Oregon is a great state to set up your business. It’s one of the best business environments in the US. If you plan on setting up a business in the State of Oregon, one of the foremost requirements of the state government is having a registered agent.
What is a Registered Agent?
A registered agent can be a business or an individual appointed to receive legal documents for your company. These legal documents include tax notices, subpoenas, lawsuits, and others.
All companies doing business in the state of Oregon must have a registered agent to ensure tracking of all legal mail sent within the state. To become a registered agent in the state of Oregon, you must meet the following requirements:
You must
- Be able to receive mail during business hours at an office
- Be present to receive the legal mail intended for the business you represent
- Have a physical address within Oregon. Note that making use of a P.O Box is not allowed.
Registered Agent in Oregon, who can work as one?
A person must meet certain requirements before he/she can work as a registered agent in Oregon. These requirements are made by the Secretary of the State of Oregon.
- A registered agent can be an employee of the company or third parties such as lawyers and registered agent service companies that is a resident or an organization that is located in Oregon and has a valid street address in Oregon. Corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) cannot be their registered agents. However, if you are a resident and of legal age (more than 18) in Oregon, you are allowed to register as your business’s registered agent in a case whereby you have a start-up business or you are a small business entrepreneur.
- If you are a business owner based outside Oregon, you must first have the authorization to do business.
Changing your Registered Agent in Oregon
If you have decided to shift to another agency or entity to represent your company in Oregon, maybe because your previous registered agent moved out of the state, no longer wants the responsibility, or he left your company for another. Changing registered agents is easy and free. All you need to do is follow the following steps, as outlined by the Secretary of the State of Oregon:
- Download the Oregon Secretary of State’s Change of information form, an all-in-one form used to make changes to business entities in the State of Oregon. You have to be sure that the form you’re filling is the appropriate form for your business structure as the Oregon Secretary of State has different forms for different business structures. For example, LLCs and Corporation form is different from the Limited Partnership form.
- The form must be correctly filled, note that there’s no fee to be paid for the document to be processed in the State of Oregon.
You can submit the completed form by mail or in person to the address:
Secretary of State – Corporation Division
255 Capitol St. NE, Suite 151
Salem, OR 97310-1327.
The Secretary of the State of Oregon doesn’t have a fixed time for processing a change of Registered Agent, however, you can always take a look at the Business Homepage of the Secretary of the State of Oregon where the processing times are regularly updated.
You have to know that you can also change your registered agent in the State of Oregon by making changes to your annual report which can be submitted online or through the mail. You can find more detail about the Annual Report in the State of Oregon here.
Should I Get a Professional Registered Agent Service Company?
Getting a professional registered agent company can reduce a lot of effort and time for any business owner. There are numerous benefits to it whether you are an established company or a small business owner. Some of these benefits are:
- Making use of their address instead of your home address, especially if you don’t have an office yet. This detail will be included in public records.
- Registered Agent processes paperwork for you
- Notify you immediately if you receive any new legal mail
- Notify you of mandatory filing of Oregon annual reports
- Help you to avoid penalties for delayed filings
- Assist you with forms and instructions needed to set up your business
- If you operate a small business out of state, they fill in as your local contact in the state.
Several agencies offer registered agent services in Oregon. However, you have to be careful in finding a trustworthy agent to handle your business.
| Image | Product | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Pricing: $125/year Who Should Use It: If you are willing to pay a little more for top-notch customer support and want to combine virtual office and mail forwarding services with registered agent service. Pros
Cons
| Get Best PriceFull Review | |
 | Pricing: $99/year Who Should Use It: If you need a basic reliable registered agent service at a great price, ZenBusiness is a good choice. Pros:
Cons:
| Get Best PriceFull Review | |
 | Pricing: $119/year. Free for the first year if you use their incorporation service. Who Should Use It: If your objective is to minimize the startup costs in the first year, Incfile is a decent choice. Pros:
Cons
| Get Best PriceFull Review | |
 | Pricing: $299/year
| Get Best PriceFull Review | |
 | Pricing: $99/year. It is reduced to $89/year if you opt for a 3+ years package. Who Should Use It: If you are looking for reliable registered agent services that help track regulatory requirements and promptly notify about lawsuits, Harbor Compliance is a good choice. Pros:
Cons:
| Get Best PriceFull Review | |
 | Pricing: $150/year Who Should Use It: Medium-sized or Start-up Business owners who want to take advantage of Rocket Lawyer’s legal subscription services and don’t mind paying to pay a little extra to get their legal needs fulfilled in one place. Pros
Cons
| Get Best PriceFull Review |
Advantages of Using an Oregon Business Address vs. Personal Address
- A business address minimizes exposure of your home address as public information
- Some city municipalities may not allow using home addresses as business offices
- Using your personal address can probably link you to business liabilities
- Using a business address can help you separate business and personal transactions
Conclusion
Having a registered agent is your gateway to setting up a business in the state of Oregon. Doing it yourself is possible, but it can eat up a lot of your time, money, and energy. It is better to get a registered agent service and use the resources to build your business instead. Let them help you do business hassle-free in Oregon.
