Registered AgentCT

Connecticut Registered Agent Requirements 2026: Rules + $50 Change Fee

Last updated: June 26, 2026

8 min read1,620 words

CPA · Small Business Compliance Specialist

Quick Answer

Every Connecticut LLC must continuously maintain a registered agent at a physical street address in Connecticut (no PO Boxes). Under CGS §34-243n, the agent can be an individual Connecticut resident aged 18 or older, or a business entity formed in or authorized to transact business in Connecticut — including a commercial registered agent service. You can serve as your own agent if you are a CT resident with a CT street address. Changing your agent costs $50, filed with the Secretary of the State (SOTS). If you fail to maintain a registered agent, the SOTS can administratively dissolve your LLC by forfeiture under CGS §34-267g.

Key Takeaways

Every Connecticut LLC must have a registered agent with a physical CT street address at all times
An individual agent must be a CT resident aged 18 or older; a CT-formed or CT-authorized entity can also serve
You can be your own registered agent if you are a CT resident with a CT street address
PO Boxes are NOT acceptable — the address must be a physical Connecticut street address
Changing your registered agent costs $50, filed with the CT SOTS
Your registered agent name and address are public record in the SOTS database
Fail to maintain an agent and the SOTS can dissolve your LLC by forfeiture (CGS §34-267g)

Item	Cost/Details	Notes
Serve as Own Registered Agent	$0	Must be a CT resident (18+) with a physical CT address
Professional Registered Agent	~$100-$300/yr	Market estimate for a commercial service — not a state fee
Change of Registered Agent Filing	$50	Official CT SOTS fee — filed online at business.ct.gov
Annual Report (confirms RA info)	$80	Filed each year in the Jan 1–Mar 31 window

What a Registered Agent Does in Connecticut

A registered agent (also called a "statutory agent" or "agent for service of process") is the official point of contact between your LLC and the state of Connecticut. Every Connecticut LLC is required by law to designate and maintain a registered agent at all times.

Your registered agent is responsible for:

Receiving service of process (lawsuits, subpoenas, legal notices) on behalf of your LLC
Accepting official correspondence from the Connecticut Secretary of the State (SOTS)
Receiving tax notices from the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services
Forwarding all received documents to you promptly

Connecticut law requires the registered agent to be physically present at a Connecticut street address during normal business hours. This ensures that your LLC can always be reached for legal and official purposes.

Who Can Be a Registered Agent in Connecticut?

Under Connecticut General Statutes §34-243n, your LLC's registered agent must fall into one of these categories:

An individual Connecticut resident aged 18 or older — Any person who resides in Connecticut with a physical CT street address can serve. This includes LLC members, managers, employees, attorneys, or any trusted CT resident. If you qualify, you can be your own agent.
A Connecticut-formed or CT-authorized business entity — A corporation, LLC, or other entity that is formed in Connecticut or has obtained authority to transact business in the state can serve. This is what commercial registered agent companies do.

The agent must be a real person or entity that can be physically located at a Connecticut address to accept documents — a designation the statute treats as continuous, meaning you must keep a valid agent on file at all times.

Connecticut Registered Agent Address Requirements

Connecticut has strict requirements for the registered agent address:

Must be a physical street address in Connecticut — No PO Boxes, mail drops, or virtual office addresses that are not physically staffed
Must be located in Connecticut — Out-of-state addresses do not qualify
Agent must be available during normal business hours — Typically Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
Address is public record — Searchable in the CT SOTS business registry at business.ct.gov

How to Designate Your Registered Agent in Connecticut

You designate your registered agent when you file your Certificate of Organization with the SOTS. The form requires you to provide the registered agent's full legal name and Connecticut street address. There is no separate registration fee for the agent designation — it is included in the $120 formation fee.

If you are using a professional registered agent service, they will provide you with their Connecticut address to use on your formation documents. Get their written consent before listing them as your agent.

How to Change Your Registered Agent in Connecticut

You can change your Connecticut registered agent at any time by filing a Change of Agent with the CT SOTS. The official filing fee is $50, and you can file online through your Business.CT.gov account.

The change takes effect when the SOTS processes your filing. You should notify your new registered agent before filing and obtain their written consent to serve. Never remove your current registered agent without having a replacement ready — your LLC must have an active registered agent at all times.

