[0:00] The short answer Dan: The 5 best registered agents in Vermont in 2026 are Mainstay Filing, Northwest Registered Agent, VT Registered Agent.org, Bizee, and Vermont Registered Agent.co. Maya: This is The Business Formation Podcast. Today we're in Vermont. What's the headline? Dan: A Vermont statement of change costs $35. So it pays to pick the right agent once, rather than switching later. [0:30] What Vermont requires Maya: Does Vermont want an agent for every LLC? Dan: Yes, and it wants two things. A designated office for notification, and an agent for service of process. Maya: Why two? Dan: The designated office is where Vermont sends notices. It doesn't have to be a place of business, or even in the state. The agent is who gets served with lawsuits. Maya: Who can be the agent? Dan: An individual who lives in Vermont, or a business that has a place of business here and is authorized to operate here. The Secretary of State puts it simply: the only qualification is a street and mailing address in Vermont. Maya: I'm Maya, by the way, here with Dan. Dan: Thanks, Maya. Now, the five. [1:18] Mainstay Filing Maya: First pick? Dan: Mainstay Filing, $149 a year. When it renews, it's $149 again. Maya: What do I get for that? Dan: Its Vermont address goes on the public record in place of yours. Papers served on your company are scanned and uploaded the same business day, with no fee. And three government mailings a year are scanned free. Maya: What if I already have an agent? Dan: Mainstay files the statement of change. The state fee of $35 is passed through at cost. Maya: What's the catch? Dan: Two of the services below it charge $99. Mainstay costs $50 a year more than them. [1:55] Northwest Registered Agent Maya: Second? Dan: Northwest Registered Agent, $125 a year. It says it hasn't raised its price in 20 years. Up to 10 business mail scans a year are free. Maya: And what's the catch? Dan: Signing up automatically enrolls you in its annual report filing service. That's $100 plus state fees each time you file, until you cancel. Maya: What would that do to a Vermont owner? Dan: Vermont's own annual report is $45 online. So the service would put $100 on top of it. [2:29] VT Registered Agent.org Maya: Third? Dan: VT Registered Agent.org, $99 a year, the same at renewal. It lists the registered office address, scans legal documents the same day, and sends state-deadline alerts. Maya: Cost to move? Dan: The $35 state fee, nothing from them. Maya: Downside? Dan: Annual report filing costs extra. Maya: How far under number one is that? Dan: $50 a year, so $150 over three years. [2:55] Bizee Maya: And four? Dan: Bizee, formerly Incfile. Your first year is free if you buy a formation package, then it's $149 a year. Maya: Anything to look out for? Dan: The free year requires a formation order, and the $149 renewal is automatic. Maya: And if the LLC is already formed? Dan: Then you pay $149 from the start. Two years is $298. [3:24] Vermont Registered Agent.co Maya: Five? Dan: Vermont Registered Agent.co. A flat $99 a year. You get the office address on your filings, same-day scanning of legal mail, and reminders for state deadlines. Maya: Is the catch the same as number three? Dan: It is. Annual report filing is a separate service. [3:44] Naming the agent Maya: Where does Vermont ask for the agent? Dan: In the Articles of Organization, which list the name and street address of the initial agent for service. That filing is $155. Maya: Does the agent have to agree? Dan: When you designate someone, you attest that the agent consents to the appointment. There's nothing for the agent to sign. Maya: Can the LLC be its own agent? Dan: No. The Secretary of State says the agent can be an individual or another registered business, but not the represented business itself. It also can't be an assumed business name. Maya: What does the agent have to share about itself? Dan: Name, email, and address. Vermont wants the agent's email on file. [4:28] Changing the agent Maya: How do I change it? Dan: A statement of change. It can update the agent, the agent's address, or the email. Maya: How much? Dan: $35. The fee schedule lists it right there under the statute for statements of change. Maya: How long does it take? Dan: Online filing normally takes less than one business day, and online costs nothing extra. By mail, allow 7 to 10 business days. Maya: What does the change update on the record? Dan: The registered agent, the physical address of the registered office, the mailing address, and the email. [5:02] What the agent does and doesn't do Maya: What is the agent responsible for? Dan: Receiving service of any process, notice, or demand that the law says can be served on the LLC. Maya: Is the agent responsible for my business? Dan: No. The Secretary of State says appointment as registered agent neither gives the agent authority to sign documents nor creates liability for the business. Maya: So it's a narrow job. Dan: It is, which is why the address and the forwarding matter more than anything else. [5:32] If the agent resigns Maya: What if my agent quits? Dan: It files a statement of resignation and gives your company a copy. It costs nothing to file. The fee schedule shows $0. Maya: When does it take effect? Dan: The statute says the earlier of 30 days after the Secretary files it, or the day a new agent's change takes effect. The Secretary of State's page describes it as the 31st day. Maya: And if there's no new agent by then? Dan: Your business loses good standing and is marked Terminated until a new agent is appointed. Maya: Can the agent just say it never agreed? Dan: If the agent attests that it did not consent to the appointment, the resignation fee is waived. [6:10] When nobody can be served Maya: What if no agent can be found? Dan: Then the Secretary of State becomes the agent. The papers are left with the Secretary, who forwards a copy by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested. Maya: Where does it go? Dan: To your company's principal office or last known address. Maya: When is service complete? Dan: At the earliest of when it's received, the date on the return receipt, or five days after it's deposited. Maya: So a lawsuit can still reach me. Dan: It can, and you'd find out late. [6:42] The annual report Maya: What does Vermont ask each year? Dan: An annual report, $45 online. It's due within three months after your fiscal year ends, which means March 31 for a calendar year. Maya: Does it list the agent? Dan: Yes, the agent's name, email, and address. Maya: What if I skip it? Dan: Not filing leads to termination of the articles. That's worse than a late fee. [7:06] Being your own agent Maya: Can I do this myself in Vermont? Dan: If you're a Vermont resident, yes, as an individual. You need a street and mailing address in the state and an email. Maya: The downside? Dan: Your address is on a public filing, and you have to be there when papers arrive. Maya: What does that mean in practice? Dan: Being reachable, and passing everything along right away. [7:27] Choosing Maya: How would a Burlington or Montpelier owner decide? Dan: Three questions. Is the renewal price flat, is the address a real Vermont street address, and who handles the $35 change. Maya: What's the three-year gap? Dan: Mainstay is $447, a $99 service is $297. That's $150 apart, for the free scanned government mail and the change filed for you. Maya: And your pick? Dan: Mainstay Filing. Our pick for Vermont, at $149 a year. [8:01] The five in a row Maya: Give me all five one more time. Dan: One, Mainstay Filing: $149, the same at renewal. Two, Northwest: $125, with the report service to cancel. Three, VT Registered Agent.org: $99 flat. Four, Bizee: free the first year with a formation order, then $149. Five, Vermont Registered Agent.co: $99 flat. Maya: The links are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to The Business Formation Podcast.