What Is a Registered Agent for a Missouri LLC?
A registered agent is the person or entity officially designated to accept service of process, government notices, and legal demands on behalf of a Missouri limited liability company. Under RSMo § 347.033, the registered agent appointed by an LLC “shall be an agent of such limited liability company upon whom any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served upon the limited liability company may be served.” The agent’s function is limited to receiving and forwarding legal documents — it does not extend to managing the LLC, rendering legal advice, or acting as a commercial representative. Because every piece of correspondence the Secretary of State directs to the LLC travels through the registered agent’s office, choosing a dependable agent is one of the first obligations a Missouri LLC organizer must address.
Is a Registered Agent Required for a Missouri LLC?
Every Missouri LLC must maintain a registered agent without interruption from the moment it is formed. RSMo § 347.030(1) requires each limited liability company to “have and continuously maintain in this state” both a registered office and a registered agent for service of process. This obligation applies to domestic LLCs formed under Missouri’s Limited Liability Company Act (Chapter 347), foreign LLCs registered to transact business in the state under RSMo § 347.153, and professional LLCs. The word “continuously” means there may be no gap in coverage — if an agent resigns, becomes incapacitated, or is removed, the LLC must appoint a successor immediately. Failing to maintain an agent gives the Secretary of State grounds to cancel the LLC’s articles of organization under RSMo § 347.183(2), making unbroken compliance essential.
Who May Serve as a Registered Agent for a Missouri LLC?
Missouri law limits registered-agent eligibility to two categories: qualifying individuals and qualifying corporations. Under RSMo § 347.030(1)(2), the registered agent “may be either an individual, resident of this state, whose business office is identical with such registered office, or a domestic or foreign corporation authorized to do business in this state, and whose business office is identical with such registered office.” The statute does not extend eligibility to LLCs acting as agents for other LLCs — only individuals and corporations qualify. In either case, the agent must consent in writing before being named on any filing, and the agent’s business office must be located at the same address as the LLC’s registered office.
Option A — An Individual. Any natural person who resides in Missouri may serve, provided the individual’s business office is identical to the LLC’s registered office. The Secretary of State’s FAQ page confirms this residency-and-address requirement. Written consent to the appointment must accompany any filing that names or changes the agent.
Option B — A Corporation. A domestic Missouri corporation or a foreign corporation authorized to do business in Missouri may serve, provided its business office is identical to the LLC’s registered office. The LLC itself cannot serve as its own agent.
Note: A P.O. Box may be listed as a registered office address only if a physical street address in the same city is also listed. An address at a retail mailing store, such as a UPS Store or Mailboxes, Etc., is not permitted.
The table below summarizes the registered-office address rules.
| Requirement | Permissible | Not Permissible |
| Street address in Missouri | Physical street address | P.O. Box alone (without an accompanying street address) |
| Retail mailing store address | — | UPS Store, Mailboxes, Etc, or similar facility |
| Match between the registered office and the agent’s business office | Must be identical | Different addresses |
| Location | Anywhere in Missouri | Out-of-state address |
Can an LLC Member or Manager Serve as Registered Agent in Missouri?
A member, manager, or any other individual may serve as the LLC’s registered agent, so long as that person is a Missouri resident whose business office is identical to the LLC’s registered office. Missouri’s LLC Act does not create a separate eligibility standard for company insiders — a member who satisfies the general individual-eligibility requirements of RSMo § 347.030(1)(2) qualifies in the same way as any other Missouri resident would. This arrangement avoids the cost of a professional agent service, since the LLC pays only the $50 online formation filing fee and no ongoing agent fee. The practical trade-off is that the member’s name and personal or business address become part of the public record maintained by the Secretary of State, and the member must be present at the registered office during business hours to accept service of process.
| Factor | Serving as Own Agent | Professional Registered Agent Service |
| Privacy | The member’s name and address appear on the public record | The service’s address appears on the public record instead |
| Availability | Must be available at the registered office during business hours | Service maintains staffing at a commercial address |
| Cost | No separate agent fee beyond the formation filing fee | Annual service fee charged by the provider |
| Flexibility | If the member relocates, a change-of-agent filing is required | Service maintains a stable Missouri address |
| Document handling | Member personally receives and forwards legal documents | Service logs, scans, and forwards documents |
How to Designate a Registered Agent on Your Missouri LLC Certificate of Formation
The registered agent and registered office are designated on the LLC’s Articles of Organization, filed with the Missouri Secretary of State. Under RSMo § 347.039(1)(3), the articles must include “the address, including street and number, if any, of the registered office and the name of the registered agent at such office.” Designation occurs at the point of formation — there is no separate agent-appointment filing. The Secretary of State accepts both online and paper submissions, and a significant cost difference exists between the two methods.
- Confirm that the proposed registered agent qualifies under RSMo § 347.030— either a Missouri resident individual or a domestic or foreign corporation authorized to do business in the state.
- Obtain the agent’s written consent to serve. The agent’s signature or a separate written consent must accompany the filing.
