When you form a corporation or limited liability company in South Carolina you will be required to identify a registered agent with the Secretary of State. The identify of the registered agent, along with their physical address, will be made publicly available on the website. But what does a registered agent do?
A registered agent is the person (or other entity) that is able to accept legal process of service on behalf of the business. This will include lawsuits, subpoenas and certain types of tax and other notices from the government.
It is important that whoever you select as the registered agent for your business be responsible enough to ensure that any required legal response is made on behalf of the business. If your registered agent fails to take the proper steps it could place your business in default of whatever the legal proceedings are - which could be very expensive.
Some companies retain a lawyer or accountant to serve as a registered agent. Other, especially larger businesses, hire specialized registered agent companies to serve in this capacity. The registered agent can also be an owner, employee or a private individual.
