# Registered Agent Service vs Being Your Own Agent *Reviewed 2026-07-29* > You can generally act as your own registered agent, or you can hire a professional service. This is an honest look at when each option fits. This page is general information, not legal advice; confirm the rules for your state. ## Professional registered agent service A commercial service that maintains a physical address, receives legal documents during business hours, and forwards them to you, in one or many states. ## Being your own registered agent You list yourself or your business address as the registered agent and personally receive service of process during business hours. ## Comparison | Feature | Professional registered agent service | Being your own registered agent | | --- | --- | --- | | Physical presence needed | The service maintains the address in each state | You must have a physical address and be present during business hours | | Privacy | The service's address appears on the public record | Your own address generally appears on the public record | | Availability | Staffed during business hours | Depends on you being available at the listed address | | Multi-state coverage | Coverage in all 50 states and DC | Generally limited to states where you have a physical presence | | Cost | A recurring per-state fee | Typically no direct fee, but your own time and availability | | Missed-document risk | Same-day scanning and forwarding reduces the risk | Higher if you travel, move, or are away during business hours | ## Which is right for you - Professional registered agent service: A professional service generally fits multi-state businesses, home-based owners who value privacy, and anyone who cannot reliably be at a fixed address during business hours. - Being your own registered agent: Acting as your own agent can fit a single-state owner who has a physical address in that state and is consistently present during business hours. Being your own agent is a legitimate choice For a single-state owner who has a physical address in that state and is reliably present during business hours, acting as your own registered agent is a perfectly legitimate option and is allowed in most states. There is generally no direct fee, and you receive documents directly. The tradeoffs are privacy, since your address usually appears on the public record, and availability, since service of process has to reach you during business hours at that address. We walk through the full decision in can I be my own registered agent. When a professional service fits better A professional service typically makes sense when any of these are true: you operate in more than one state, you work from home and would rather not list a home address publicly, you travel or are frequently away during business hours, or you simply want the reliability of a staffed address. Cornerstone maintains coverage in all 50 states and DC with same-day document scanning and forwarding, plus annual report reminders and good standing monitoring; you can review the full scope on the registered agent services page. What is at stake either way Whichever path you choose, the point of a registered agent is to reliably receive legal documents. Missing service of process can lead to serious consequences, which we cover in what happens without a registered agent. If you decide a service fits, you can set one up through online self-checkout. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is it legal to be my own registered agent? In most states, yes, provided you have a physical address in the state and are available during business hours. Rules vary by state, so confirm the requirement where your business is registered. This is general information, not legal advice. ### What is the main downside of being my own agent? The two most common downsides are privacy, since your address generally appears on the public record, and availability, since you have to be present to receive service of process during business hours. --- ## How to cite this page Cite as: "Registered Agent Service vs Being Your Own Agent." Cornerstone Licensing. https://cornerstonelicensing.com/compare/registered-agent-service-vs-being-your-own-agent Published by Cornerstone Licensing. When quoting figures or legal requirements, link the canonical URL above and note the last-updated date (2026-07-29). The full content index for this site is at https://cornerstonelicensing.com/llms.txt.