- Complete the Articles of Organization, entering the agent’s full name and the street address of the registered office in the space required by RSMo § 347.039(1)(3).
- Submit the articles through the Secretary of State’s online business portal or by mailing a paper filing to the Corporations Division, P.O. Box 778, Jefferson City, MO 65102.
- Pay the filing fee.
Missouri offers a substantial discount for online formation. The Chapter 347 section of the Secretary of State’s Schedule of Fees and Charges lists the following LLC formation fees (which include the $5 Technology fund surcharge):
| Fee Schedule Line Item | Fee |
| Certificates of Limited Liability Company (domestic/foreign)(paper) | $105 |
| Certificates of Limited Liability Company (domestic)(online) | $50 |
Note: Filing online saves $55 compared to a paper submission. Electronic payments — credit cards and e-checks — incur a small convenience fee that is not collected or retained by the State of Missouri. The fee schedule does not list a separate online filing fee for foreign LLCs; foreign LLC paper filings are covered by the same $105 “domestic/foreign” line item.
Foreign LLCs registering under RSMo § 347.153 must include the name and physical address of a Missouri registered agent on their application for registration. The application must also include a certificate of good standing from the home state dated within sixty calendar days of filing. The same registered-agent eligibility rules and written-consent requirement apply to foreign LLCs as to domestic LLCs.
Registered Agent Information in Your LLC Operating Agreement
Missouri law defines an operating agreement as “any valid agreement or agreements, written or oral, among all members, or written declaration by the sole member concerning the conduct of the business and affairs of the limited liability company and the relative rights, duties and obligations of the members and managers,” under RSMo § 347.015(13). The operating agreement is the LLC’s primary internal governance document, but it is not filed with the Secretary of State — the Articles of Organization are the sole creation document filed with the state. The registered agent is not required by law to be identified in the operating agreement; the official designation is made on the Articles of Organization, and any subsequent change must be made by filing Corp. 59 with the Secretary of State.
Many LLCs nonetheless find it useful to reference the registered agent in the operating agreement. Doing so gives members a single internal document that identifies the current agent and office address, establishes a process for authorizing agent changes, and sets out who is responsible for filing the change with the state. Updating the registered-agent information in the operating agreement alone, however, does not constitute an official change — a separate filing with the Secretary of State is always required.
What Happens to a Missouri LLC Without a Registered Agent?
A Missouri LLC that fails to maintain a registered agent faces potential cancellation of its articles of organization and the automatic appointment of the Secretary of State as substitute agent for service of process. Under RSMo § 347.183(2), the Secretary of State has the power to cancel any LLC’s articles of organization if the company fails to maintain a registered agent, fails to pay required filing fees, or engages in other specified conduct. Before cancellation takes effect, the Secretary of State must provide the LLC with thirty days’ written notice — personally or by certified mail — sent to the LLC’s last registered agent and office, or to a member or manager. The LLC may cure the deficiency within that window by providing corrected documents or appointing a new agent.
If the LLC does not cure the failure, cancellation proceeds. Under RSMo § 347.033(3), whenever an LLC fails to appoint or maintain a registered agent, “the secretary, as long as such default exists, shall be automatically appointed as an agent of such limited liability company” for service of process. This means lawsuits may be served on the Secretary of State and forwarded by registered mail to the last known organizer address — a path that easily results in default judgment if the LLC never receives actual notice.
| Consequence | Statutory Authority |
| Cancellation of articles of organization (domestic LLC) | RSMo § 347.183(2) |
| Secretary of State becomes substitute agent for service of process | RSMo § 347.033(3) |
| Risk of default judgment entered without the LLC’s knowledge | Service perfected via registered mail under § 347.033(3) |
| LLC may not carry on business except to wind up | RSMo § 347.183(5)(d) |
| Late filing fees of $10 per thirty-day period of delinquency | RSMo § 347.183(4); RSMo § 347.179 |
Reinstatement is available under RSMo § 347.183(6). An LLC whose articles have been administratively cancelled may apply to the Secretary of State for reinstatement by reciting the LLC’s name and effective date of cancellation, demonstrating that the grounds for cancellation have been eliminated, confirming the LLC’s name still satisfies statutory requirements, and paying a $100 reinstatement fee plus any delinquent fees and penalties. A tax-clearance letter from the Missouri Department of Revenue is also required. When reinstatement is effective, “it shall relate back to and take effect as of the effective date of the administrative cancellation,” meaning the LLC is treated as though cancellation never occurred.
How to Change a Registered Agent for a Missouri LLC
A Missouri LLC changes its registered agent by filing a Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office (Corp. 59) with the Secretary of State. The statutory authority for the change is RSMo § 347.030(2), which requires the LLC to file a statement containing the company name, the current and new registered office addresses, the current and new agent names, the new agent’s written consent, confirmation that the office and agent addresses will be identical after the change, and a statement that the change was authorized by the LLC.
- Obtain written consent from the new registered agent. The new agent’s signature must appear on Corp. 59 or on a separate written consent attached to the form.
