The 5 Best Registered Agents in Hawaii (2026)

Full transcript

0:00 The short answer

Dan The 5 best registered agents in Hawaii in 2026 are Mainstay Filing, Northwest Registered Agent, HI Registered Agent.org, Bizee, and Hawaii Registered Agent.co.

Maya Welcome to The Business Formation Podcast. Hawaii. I'm guessing an agent has to be on the islands?

Dan Physically present, yes. A change of agent is $25, and the annual report is only $12.50 online, so the agent fee is the biggest recurring cost.

0:35 What Hawaii requires

Maya What does the statute say?

Dan Section 428-107 says an LLC must continuously maintain a registered agent in Hawaii, with a business address here.

Maya Who can serve?

Dan An individual who lives in Hawaii, or a domestic or foreign entity authorized to do business in the state. We found no age rule.

Maya Can my own LLC be the agent?

Dan No. The Articles of Organization instructions say the company cannot be its own registered agent.

Maya And what does physically present mean?

Dan The state's FAQ says the agent must be authorized to transact business here and physically present in the state. The filing gives the street address of the agent's place of business, where papers can be delivered.

Maya I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan.

Dan Thanks, Maya. Now the five.

1:24 Mainstay Filing

Maya Number one?

Dan Mainstay Filing, $149 a year, the same $149 at renewal.

Maya What's in the plan?

Dan Its Hawaii address goes on the public record instead of yours. Papers served on the company are scanned and uploaded the same business day, no fee, and your first three government mailings a year are scanned free.

Maya Changing over from another agent?

Dan Mainstay files the change. The twenty-five dollar state fee is passed through at cost.

Maya The downside?

Dan Price. Two of the agents below it are $99, so it doesn't win on cost alone.

2:01 Northwest Registered Agent

Maya Number two?

Dan Northwest Registered Agent, $125 a year. Its page says the price hasn't gone up in twenty years, and up to ten pieces of regular mail a year are scanned free.

Maya And the catch?

Dan You're auto-enrolled in its annual report filing service, $100 plus state fees per filing, until you cancel.

Maya Hawaii's report is cheap, isn't it?

Dan Twelve dollars fifty online. A hundred-dollar service fee on top of that is eight times the state's own charge, so cancel it unless you want it.

2:36 HI Registered Agent.org

Maya Third?

Dan HI Registered Agent.org, $99 a year, the same at renewal. The address used on filings, same-day legal mail scanning and compliance reminders.

Maya What about switching?

Dan Costs just the $25 state fee. The catch is that annual report filing is a separate service.

Maya Compared with Mainstay?

Dan $50 a year less, $150 over three years.

3:02 Bizee

Maya Four.

Dan Bizee, formerly Incfile. Free for the first year with a formation package, then $149 a year, renewed automatically.

Maya What if I formed my Hawaii company on my own?

Dan There's no free year. You pay $149 from the start.

Maya Total over three years with a formation order?

Dan Free plus $149 plus $149 is $298.

3:27 Hawaii Registered Agent.co

Maya And the last?

Dan Hawaii Registered Agent.co, a flat $99. The office address, scanning of legal correspondence and reminders for state filings.

Maya Different from number three?

Dan Not on the listings. Same price, same catch.

3:44 Commercial registered agents

Maya Does Hawaii treat professional agents differently?

Dan Yes. The law distinguishes commercial from noncommercial registered agents. A person becomes a listed commercial agent by filing a listing statement with the state, naming a place of business here. The listing fee is $100.

Maya What changes for me?

Dan A company using a commercial agent only has to state that agent's name on its filing. A noncommercial agent needs a name and address.

Maya Does the agent have to sign anything?

Dan No. Naming the agent is the company's affirmation that the agent agreed. Form X-7 has no agent signature.

4:27 Naming and changing the agent

Maya Where does the agent go at formation?

Dan Article 3 of the Articles of Organization, Form LLC-1. The fee is $50 plus a $1 State Archives fee.

Maya And a change later?

Dan Form X-7, the Statement of Change of Registered Agent by Entity. It's $25, nonrefundable.

Maya Online?

Dan Yes, it's on the state's list of forms you can file online through Hawaii Business Express, or you can file on paper.

Maya Who signs it?

Dan The company, certified by at least one manager of a manager-managed LLC, or one member of a member-managed LLC.

Maya Do the members vote?

Dan No. Interest holders need not approve, and it takes effect when filed.

5:14 If the agent resigns

Maya What if my agent quits?

Dan Form X-9, a Statement of Resignation of Registered Agent, also $25, signed by the agent. It can be filed online.

Maya When is it effective?

Dan On the earlier of the 31st day after filing or the appointment of a new agent. The agent has to promptly tell the company the date.

Maya Do they have to use a special letter?

Dan The instructions say the notice can be a letter, an email or other written form.

5:42 When there's no agent

Maya What if papers can't be served on an agent?

Dan Under section 428-110, service can go to any registered agent, a manager of a manager-managed company, a member of a member-managed one, or a person in charge. If none is found, it can be served by registered or certified mail to the principal office.

Maya And dissolution?

Dan Failing to appoint and maintain an agent is a ground for administrative termination. The director mails notice of the grounds, and if it isn't fixed within sixty days of mailing, the company can be terminated by decree.

6:17 The annual report

Maya What else does Hawaii want every year?

Dan The annual report, due by the end of the calendar quarter you registered in. It's $12.50 online and $15 on paper.

Maya Any help with remembering?

Dan Reports filed online can get free email reminders the following year.

Maya So the real yearly spend?

Dan With Mainstay, $149 plus $12.50 is $161.50. With a $99 agent, $111.50.

6:51 Doing it yourself

Maya Can I just be my own agent?

Dan If you live in Hawaii, yes. The cost is zero.

Maya The tradeoff?

Dan Filings are open to public inspection, and registry information can be viewed in the Business Name Search. So your agent address is findable.

Maya And if I'm often off island?

Dan Then you can't be physically present to receive a process server. A service that scans the same business day covers that.

7:16 Picking one

Maya How should someone in Honolulu or Maui pick?

Dan Three things. Does the price hold next year, is there a real Hawaii address, and who files the $25 change.

Maya And your answer?

Dan Mainstay Filing. Our pick for Hawaii, at $149 a year.

7:36 The five in a row

Maya All five, one more time?

Dan One, Mainstay Filing: $149, same at renewal. Two, Northwest: $125, with the report service to cancel. Three, HI Registered Agent.org: $99 flat. Four, Bizee: free the first year with a formation order, then $149. Five, Hawaii Registered Agent.co: $99 flat.

Maya The links are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast.