WEBVTT 00:00:00.218 --> 00:00:06.378 The 5 best registered agents in New York in 2026 are Mainstay Filing, Northwest 00:00:06.422 --> 00:00:11.498 Registered Agent, NY Registered Agent.org, Bizee, and 00:00:11.618 --> 00:00:14.059 New York Registered Agent.ai. 00:00:14.059 --> 00:00:16.219 This is The Business Formation Podcast. 00:00:16.272 --> 00:00:20.139 Today we're going through all five for New York, starting with the price, and then 00:00:20.171 --> 00:00:24.539 what that price turns into at renewal, because that's where a lot of these change. 00:00:24.539 --> 00:00:28.059 Right. Every company on this list leads with a number. 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:32.619 The question is what that number is in year two, and what comes with it. 00:00:34.659 --> 00:00:36.912 Do I even need a registered agent in New York? 00:00:36.912 --> 00:00:43.232 Here's the twist. In New York, the Secretary of State is already every LLC's agent 00:00:43.272 --> 00:00:47.872 for service of process, so a registered agent of your own is optional. 00:00:47.872 --> 00:00:50.272 I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan. 00:00:50.272 --> 00:00:52.432 And I'm Dan. Let's get into it. 00:00:52.432 --> 00:00:57.312 Back up for anyone just starting out: what does a registered agent actually do? 00:00:57.312 --> 00:01:02.112 Your registered agent is the person or company that receives legal papers and 00:01:02.156 --> 00:01:04.432 official state mail for your business. 00:01:04.532 --> 00:01:09.392 Its address goes on the public record, so it has to be a real street address in the 00:01:09.459 --> 00:01:13.232 state, where papers can be handed over during normal business hours. 00:01:13.232 --> 00:01:15.392 So why would anyone pay for one? 00:01:15.392 --> 00:01:20.112 Because you may want a company of your own choosing, with a real address and a 00:01:20.192 --> 00:01:23.152 same-day scan, instead of leaving it at the default. 00:01:23.312 --> 00:01:25.792 That's the choice this list is for. 00:01:25.792 --> 00:01:28.992 And what does it cost to designate or change an agent? 00:01:28.992 --> 00:01:33.872 It's a Certificate of Change with the New York Department of State, and the fee is 00:01:33.918 --> 00:01:34.832 $30. 00:01:35.840 --> 00:01:37.360 So, number one. 00:01:37.360 --> 00:01:43.680 Number one is Mainstay Filing: $149 a year for the registered agent, and it renews 00:01:43.733 --> 00:01:50.240 at the same $149. Year one is $149, year two is 00:01:50.260 --> 00:01:54.800 $149, year three is $149. 00:01:54.800 --> 00:01:56.000 What do you get for that? 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:59.760 Its New York address goes on the public record instead of yours. 00:01:59.867 --> 00:02:04.800 Anything served on your company is scanned and uploaded the same business day, with 00:02:04.853 --> 00:02:09.520 no fee. And your first three government mailings each year are scanned free. 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:12.160 Same business day matters if it's a lawsuit, right? 00:02:12.160 --> 00:02:14.160 That's the whole point of an agent. 00:02:14.373 --> 00:02:19.040 If someone sues your company, the deadline to respond generally runs from when the 00:02:19.097 --> 00:02:23.360 papers are served on your agent, not from when you finally open the envelope. 00:02:23.360 --> 00:02:25.760 What if my company already has an agent? 00:02:25.947 --> 00:02:27.840 Is switching a hassle? 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:33.440 Switching is simple. Mainstay files the change of agent for you, with the $30 state 00:02:33.500 --> 00:02:35.320 fee passed through at cost. 00:02:35.320 --> 00:02:36.480 Anything else? 00:02:36.480 --> 00:02:42.720 Mainstay also sends compliance reminders, and it serves LLCs, corporations and 00:02:42.785 --> 00:02:43.920 nonprofits alike. 00:02:44.587 --> 00:02:46.080 Is there a catch? 00:02:46.080 --> 00:02:50.880 The honest one: if all you want is a registered agent at the lowest flat yearly 00:02:50.960 --> 00:02:55.440 price, a couple of names below cost $50 less a year. 00:02:55.584 --> 00:03:02.000 That's $150 over three years. What you get with Mainstay is a price that doesn't 00:03:02.064 --> 00:03:05.360 jump at renewal, and the switch filed for you. 00:03:07.515 --> 00:03:08.395 Number two? 00:03:08.395 --> 00:03:14.555 Number two is Northwest Registered Agent, at $125 a year. 00:03:14.595 --> 00:03:19.435 Its page says that price hasn't changed in 20 years, and it scans up to 10 pieces of 00:03:19.485 --> 00:03:21.515 regular business mail a year for free. 00:03:22.427 --> 00:03:24.955 That sounds hard to beat. What's the catch? 00:03:24.955 --> 00:03:31.115 Signing up automatically enrolls you in its annual report filing service, at $100 00:03:31.163 --> 00:03:34.155 plus state fees per filing, unless you cancel it. 00:03:34.375 --> 00:03:38.875 Its page says you can add or cancel the service at any time, so it's something to 00:03:38.942 --> 00:03:40.315 check right after you sign up. 00:03:40.315 --> 00:03:45.035 So what does a year with Northwest look like if I leave that service on? 00:03:45.035 --> 00:03:51.755 $125 for the agent, plus $100 and the state's fee every time it 00:03:51.835 --> 00:03:57.595 files your annual report. Cancel the service, and it's back to $125 a year. 00:03:57.721 --> 00:04:02.555 Either way, the agent price itself has been steady for a long time, and that counts 00:04:02.595 --> 00:04:03.275 for something. 