Statutia › Best agent for switching
The best registered agent to switch to
If your LLC already exists, the best agent isn’t the one with the flashiest first-year deal. It’s the one with the lowest cost over the years you’ll keep it, that handles the state filing for you, and that you can leave easily later.
Short answer: for most existing LLCs, Northwest Registered Agent: $625 over five years, it says it files the change and pays the state fee, and you can cancel online with no fee. If you want your annual report filed for you, Registered Agents Inc ($200 a year, filing included). Harbor and ZenBusiness are cheapest in year one at $99, but renew at $159 and $199 and cost more than Northwest by the end of year two.
How we make money: Statutia has no affiliate relationships yet. Every provider link on this page is a plain link that earns us nothing. If that changes, commercial links will be labeled next to the link. Commissions will never change our rankings. Details.
How we rank for switchers
- Five-year cost = the price an existing LLC pays in year one + four renewals. This decides the order.
- Switching in: whether the agent says it files your state change and pays the fee (state fees run $0–$100).
- Leaving later: notice periods and how you cancel, from the agent’s own terms.
- We don’t score service quality or publish ratings, and commissions are not an input. Ties under $25 over five years are called too close to call.
The ranking
| # | Agent | Year one | 5 years | Switching in | Leaving later |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwest Registered AgentLowest five-year cost for a switcher. Says it files the change and pays the state fee; cancel online with no fee. | $125 | $625 | Says it files the change-of-agent form for you for free and pays the state fee (we read the Alabama version of its page). northwestregisteredagent.com ↗ (opens in a new tab) | portal, any time, no fee |
| 2 (tie) | Harbor Compliance$99 first year, then $159. Leaving needs 90 days’ written notice; fees are non-refundable. | $99 | $735 | Its switch landing page says the change paperwork is included in the $99 price; its main page says a state fee applies (who pays isn’t stated). harborcompliance.com ↗ (opens in a new tab) | 90 days’ written notice before renewal |
| 2 (tie) | BizeeFlat $149 for an existing LLC (the free year is only for LLCs Bizee forms). Switch-in terms not verified. | $149 | $745 | Not verified | appoint a new agent, then notify Bizee before expiry |
| 4 | ZenBusiness$99 first year, then $199. Cancelling means contacting support; it completes when the state shows your new agent. | $99 | $895 | Its switching guide tells you to file the change with the state and pay any state fee; it says it “can help ensure” the forms are filed correctly. zenbusiness.com ↗ (opens in a new tab) | by phone, with proof the state shows your new agent |
| 5 | Registered Agents IncIncludes filing your annual report (it doesn’t say whether the state fee is covered). Price shown without a billing period (reported). | $200 | $1,000 | Not verified | Not verified |
| 6 | LegalZoomPays the state fee and files the change, but the highest renewal we track. | $249 | $1,245 | Says it pays the state fee and does the change paperwork at no cost to you. legalzoom.com ↗ (opens in a new tab) | account or phone, with proof of the new agent |
See Northwest’s agent service ↗ (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0
Want annual reports filed: Registered Agents Inc (opens in a new tab) Plain link · we earn $0
Your year-one cost to switch
What you pay in the first year: the agent’s price plus your state’s change fee, unless the agent says it pays the fee. Three fee levels: a free state, the middle state ($15) and the highest ($100).
| Agent | Free state | $15 state | $100 state | Notice to leave your current agent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Registered Agentsays it pays the state fee | $125 | $125 | $125 | portal, any time, no fee |
| Harbor Compliance | $99 | $114 | $199 | 90 days’ written notice before renewal |
| Bizee | $149 | $164 | $249 | appoint a new agent, then notify Bizee before expiry |
| ZenBusiness | $99 | $114 | $199 | by phone, with proof the state shows your new agent |
| Registered Agents Inc | $200 | $215 | $300 | Not verified |
| LegalZoomsays it pays the state fee | $249 | $249 | $249 | account or phone, with proof of the new agent |
Agent by agent
Northwest Registered Agent
Five years: $625 ($125 first year, then $125/yr).