- Complete Corp. 59, filling in the LLC’s charter number, current agent and office information, and the new agent and office information.
- File the form by mail to the Corporations Division, P.O. Box 778, Jefferson City, MO 65102, or submit the change through the Secretary of State’s online business portal.
- Pay the filing fee — $10 for a paper filing. The statutory fee for a change of registered office or agent under RSMo § 347.179(12) is $5, to which the $5 technology fund surcharge is added.
- The change becomes effective upon filing by the Secretary of State.
If a registered agent changes its own street address, the agent may update the registered office of every LLC it represents by notifying each LLC in writing and filing a single statement of change under RSMo § 347.030(4) that covers all affected entities.
When an agent resigns, the agent files a Statement of Resignation of Registered Agent of Limited Liability Company — LLC 6 — in duplicate originals with the Secretary of State. The resignation fee is $10. The resignation becomes effective thirty days after the Secretary of State receives the statement, or upon the appointment of a new agent, whichever occurs first. The agent must certify that written notice of the resignation has been given to the LLC.
Missouri LLC Registered Agent Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Missouri LLC serve as its own registered agent?
No. Under RSMo § 347.030(1)(2), a registered agent must be either an individual who is a Missouri resident or a domestic or foreign corporation authorized to do business in Missouri. An LLC — including the LLC that requires the agent — is not listed among the eligible agent types. The Corp. 59 form instructions reinforce this rule by stating that “the corporation may not act as its own agent.” The LLC must appoint a separate qualifying individual or corporation to serve.
Can a single-member LLC owner serve as the LLC’s registered agent?
Yes. A sole member who resides in Missouri and whose business office is identical to the LLC’s registered office meets the eligibility standard of RSMo § 347.030(1)(2). This is a common arrangement for small LLCs because it eliminates the cost of a professional agent. The trade-off is that the member’s name and address become part of the public business record maintained by the Secretary of State, and the member must be available at the registered office during business hours to accept service of process.
Does a multi-member LLC need a registered agent separate from its members?
No. Any individual member who satisfies the eligibility requirements — Missouri residency and a business office identical to the registered office — may serve as the registered agent. Missouri law does not require a multi-member LLC to hire an outside agent. Only one agent is listed on the Articles of Organization. Multi-member LLCs frequently choose a professional agent service or a qualifying corporation to avoid placing the obligation on a single member and to provide a stable address over time.
Is it required to designate a registered agent prior to submitting the formation documents for a business entity?
Yes. Under RSMo § 347.039(1)(3), the Articles of Organization must include the name of the registered agent and the street address of the registered office. The Secretary of State will not accept articles that omit this information. The agent’s written consent to serve should be secured before the articles are completed and submitted, whether the filing is made online through the business portal or by paper.
Is the LLC’s registered agent required to be listed in the operating agreement?
No. The official designation of the registered agent is made on the Articles of Organization filed with the Secretary of State. Under RSMo § 347.015(13), the operating agreement governs the internal affairs, rights, and duties of members and managers, but it is not filed with the state. An LLC may reference the registered agent in its operating agreement for internal convenience, but doing so does not replace the official filing, and updating the agreement alone does not change the agent on record with the Secretary of State.
Can I change my LLC’s registered agent online?
Yes. The Secretary of State’s online business portal accepts change-of-agent filings for LLCs. The paper alternative is Corp. 59, filed by mail with a $10 fee. In both cases, the new agent’s written consent is required, and the change becomes effective upon filing. Online filings must be paid by credit card, and a small convenience fee applies to electronic payments.
Does a Professional LLC (PLLC) have different registered agent requirements?
No. Missouri’s Chapter 347 applies uniformly to all limited liability companies, including professional LLCs formed to deliver licensed professional services. The registered-agent eligibility rules, registered-office requirements, and filing procedures are the same. The distinctions that apply to professional entities — such as ownership being restricted to licensed professionals — relate to licensing and organizational structure, not to the registered-agent obligation. Professional LLCs file their Articles of Organization under the same statutory framework and pay the same filing fees.
Can the same individual or service act as registered agent for multiple Missouri LLCs?
Yes. Missouri law places no limit on the number of LLCs a single agent may represent. Under RSMo § 347.030(4), if a registered agent changes its own street address, the agent may update the registered office for every LLC it represents by filing a single statement of change that lists all affected entities and notifying each LLC in writing. This mechanism makes it practical for professional agent services to represent many LLCs from a single office.
What happens if my LLC’s registered agent moves out of Missouri?
The agent no longer satisfies the residency requirement of RSMo § 347.030(1)(2), which requires an individual agent to be a resident of Missouri with a business office identical to the registered office. The LLC must promptly appoint a replacement by filing Corp. 59 or submitting the change through the online portal and paying the applicable fee. If no replacement is named and the office of registered agent becomes vacant, the Secretary of State is automatically appointed as the LLC’s agent for service of process under RSMo § 347.033(3) — and legal papers served on the Secretary of State may result in a lawsuit proceeding without the LLC’s actual knowledge.