Florida Registered Agent Rules for International Founders

October 13, 2026

What a registered agent does in Florida

A registered agent is the person or business the state and the courts can rely on to receive lawsuits, subpoenas and official notices for your company. Florida requires each LLC to designate and continuously maintain a registered agent and a registered office (Fla. Stat. § 605.0113). Corporations have the same requirement under Fla. Stat. § 607.0501.

Key points from the statutes and Sunbiz guidance:

• A registered office in Florida. The company must keep a registered office in Florida, and the agent's business address must be the same as that office. Florida filings ask for the agent's street address in Florida (Fla. Stat. §§ 605.0113, 605.0902), so a P.O. box address won't work.
• Who can serve. The agent can be an individual who lives in Florida, or a business entity authorized to act as a registered agent (Fla. Stat. § 605.0113(1)(b)).
• Open during set hours. Florida law requires the registered office to be open at least 10 a.m. to 12 noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays, except legal holidays, with someone there who can accept legal papers (Fla. Stat. § 48.091(3)).
• Written acceptance. The agent must accept the appointment in writing (Fla. Stat. § 605.0113(2)).
• Forwarding. The agent must forward any process, notice or demand to the company at the address the company last gave the agent (Fla. Stat. § 605.0113(3)).
• Changes are filed with the state. If you change your agent or the registered office address, you file a statement of change with the Division of Corporations (Fla. Stat. § 605.0114).

Registered agent vs. principal address vs. mailing address

Sunbiz filings ask for three different addresses, and international founders often mix them up:

Sunbiz says the information on an annual report becomes part of the public record and is shown on its website. If you list your home as the principal or mailing address, anyone can look it up. Your registered agent's address covers only service of process. It does not give you a place for bank statements, IRS letters or customer mail.

Foreign companies must register with Sunbiz

In Florida law, a "foreign" entity is any company formed outside Florida, whether in Delaware or in another country. A foreign LLC may not transact business in Florida until it gets a certificate of authority from the Florida Department of State. The application lists the company's principal office and mailing addresses and the Florida street address of its registered agent, who must accept in writing (Fla. Stat. § 605.0902). Foreign corporations have the same rule (Fla. Stat. § 607.1501), and that section lists activities that don't count as transacting business, such as keeping a bank account.

Doing business in Florida without registering has consequences. An unregistered foreign LLC that transacts business here can't bring a lawsuit in a Florida court until it registers. It also owes the fees it would have paid, plus a civil penalty of $500 to $1,000 for each year or part of a year (Fla. Stat. § 605.0904). Whether your activities count as "transacting business" depends on the facts, so ask a Florida attorney if you are unsure.

What happens if you have no registered agent

If an LLC doesn't appoint and maintain a registered agent, the Department of State can administratively dissolve a Florida LLC (Fla. Stat. § 605.0714) or revoke a foreign LLC's certificate of authority (Fla. Stat. § 605.0908). The state first sends a notice, and the company has 60 days to fix the problem. Until it complies, the company also can't bring a lawsuit in a Florida court (Fla. Stat. § 605.0113(5); § 607.0501(6) for corporations). Without an agent, you could also miss legal papers served on the company. Reinstatement is possible, but it takes an application and fees.

Annual report deadlines

Every Florida LLC and corporation, including registered foreign entities, must file an annual report with Sunbiz each year between January 1 and May 1 (Fla. Stat. § 605.0212 for LLCs; § 607.1622 for corporations). Sunbiz says a $400 late fee is charged to profit corporations and LLCs that file after May 1. A company that hasn't filed by the third Friday in September is administratively dissolved, or loses its authority if it's a foreign company, on the fourth Friday in September (Fla. Stat. §§ 605.0714, 605.0908; Sunbiz annual report page). Check Sunbiz for the current fees before you file.

Practical issues for non-U.S. founders

International founders often run into these issues after forming a Florida company:

• Banking. Many U.S. banks ask for a U.S. business address and may not accept a registered agent address or P.O. box as your business address.
• IRS and EIN mail. IRS letters about your EIN and tax filings go to the address you give the IRS. If that mail goes to an address nobody checks, you can miss deadlines.
• Privacy. Your Sunbiz record is public. Using a commercial address keeps your personal or overseas home address off it.
• Time zones. If you live abroad, you need someone in Florida who receives and processes mail promptly.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules for taxes, visas and banking vary by person, so talk with a Florida attorney or a CPA who works with international clients before you decide on a structure.

A simple Florida setup that works

1. Registered agent: Use a dedicated registered agent at a staffed Florida street address for service of process and state notices.
2. Business address: Use a staffed commercial suite as your principal and mailing address for banks, the IRS, vendors and customers.
3. Mail handling: Have mail received, scanned and made available securely so you can read it from anywhere.
4. Calendar reminders: Set a reminder for the January 1 to May 1 annual report window every year.

At MyOfficeBoca, 7781 NW Beacon Square Blvd, Suite 102, Boca Raton, FL 33487, we offer both pieces. Our Florida registered agent service is a $17.99/month add-on on the Essential plan and included in the Advanced plan. Plan prices are on the pricing page. Learn more on our registered agent page. Our mail handling service uploads scanned mail to your secure member portal, and scans are never emailed. The Ultimate plan also includes our Sunbiz annual report filing service. Florida state fees are not included.