MI registered agent
Michigan registered agent service, $5 a year
Michigan requires every corporation and LLC on its books to keep a registered agent at a real address in the state. Here is what Michigan law says about who that agent has to be and where it has to be.
What Michigan requires of a registered agent
The requirement
Michigan uses 'resident agent'. For corporations, the agent may be an individual resident of Michigan, a domestic corporation or LLC, or a foreign corporation or LLC authorized to transact business in Michigan; the agent's business office or residence address must be the same as the registered office. The LLC Act mirrors this (MCL 450.4207(1)(b)). A Michigan-resident owner can serve as the agent.
(1) Each domestic corporation and each foreign corporation authorized to transact business in this state shall have and continuously maintain in this state both of the following: (a) A registered office, which may be the same as its place of business. (b) A resident agent. A resident agent may be an individual resident of this state; a domestic corporation or limited liability company; or a foreign corporation or limited liability company authorized to transact business in this state. (2) The address of the business office or residence of a resident agent must be the same as the address of the registered office.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: MCL 450.1241; see also MCL 450.4207(1)
How we comply
We don't.
What Michigan does to your company when we don't
Here is what the state does to an entity that has no agent, or whose agent is us.
Revocation (foreign entities)
Failure to maintain a resident agent is an express ground for revoking a foreign corporation's certificate of authority (as is failing to file the change statement after changing the registered office or agent). Revocation requires at least 90 days' notice and an uncured default (MCL 450.2042(1)).
the administrator may revoke the certificate of authority of a foreign corporation to transact business in this state on any of the following grounds: (a) The corporation fails to maintain a resident agent in this state as required under this act. (b) The corporation, after changing its registered office or resident agent, fails to file a statement of the change as required under this act.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: MCL 450.2041(a)-(b); procedure MCL 450.2042
Administrative dissolution
Domestic corporations are automatically dissolved for 2 years of failing to file the annual report or pay the filing fee (60 days after the 2-year period expires) - the statute does not list resident agent failure as a dissolution ground for domestic corporations.
If a domestic corporation neglects or refuses to file an annual report or pay an annual filing fee or a penalty added to the fee required by law, and the neglect or refusal continues for a period of 2 years from the date on which the annual report or filing fee was due, the corporation is automatically dissolved 60 days after the expiration of the 2-year period.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: MCL 450.1922(1)
Civil penalty
A corporation that neglects or refuses to file a required report or pay a required fee is subject to a $10-per-month penalty, capped at $50.
If a domestic or foreign corporation neglects or refuses to file a report or pay a fee required by this act within the time specified, the corporation, in addition to its liability for the fee, is subject to a penalty of $10.00 for each month or part of a month that the corporation is delinquent, not to exceed $50.00.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: MCL 450.1921(1)
And also
An LLC that fails for 2 consecutive years to file the annual statement of resident agent and registered office (and does not cure within 60 days of notice) loses good standing: no certificate of good standing, its name becomes available to others, and the administrator will accept no filings from it other than a certificate of restoration - though it remains in existence and may continue to transact business.
A limited liability company that is not in good standing is not entitled to issuance by the administrator of a certificate of good standing described in subsection (1), the name of the company is available for use by another entity filing with the administrator, and the administrator shall not accept for filing any document submitted by the limited liability company other than a certificate of restoration of good standing provided for in subsection (4).
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: MCL 450.4207a(3)
The bill to come back
Reinstatement fee
A dissolved corporation (or revoked foreign corporation) may renew its existence by filing all missed reports and paying all back fees plus the ยง 921 penalties; an LLC restores good standing by filing a certificate of restoration ($50) with all missed annual statements and fees.
may renew its corporate existence or its certificate of authority by filing the reports and paying the fees for the years for which they were not filed and paid, and for every subsequent intervening year, together with the penalties provided by section 921.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: MCL 450.1925(1); MCL 450.5101(1)(h)
What happens to the lawsuit you never saw
Substituted service
The LLC Act has an in-act fallback: if an LLC fails to appoint or maintain an agent, or the agent cannot be found or served with reasonable diligence, process may be served by delivering or sending by registered mail to the administrator (LARA) a summons and complaint. The Business Corporation Act contains NO equivalent fallback for corporations - service on a corporation without a findable agent is governed by Michigan court rules outside this corpus.
If a limited liability company fails to appoint or maintain an agent for service of process, or the agent for service of process cannot be found or served through the exercise of reasonable diligence, service of process may be made by delivering or mailing by registered mail to the administrator a summons and copy of the complaint.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: MCL 450.4207(4)
Statutory text as captured by incFACTS (retrieved 2026-08-01, verified word-for-word against the state code 2026-08-10). Laws change. The statute governs; this page does not.