What Is a Registered Agent in Florida?

What a registered agent does

The registered agent is the official point of contact between a business and the outside world for legal and state matters. If the company is sued, the lawsuit is served on the agent. When the state sends a notice, it goes to the agent. Because of that role, the agent must have a physical Florida street address, not a PO box, and be available during normal business hours.

Who can be a registered agent

A registered agent can be an individual who lives in Florida or a company authorized to do business in the state, as long as there is a real Florida street address on file. Many small-business owners act as their own agent. Others hire a registered-agent service so that lawsuits and notices are handled professionally and a home address stays off the public record.

Why the agent on file matters

If the registered agent has resigned, moved, or was never kept current, the business can miss a lawsuit or a state notice without ever knowing. That is how companies end up with default judgments and surprise dissolutions. The agent of record is public, so it is worth confirming it is correct.

There is a second reason to watch it. A change to the registered agent that the owner did not authorize is a classic sign of business identity theft, where someone files a fraudulent change to take control of an entity. Seeing that change quickly is the difference between catching it and cleaning up after it.

How to check a company's registered agent

Look the company up by name or document number and the current registered agent appears on its record, along with the company's status and formation date. It is free and takes seconds.

Sources

• Florida Department of State — Sunbiz (verified 2026-06-23)