privacy and are usually a more reliable setup.
Massachusetts Registered Agent Service
If you need to hire a Registered Agent Service, we recommend Northwest Registered Agent ($125 per year).
Why we recommend Northwest Registered Agent
Northwest Registered Agent is our personal recommendation (and the Registered Agent Service we use ourselves) because they’ve been in business for over 20 years, have great customer service, and they let you use their Registered Office street address in your entire LLC filing in order to keep your address off public record.
How to keep your address off public records:
Many filers in Massachusetts start businesses from their home. For this reason, it’s important to know that all addresses that are on your LLC’s Certificate of Organization get listed on public record and may appear in google searches.
If you were thinking of using your home address, but would rather keep it off public records, you can hire a Registered Agent that will allow you to use their business address throughout your Certificate of Organization.
Northwest Registered Agent provides this unique service at no additional cost. They offer Registered Agent services for $125 per year and they’ll let you use their address throughout your Certificate of Organization.
Any mail that is sent to your LLC will be scanned by them and uploaded into your online account.
Special discounted pricing for LLC University® readers
Northwest usually charges $100 + state fees to form an LLC. However, we’ve negotiated a discounted rate (60% off) for LLC University® readers.
Special offer: Hire Northwest to form your LLC ($39 + state fee), and you'll get a free year of Registered Agent service.
(Why is Northwest the best? Read our Northwest Registered Agent review)
If you need to hire a Registered Agent Service, please do so before going to file your LLC formation documents. You’ll need their information to complete your LLC paperwork.
Massachusetts Registered Agent FAQs
Is the Registered Agent of a Massachusetts LLC the Owner?
No, a Registered Agent isn’t automatically an owner of the Massachusetts LLC.
They are two separate roles.
Having said that, sometimes the same person can be both roles.
But you don’t become one simply by virtue of being the other.
To learn more, please see Is the Registered Agent of an LLC the Owner?
Is a Registered Agent required in Massachusetts?
Yes, Massachusetts requires all LLCs to keep a Massachusetts Registered Agent on file with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.
You must appoint a Registered Agent on your LLC formation documents and maintain one as long as your LLC exists.
This allows Service of Process to be delivered and tracked, and keeps your LLC in good standing with the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
How much does a Registered Agent cost in Massachusetts?
If you (or a friend or family member) will be your Registered Agent, there is no cost.
If you want to hire a Massachusetts Registered Agent Service, it will cost between $100 and $300 per year.
What is the best Registered Agent Service in Massachusetts?
We’ve reviewed the top Registered Agent Services in the industry and think the best Registered Agent Services in Massachusetts are:
- Our #1 recommendation for privacy
- ZenBusiness
- MyCompanyWorks
- Harbor Compliance
- IncFile
- Rocket Lawyer
- LegalZoom
To learn more about how these companies compare against each other, check out Best Registered Agent Services in Massachusetts.
Note: If you want to save money, you can be the Massachusetts Registered Agent for your LLC.
Is Legalzoom a good Registered Agent?
While Legalzoom is a popular option, it doesn’t mean they’re the best Registered Agent. LegalZoom is $299 per year, they don’t offer address privacy, and many online reviews complain that it’s hard to cancel services.
While they’re a well-recognized brand name, there are better options for half the price.
For example, we recommend Northwest Registered Agent because they cost less and offer address privacy. Check out our review of Northwest Registered Agent vs LegalZoom for a detailed comparison.
If you’re already using LegalZoom as your Massachusetts Registered Agent Service and would like to switch to another company, you can file a Change of Registered Agent form with the state to update this information.
How do I change my Registered Agent in MA?
You can change your Registered Agent’s address or name to a new Registered Agent at any time by filing a Statement of Change of Resident Agent/Resident Office. This form is filed with the Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth.
You can file this form online or by mail.
- If you file this form online, there is no filing fee (it’s free).
- If you file by mail, the filing fee is $25.
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References
Massachusetts LLC Act: Section 5
Massachusetts LLC Act: Section 5A
Massachusetts Division of Corporations: LLC Information
Massachusetts Division of Corporations: LLC Registered Agent Forms
Information verified on October 27, 2026
Matt holds a Bachelor's Degree in business from Drexel University with a concentration in business law. He performs extensive research and analysis to convert state laws into simple instructions anyone can follow to form their LLC - all for free! Read more about Matt Horwitz and LLC University.