Guide · Definitions
What Is a Statutory Agent?
A statutory agent is the person or company a business names to receive lawsuits and official state mail on its behalf. It is Ohio's term for what most states call a registered agent.
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Key facts
- Statutory agent = registered agent. Same job, different name.
- The agent accepts service of process (lawsuit papers) and state notices for your business.
- Ohio LLCs, corporations, nonprofits, and registered out-of-state companies must each have one.
- The agent needs an Ohio street address and must be reachable in business hours.
- Commercial agents list $49 to $249 a year; you can also serve as your own.
The definition
A statutory agent is a person or business appointed to accept legal papers and official notices for a company. The name comes from the fact that a statute requires it. In Ohio that is ORC 1706.09 for LLCs and ORC 1701.07 for corporations.
If you've formed a business in another state, you know this role as the registered agent. Ohio's forms and laws use "statutory agent," and the two terms mean the same thing. This site uses both.
What a statutory agent does
- Accepts service of process. When someone sues your business, the summons and complaint are delivered to the agent.
- Receives official mail. Notices from the Secretary of State and tax agencies go to the agent's address.
- Gets it all to you. A good agent scans and sends everything the day it arrives.
The agent does not run your business, give legal advice, or respond to a lawsuit for you.
Why the law requires one
Courts and the state need one reliable place to reach every business. Without a fixed address and a named person, a company could dodge a lawsuit by being hard to find. The agent requirement closes that door, and it protects you too: it makes sure papers with a deadline land somewhere they'll be noticed.
Who needs one
Every Ohio LLC, corporation, and nonprofit corporation, and every out-of-state LLC or corporation registered to do business in Ohio. Sole proprietors and general partnerships that haven't filed as an entity don't appoint one. See Ohio's full requirements.
How to get one
You have three choices:
- Be your own. Free, if you live in Ohio, but your home address goes on the public record. Details here.
- Ask someone you know. A partner, employee, attorney, or accountant in Ohio who agrees to serve.
- Hire a service. A commercial agent provides the address and handles the mail. We rank them in our 2026 Ohio rankings.
A new business names its agent in its formation filing. An existing business changes agents with Form 521 and a $25 fee; see how to change your agent.
Questions
Is a statutory agent the same as a registered agent?
Yes. "Statutory agent" is the term in Ohio's statutes and Secretary of State forms. Most other states say "registered agent." Some say "resident agent" or "agent for service of process." The job is the same.
Who can be a statutory agent in Ohio?
A person who lives in Ohio, or a business entity with an Ohio address that is open during normal business hours. The address must be a street address, not a P.O. box.
Is a statutory agent an owner or officer of my business?
No. The agent has no ownership, no vote, and no authority to act for the business. Its only role is to receive legal and official papers and pass them to you.
How much does a statutory agent cost?
Commercial services in Ohio list $49 to $249 a year on standard plans. Ohio charges no annual fee for having one. Serving as your own agent is free.
Does Arizona use the term statutory agent too?
Yes. Ohio and Arizona are the two states best known for the term. An agent appointed in one state does not cover the other; each state needs its own agent with an address there.
Need a statutory agent in Ohio?
Our top-ranked agent is $49 a year with same-day scans and a phone call if a lawsuit goes unread.
Keep reading
Ohio registered agent requirements
Who needs one, who qualifies, and what happens without one.
Can you be your own registered agent in Ohio?
The rules, the privacy trade-off, and when it makes sense.
Ohio registered agent search
How to look up who a business's agent is on the state's records.
Ohio registered agent FAQ
Short answers to the questions owners ask most.
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