Alabama requires every LLC and corporation to keep a registered agent with a Alabama street address. You can be your own agent (registered agent may be an individual who is a resident of this state, or a domestic entity, or a..., full wording under the statute below). Changing your agent costs $100 for an LLC and $100 for a corporation. The Business Privilege Tax Return and Annual Report (Form PPT for LLCs/pass-through entities; Form CPT for C-corporations) is due same date as the corresponding federal income tax return. If you have no agent: If an entity required to designate and maintain a registered agent fails to do so, or the registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served, the entity may be served with process, notice, or demand in a manner similar to service of process under the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure.. Hiring an agent costs $125 to $249 a year at renewal on the providers' own sites, read 2026-09-08; first-year offers run lower.
This page is general information, not legal advice. State fees, forms and deadlines change. Every fact is quoted from the state filing office or statute with the date we read it. Confirm on the official page before you file. Terms of use.
How to change your registered agent in Alabama
Three steps. Most owners finish online in under fifteen minutes.
- Choose the new agent. You can be your own agent (registered agent may be an individual who is a resident of this state, or a domestic entity, or a..., full wording under the statute below). Or hire a service from the price table below; they give you their Alabama street address to put on the form.
- Or file the paper form. Change of Registered Agent or Registered Office by Entity, from the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities. The mailing address is printed on the form. Open the Alabama filing office Direct PDF
- Pay the fee. Changing your agent costs $100 for an LLC and $100 for a corporation. Keep the confirmation; the new agent is effective when the state records it.
What a registered agent costs in Alabama
Yearly fee from each provider's own site on the date shown: what a new customer pays the first year, and what it renews at. Sorted by renewal price, because that is what you pay every year after. "No link" means we have no agreement with that provider; it is listed on the same terms. Best is not always the one we earn from, and we say which is which.
| Provider | First year | Renews at | Terms and what is included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Registered Agentno link, no agreement | $125 | $125 | Same price every year, per its page
|
| Harbor Complianceno link, no agreement | $99 | $149 | Renews at 149 per year after the first
|
| Bizeeno link, no agreement | $149 | $149 | 149 per year standalone or on renewal; first year free only with a bizee formation
|
| ZenBusinessno link, no agreement | $99 | $199 | Renews at 199 per year
|
| LegalZoomno link, no agreement | $249 | $249 | Auto-renews; renewal rate subject to change, per its page
|
What switching to the cheapest renewal saves
| If you renew with | Renews at | Saved per year | Over 3 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| LegalZoom | $249 | $124 | $372 |
| ZenBusiness | $199 | $74 | $222 |
| Harbor Compliance | $149 | $24 | $72 |
| Bizee | $149 | $24 | $72 |
Compared with Northwest Registered Agent at $125 a year, prices read 2026-09-08. Switching costs the state change fee shown above, once.
Type your current renewal price to see the saving.
Advertising disclosure. Some provider names on this page are links to that provider's site through an affiliate network. If you buy through one of those links we may earn a commission. The price you pay does not change. Providers we have no agreement with are listed without a link and ranked by the same rules. Disclosed under the US FTC Endorsement Guides and the Norwegian Marketing Control Act.
