Updated on April 29, 2024
A Washington D.C. registered agent is a person or business authorized to receive legal documents on behalf of a corporation. Once documents are received, the agent is responsible for forwarding them to the corporation.[1] All domestic and foreign entities registered in the District of Columbia must maintain a registered agent.[2]
Top Registered Agents (7)
| Company | Price ($) | Document Scanning | Agent Change Fee | Annual Renewal Fee | Mobile App? |
*ZenBusiness 4.7 out of 5 – 13,467 reviews | $99/year | Yes | $0 | $0 | iOS | Android |
| Incfile 4.7 out of 5 – 15,944 reviews | $119/year | Yes | $0 | $0 | – |
Harbor Compliance 4.0 out of 5 – 17 reviews | $99/year | Yes | $50 | $0 | – |
Northwest Registered Agent 3.5 out of 5 – 62 reviews | $125/year | 15/year | $0 | $0 | – |
InCorp Services 2.2 out of 5 – 16 reviews | $129/year | Yes | $0 | $49 | iOS |
| CT Corporation 1.8 out of 5 – 16 reviews | $354/year | Yes | $0 | $0 | – |
D.C. Registered Agent 0 reviews | $49/year | Yes | $0 | $0 | – |
*We collect affiliate fees from this company. Pricing is $99 for the first year and $199 for renewal.
Who can be a Registered Agent?
A registered agent can be an individual resident of the District of Columbia or a company physically located in the District of Columbia.[3]
Can I be a Registered Agent?
Yes, if you reside in the District of Columbia.
Typically, entities designate their registered agents upon filing their formation document, which asks for the agent’s name and address. To form an entity in the district, use the online My DC Business Center system or visit the DLCP Business License Center, 1100 4th Street, SW, 2nd Floor, Washington, DC 20024. No appointments are required.
Changing a Registered Agent
To change its registered agent, an entity can deliver a signed Statement of Change to the mayor.[4]
Statement of Change
Download: PDF
Resigning as a Registered Agent
A registered agent can resign by delivering a signed Statement of Resignation to the mayor. The resignation takes effect 31 days after filing or when a new agent is designated, whichever comes first.[5]
Statement of Resignation
Download: PDF