Registered Agent Costs: DIY vs. Professional Service

You have two main options for your Connecticut registered agent:

DIY (Be Your Own Agent)

Cost: $0/year

✓ No annual fee
✓ Simple setup
✗ Personal address is public record
✗ Must be available 9-5 weekdays
✗ Must be a CT resident

Professional Service

Cost: $100-$300/year

✓ Privacy for your home address
✓ Available during all business hours
✓ Electronic document notifications
✓ Works even if you leave CT
✗ Annual cost

Consequences of Missing Service of Process

If your LLC is sued and service of process is delivered to your registered agent, you have a limited window to respond. If your agent fails to forward documents to you — or if you have no valid registered agent — you may miss the response deadline entirely, resulting in a default judgment against your LLC.

Connecticut also enforces the requirement directly. Under CGS §34-267g, if the SOTS determines your LLC has failed to maintain a registered agent, it notifies the LLC and — if you do not appoint a new agent within three months — files a certificate of dissolution by forfeiture. A dissolved LLC can only wind up its affairs or apply for reinstatement, not carry on normal business.

For the broader filing calendar that keeps your LLC in good standing — including the $80 annual report due each year between January 1 and March 31 — see our Connecticut LLC compliance hub. Related guides: Can I be my own registered agent in Connecticut?, Connecticut LLC annual report 2026, and Connecticut LLC taxes and fees 2026.

Important:

Update your registered agent information immediately if your agent moves, changes their address, or can no longer serve. A $50 change-of-agent filing is far less costly than a default judgment or dissolution.

Do you actually need to pay for a registered agent?

For a lot of Connecticut LLC owners, no. If you have a physical Connecticut street address, you are reliably there during business hours, and you do not mind that address sitting in a public database, serving as your own registered agent is free and completely legal. That is the right answer for most single-owner LLCs, and it is the one we would give a friend.

Paying for a service earns its money in three specific situations: you do not live in Connecticut, you run the business from home and want your home address off the Secretary of State's searchable record, or you travel enough that a process server could miss you. That last one is the expensive one — a lawsuit you never heard about becomes a default judgment.

If you land in one of those three, the provider we point people to is Northwest Registered Agent: $125/year per state with no per-document charges, $100/year per state at five or more states, and they do not sell customer data. Prices checked directly with the provider on July 26, 2026 — confirm before you buy.

Disclosure: the link below is a paid partner link. If you sign up through it we earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it does not change the price you pay, and it did not change the advice above. We told you the free option first because it is usually the better one. Full details on our affiliate disclosure page.

See Northwest Registered Agent's Connecticut service

We do not review registered agent providers on this site and we are not saying this is the cheapest one. If being your own agent works for you, do that instead — it costs nothing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the registered agent requirements in Connecticut?

Connecticut requires every LLC to have a registered agent with a physical street address in Connecticut. PO Boxes are not acceptable. The agent must be available during normal business hours to accept service of process and official SOTS correspondence. Under CGS §34-243n, the agent can be an individual Connecticut resident aged 18 or older, or a business entity formed in or authorized to transact business in Connecticut.

Can I use a PO Box as my registered agent address in Connecticut?

No. Connecticut law requires the registered agent to have a physical street address in Connecticut. PO Boxes do not qualify. The address must be a location where the agent is physically present during normal business hours to accept legal documents.

How do I change my registered agent in Connecticut?

To change your registered agent, file a Change of Agent with the Connecticut Secretary of the State. The filing fee is $50. You can file online through your Business.CT.gov account. The change takes effect when the SOTS processes the filing.

Can I be my own registered agent in Connecticut?

Yes. You can serve as your own registered agent in Connecticut if you are a Connecticut resident with a physical Connecticut street address and you are available during normal business hours. However, your personal address becomes public record in the SOTS database. See our guide: Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in Connecticut?

What happens if my Connecticut LLC does not have a registered agent?

Failing to maintain a valid registered agent in Connecticut puts your LLC at risk of administrative dissolution. Without a registered agent, you may miss service of process for lawsuits — potentially resulting in default judgments against your LLC. The state uses the registered agent for all official correspondence, so missing these communications can have serious legal consequences.

Does my registered agent address become public record in Connecticut?

Yes. Your registered agent's name and address are included in the Connecticut SOTS business registry, which is publicly searchable online at business.ct.gov. This is why many business owners use a professional registered agent service — to keep their personal home address out of the public record.

Official Source

For the most up-to-date information, always verify requirements with the official Connecticut Secretary of State website:

https://business.ct.gov

Important Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. LLC requirements, fees, and deadlines change frequently. Always verify current requirements with your state's Secretary of State office before making business decisions.

Complete Connecticut LLC Compliance Guide

View all Connecticut LLC requirements, fees, and deadlines in one place.

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