Alabama at a glance
Fees, forms and deadlines
| Item | Alabama |
|---|---|
| Filing office | Alabama Secretary of State, Business Entities sos.alabama.gov/business-entitiesSource: sos.alabama.gov/node/1395, read 2026-09-08 |
| Registered agent statute (LLC) | Ala. Code § 10A-1-5.31Source: law.justia.com/codes/alabama/2018/title-10a/chapter-1/article-5/divisi (secondary source), read 2026-09-08 |
| Registered agent statute (corporation) | Ala. Code § 10A-1-5.31Source: law.justia.com/codes/alabama/2018/title-10a/chapter-1/article-5/divisi (secondary source), read 2026-09-08 |
| Change of agent form | Change of Registered Agent or Registered Office by EntitySource: sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/form-files/FeeSchedule.pdf, read 2026-09-08 |
| Change of agent fee, LLC | $100Source: sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/form-files/FeeSchedule.pdf, read 2026-09-08 |
| Change of agent fee, corporation | $100Source: sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/form-files/FeeSchedule.pdf, read 2026-09-08 |
| Business Privilege Tax Return and Annual Report (Form PPT for LLCs/pass-through entities; Form CPT for C-corporations) due | same date as the corresponding federal income tax return ("due on the same date as the corresponding federal income returns are required to be filed as provided under federal law")Source: revenue.alabama.gov/individual-corporate/alabama-business-privilege-ta, read 2026-09-08 |
| Annual report fee, LLC | not publishedSource: revenue.alabama.gov/individual-corporate/alabama-business-privilege-ta, read 2026-09-08 |
| Annual report fee, corporation | not publishedSource: revenue.alabama.gov/individual-corporate/alabama-business-privilege-ta, read 2026-09-08 |
| Late fee | not publishedSource: revenue.alabama.gov/individual-corporate/alabama-business-privilege-ta, read 2026-09-08 |
| No agent on file | If an entity required to designate and maintain a registered agent fails to do so, or the registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served, the entity may be served with process, notice, or demand in a manner similar to service of process under the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. Ala. Code § 10A-1-5.35 (Failure to designate and maintain registered agent)Source: law.justia.com/codes/alabama/2013/title-10a/chapter-1/section-10a-1-5. (secondary source), read 2026-09-08 |
| Be your own agent | You can be your own agent (registered agent may be an individual who is a resident of this state, or a domestic entity, or a..., full wording under the statute below)Source: law.justia.com/codes/alabama/2018/title-10a/chapter-1/article-5/divisi (secondary source), read 2026-09-08 |
What the statute says
shall designate and continuously maintain in this state a registered agent that is an agent of the entity on which may be served any process, notice, or demand required or permitted by law to be served on the entity
Ala. Code § 10A-1-5.31, read 2026-09-08
A registered agent is the person or company the state and the courts send legal papers to. The agent must have a street address in Alabama, not a PO box, and be available during business hours. You can be your own agent (registered agent may be an individual who is a resident of this state, or a domestic entity, or a..., full wording under the statute below).
Annual report and what happens without an agent
The Business Privilege Tax Return and Annual Report (Form PPT for LLCs/pass-through entities; Form CPT for C-corporations) is due same date as the corresponding federal income tax return. Fee: not published for an LLC, not published for a corporation. Late fee: not published.
Without an agent on file: If an entity required to designate and maintain a registered agent fails to do so, or the registered agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served, the entity may be served with process, notice, or demand in a manner similar to service of process under the Alabama Rules of Civil Procedure. (Ala. Code § 10A-1-5.35 (Failure to designate and maintain registered agent)). In practice that means missed lawsuits and a company that can lose its good standing.
Sources and dates
- https://www.sos.alabama.gov/node/1395, read 2026-09-08
- https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/2018/title-10a/chapter-1/article-5/division-d/section-10a-1-5.31/, read 2026-09-08
- https://www.sos.alabama.gov/sites/default/files/form-files/FeeSchedule.pdf, read 2026-09-08
- https://www.revenue.alabama.gov/individual-corporate/alabama-business-privilege-tax-and-corporate-share-tax/, read 2026-09-08
- https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/2013/title-10a/chapter-1/section-10a-1-5.35, read 2026-09-08
- https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/registered-agent, read 2026-09-08
- https://www.harborcompliance.com/registered-agent-service, read 2026-09-08
- https://bizee.com/business-management/registered-agent, read 2026-09-08
- https://www.zenbusiness.com/registered-agent-service/, read 2026-09-08
- https://www.legalzoom.com/business/business-operations/registered-agent-overview.html, read 2026-09-08
This page is general information, not legal advice. State fees, forms and deadlines change. Every fact is quoted from the state filing office or statute with the date we read it. Confirm on the official page before you file.
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Advertising disclosure. Some provider names on this page are links to that provider's site through an affiliate network. If you buy through one of those links we may earn a commission. The price you pay does not change. Providers we have no agreement with are listed without a link and ranked by the same rules. Disclosed under the US FTC Endorsement Guides and the Norwegian Marketing Control Act.