If you plan to form an LLC in Hawaii, one of the steps you’ll have to complete is appointing a registered agent for your company. This is something that often creates a bit of confusion for new business owners who may wonder what a registered agent is and what they do.
Thankfully, appointing a registered agent doesn’t have to be a complicated process. In fact, registered agents actually help make business owners’ responsibilities less complicated—especially when you choose the right one. To help walk you through the process, we’ll go over everything you need to know about appointing a Hawaii registered agent for your LLC.
A registered agent is someone who serves as a point of contact between a company and the state. When government agencies in Hawaii need to send important documents or notices to your company, they mail them to the company’s registered agent. The registered agent then reviews the documents and relays them to the business owner (or other members of the company) as necessary.
The type of documents that registered agents regularly receive and process include ones like:
In Hawaii, a registered agent can be an individual, or it can also be another business entity. However, there are certain requirements that both individuals and businesses have to meet before they can legally act as a registered agent in Hawaii.
Any individual or business entity can serve as a Hawaii registered agent as long as they meet a few requirements:
You can appoint anyone who meets these requirements as long as they consent to the appointment. However, it’s important to consider more than just the legal requirements when choosing a registered agent for your Hawaii LLC.
Appointing a registered agent in Hawaii is a relatively simple process, and there are several different ways to do it.
You can appoint almost anyone to be your LLC’s registered agent as long as they meet the requirements listed above. However, you’ll also need to obtain their consent before appointing them.
While Hawaii law doesn’t explicitly require written consent before appointing a registered agent, having the registered agent you choose sign a document stating their agreement to accept the role is still a good practice, as it will help ensure that they understand and agree to their responsibilities. If you choose to work with a registered agent service provider, a contract or service agreement will typically be provided for you.
In Hawaii, business owners are required to appoint a registered agent as part of the process of registering their LLC, and you won’t be able to finish filing your company with the state until you have appointed one. This means you will need to choose your registered agent ahead of time before forming your company and be ready to provide their information when completing the LLC registration form. You are also free to change your LLC’s registered agent at any time after the company is formed, and we’ll go over how to do this in the next section.
To complete the LLC formation form online, (and appoint your registered agent as part of this process), you can visit the business registration page of the Hawaii.gov website. From there, follow the instructions for registering a business online, which will include creating an account and filling out the LLC formation form. You’ll also be required to pay a $50 filing fee (and you’ll be given the option to pay an additional $25 for expedited processing).
If you aren’t confident about completing this process yourself, working with an LLC formation service such as Tailor Brands is a great option to consider. With Tailor Brands, prices for forming an LLC start at $0 plus the state fee, and it’s entirely up to you whether you choose to purchase additional services (including registered agent services).
If you’d rather file your LLC and appoint a registered agent by mail, you can print the LLC formation form, fill it out by hand, and mail it to the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. You can also contact this department and request that they mail you the form.
Once you’re ready to mail the LLC formation form, you can send it to this address:
Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
Business Registration Division
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 40, Honolulu, HI 96810
Keep in mind that you’ll still be required to pay the $50 filing fee, which can be included with the form via a check or money order. It’s also worth noting that processing times for mailed filings tend to be a little longer than filing online.
You’re required to choose a registered agent when forming your Hawaii LLC, but if you decide later that you’d like to appoint a different registered agent, you are free to do so. Here are the three different ways to change your registered agent in Hawaii:
The quickest way to change your registered agent is to log in to your Hawaii.gov account and submit a Statement of Change of Registered Agent form. Along with this form, you’ll also be required to submit a $25 filing fee, and you can pay an additional $25 for expedited processing.
To change your registered agent by mail, print off or request a Statement of Change of Registered Agent form, then fill it out and mail it to this address:
Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
Business Registration Division
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box 40, Honolulu, HI 96810
You’ll also need to include the $25 filing fee (or $50 filing fee if you choose expedited processing) as either a money order or a check.
You can change your registered agent by fax by completing the Statement of Change of Registered Agent form and faxing it to the Business Registration Division at this number: (808) 586-2733. Be sure to also include payment information for the filing fee.
The final option business owners in Hawaii have for changing their LLC’s registered agent is completing the process in person. To do this, you’ll need to visit the Business Registration Division office located in Honolulu.
Yes, business owners in Hawaii are allowed to appoint themselves as their company’s registered agent. But while this may seem like a convenient option, there are a couple of drawbacks to keep in mind. For one, serving as your own registered agent is going to increase the responsibilities that you have on your plate and potentially increase the likelihood of missing important documents. Serving as your own registered agent also creates some privacy concerns for business owners; it means that business mail will be sent to your personal address, and it also means that your personal address will be publically available information.
Using a registered agent service is a popular option for business owners in Hawaii. With a registered agent service like the one provided by Tailor Brands, the service provider will be your LLC’s official registered agent, and they will provide services (depending on the provider and the package you choose) such as document processing, document forwarding, online document management, and document destruction.
Compared to appointing yourself or another individual who may not be familiar with the responsibilities, using a registered agent service can offer a lot of benefits, including:
Working with a reliable registered agent service gives you peace of mind that all of the important documents and notices your company receives are processed promptly. It helps you prevent documents from being misplaced or unnoticed and all the issues that can result from this.
Registered agent service providers are great at keeping their i’s dotted and t’s crossed when it comes to complying with state law. This once again gives Hawaii business owners peace of mind knowing that their registered agent isn’t going to get them and the company in any legal trouble.
Serving as your own registered agent means that you have to be available to receive documents during regular business hours at a single location. With a registered agent service, you have a lot more flexibility to travel and work remotely, and you are still able to view your documents at any time using the service’s online portal.
A registered agent service will manage all the documents your business receives for you, including their processing, forwarding, storing, and destruction. It’s a great way to reduce paperwork and lighten your administrative burden as a business owner.
Appointing a registered agent is a key part of the process of forming a new LLC in Hawaii. Along with choosing a registered agent that meets all state requirements, it’s also essential to choose one that will be reliable and ensure that all your company’s important documents are processed promptly and carefully.
If you’re ready to get started forming your Hawaii LLC, Tailor Brands can help! We can register your company with the state on your behalf, and we also offer comprehensive registered agent services. Contact us today to learn more!
Having an active registered agent is a legal requirement for LLCs in Hawaii. If your company does not have a registered agent, you risk being subject to penalties and/or business closure.
No, registered agents are only required for LLCs, corporations, and other formal business entities in Hawaii.
The cost of a registered agent service in Hawaii typically ranges from $50 to $300 annually, depending on the provider and additional features offered.
This portion of our website is for informational or educational purposes only. Tailor Brands is not a law firm, and the information on this website does not constitute legal advice. All statements, opinions, recommendations, and conclusions are solely the expression of the author and provided on an as-is basis. Accordingly, Tailor Brands is not responsible for the information and/or its accuracy or completeness. It also does not indicate any affiliation between Tailor Brands and any other brands, services or logos on this page.
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