- Switching in: Says it files the change-of-agent form for you for free and pays the state fee (we read the Alabama version of its page). northwestregisteredagent.com ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Leaving later: Online in the client portal, any time. No cancellation fee. northwestregisteredagent.com terms ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Price terms: Says its price “never goes up” and hasn’t risen in 20 years. That is a published claim, not a contractual price lock. northwestregisteredagent.com terms ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Harbor Compliance
Five years: $735 ($99 first year, then $159/yr).
- Switching in: Its switch landing page says the change paperwork is included in the $99 price; its main page says a state fee applies (who pays isn’t stated). harborcompliance.com ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Leaving later: Written notice of non-renewal at least 90 days before renewal (terms of service, sections 22–23). Miss it and that year’s invoice stays due. harborcompliance.com terms ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Price terms: Its terms allow yearly increases of up to 10% (or its standard rate for legacy customers). Prepaying locks $99/yr only for the years you buy. harborcompliance.com terms ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Bizee
Five years: $745 ($149 first year, then $149/yr).
- Switching in: Not verified
- Leaving later: Appoint a new agent with the state, then tell Bizee before the expiration date. bizee.com terms ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Price terms: Prices are “subject to change at any time without notice”. bizee.com terms ↗ (opens in a new tab)
ZenBusiness
Five years: $895 ($99 first year, then $199/yr).
- Switching in: Its switching guide tells you to file the change with the state and pay any state fee; it says it “can help ensure” the forms are filed correctly. zenbusiness.com ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Leaving later: By phone only, not online. You update the state’s record yourself and send proof; cancellation is complete only when the state’s records show your new agent. zenbusiness.com terms ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Price terms: Renews at $199/yr, “subject to change”. zenbusiness.com terms ↗ (opens in a new tab)
Registered Agents Inc
Five years: $1,000 ($200 first year, then $200/yr). Its price includes filing your annual report; it doesn’t say whether the state fee is covered.
- Switching in: Not verified
- Leaving later: Not verified
- Price terms: Not verified
LegalZoom
Five years: $1,245 ($249 first year, then $249/yr).
- Switching in: Says it pays the state fee and does the change paperwork at no cost to you. legalzoom.com ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Leaving later: In your account or by phone, with proof that a new agent is on file. Charges continue until you provide that proof. legalzoom.com terms ↗ (opens in a new tab)
- Price terms: It can raise the renewal price with 30 days’ notice. The $249 price is for first-time agent customers. legalzoom.com terms ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What the switch costs in your state
Your first-year cost = the new agent’s price + your state’s change fee, unless the agent pays it. 10 states charge nothing: Arkansas, California, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, Montana, Oregon, Virginia, Washington. The highest are Alabama ($100), Nevada ($60), Minnesota ($55). Every state’s fee, linked to its official source, is in our change guide.
The switch in four steps
- Sign up with the new agent and get the exact address to list.
- File the change with your state (or let the new agent file it).
- Confirm the state’s record shows the new agent.
- Cancel the old agent and turn off auto-renewal (how, by provider).
Or skip the service: being your own agent costs $0 a year if you meet your state’s rules, but your name and address become public (rules by state).
Common questions
Why isn’t the cheapest first-year price ranked first?
Because you pay the renewal every year after. A $99 first year that renews at $159 or $199 costs more than a flat $125 by the end of year two.
Does the new agent really file the change for free?
Northwest and LegalZoom say they do and pay the state fee; Harbor’s switch page says the paperwork is included in its price; ZenBusiness’s guide tells you to file it with the state yourself. Confirm at checkout.
Should I switch mid-term?
You can switch any time; the old agent stays on record until the state processes your change. Check whether your current plan refunds unused time (most don’t after a set period).
What this page can’t tell you
We read prices and terms on each provider’s own site and dated them. We haven’t bought these services, so we can’t rate support, speed or accuracy, and we don’t publish star ratings. “Not verified” means we couldn’t confirm it on the provider’s site; it is never counted as free. Anything not re-checked within 120 days is removed at the next weekly rebuild. Commissions are not an input to any ranking (methodology). This is general information, not legal advice.
How we make money: Statutia has no affiliate relationships yet. Every provider link on this page is a plain link that earns us nothing. If that changes, commercial links will be labeled next to the link. Commissions will never change our rankings. Details.