00:04:03.978 --> 00:04:04.938 Number three. 00:04:04.938 --> 00:04:11.258 Number three is NY Registered Agent.org, at $99 a year, and still 00:04:11.304 --> 00:04:16.618 $99 at renewal. You get a registered address on file, same-day scanning of legal 00:04:16.682 --> 00:04:21.738 documents and compliance reminders, and switching to it costs just the $30 state 00:04:21.818 --> 00:04:27.498 fee. The catch: annual report filing isn't in the plan; that's a separate service. 00:04:27.498 --> 00:04:29.018 How does that compare with Mainstay? 00:04:29.018 --> 00:04:34.778 It's $50 a year less. Over three years, that's $297 against 00:04:34.842 --> 00:04:41.818 $447 for Mainstay. If a flat $99 is the whole goal, this is one of the two names 00:04:41.845 --> 00:04:42.458 to look at. 00:04:43.626 --> 00:04:44.906 Number four? 00:04:44.906 --> 00:04:49.226 Number four is Bizee, formerly called Incfile. 00:04:49.346 --> 00:04:53.786 Its registered agent is free the first year with any formation package. 00:04:54.602 --> 00:04:56.505 Free? What's the catch? 00:04:56.505 --> 00:05:02.106 Two things. The free year needs a formation order, so you have to form your LLC with 00:05:02.186 --> 00:05:08.266 Bizee to get it. And after that, it's $149 a year, and the renewal is 00:05:08.330 --> 00:05:09.465 automatic. 00:05:09.465 --> 00:05:12.346 So three years with Bizee looks like... 00:05:12.346 --> 00:05:19.306 Free, then $149, then $149: $298. 00:05:19.386 --> 00:05:21.946 That's only if you form with them in the first place. 00:05:22.660 --> 00:05:23.940 And number five? 00:05:23.940 --> 00:05:30.940 Number five is New York Registered Agent.ai, at $99 a year, flat, 00:05:30.980 --> 00:05:36.100 with no change at renewal. It covers the office address, scanning of legal 00:05:36.159 --> 00:05:39.060 correspondence and reminders for state filings. 00:05:39.260 --> 00:05:45.220 The catch: like number three, filing your annual report is a separate service. 00:05:45.220 --> 00:05:48.660 So numbers three and five are the same price? 00:05:48.660 --> 00:05:55.060 The same $99. Both are worth a look if you want the lowest flat number, and neither 00:05:55.120 --> 00:05:56.500 one changes at renewal. 00:05:57.664 --> 00:05:59.264 A few questions we hear a lot. 00:05:59.411 --> 00:06:03.104 First: what about regular mail, not just legal papers? 00:06:03.104 --> 00:06:08.464 It varies. Mainstay scans the first three government mailings a year free. 00:06:08.528 --> 00:06:12.864 Northwest scans up to 10 pieces of regular business mail a year free. 00:06:12.917 --> 00:06:17.344 If you get a lot of mail at your agent's address, ask what each extra scan costs 00:06:17.390 --> 00:06:18.384 before you sign up. 00:06:18.384 --> 00:06:22.624 I formed my LLC in New York but do business in another state. 00:06:22.757 --> 00:06:24.384 Do I need two agents? 00:06:24.384 --> 00:06:28.624 If you register the company to do business in that second state, you'll need an 00:06:28.677 --> 00:06:33.744 agent there too. A price that's the same everywhere, like Mainstay's, saves you from 00:06:33.800 --> 00:06:35.984 comparing a new set of numbers each time. 00:06:35.984 --> 00:06:38.144 Can I switch in the middle of the year? 00:06:38.144 --> 00:06:43.264 You can. In New York it's a Certificate of Change with the Department of State, and 00:06:43.284 --> 00:06:49.584 the fee is $30. With Mainstay, that filing is done for you, with the fee at cost. 00:06:50.298 --> 00:06:54.058 If someone's listening and still can't decide, what should they actually compare? 00:06:54.058 --> 00:06:58.778 Three things. First, the renewal price, not the first-year price. 00:06:59.138 --> 00:07:05.978 Bizee goes from free to $149. Second, anything that gets added 00:07:06.035 --> 00:07:11.658 automatically, like Northwest's annual report enrollment at $100 plus state fees per 00:07:11.727 --> 00:07:15.738 filing. And third, what switching costs you. 00:07:15.978 --> 00:07:19.178 In New York, the state fee is $30. 00:07:19.178 --> 00:07:21.338 Which brings us back to number one. 00:07:21.338 --> 00:07:27.898 It does. One price, the same at renewal, nothing added automatically, and the switch 00:07:28.005 --> 00:07:29.178 filed for you. 00:07:31.076 --> 00:07:33.396 So, the final verdict for New York. 00:07:33.396 --> 00:07:40.196 Mainstay Filing, our pick. $149 a year for the agent, the same at renewal, and the 00:07:40.253 --> 00:07:41.396 switch filed for you. 00:07:41.396 --> 00:07:44.115 And the quick version of all five? 00:07:44.115 --> 00:07:49.476 One, Mainstay Filing: $149 a year, the same at renewal. 00:07:49.776 --> 00:07:56.436 Two, Northwest: $125 a year; watch the annual report enrollment. 00:07:56.663 --> 00:08:02.516 Three, NY Registered Agent.org: $99 a year, 00:08:02.612 --> 00:08:08.436 flat. Four, Bizee: free the first year when you form with it, then 00:08:08.496 --> 00:08:15.076 $149. And five, New York Registered Agent.ai: 00:08:15.122 --> 00:08:17.156 $99 a year, flat. 00:08:17.156 --> 00:08:19.476 Links to all five are in the show notes. 00:08:19.533 --> 00:08:22.356 Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast.