Independent comparison of registered agent services for Missouri LLCs and corporations.
Reviewed against Missouri Secretary of State guidance · Updated 2026-04-30
A registered agent in Missouri does three jobs: accepts service of process during business hours, receives Missouri Secretary of State mail, and serves as the entity’s privacy buffer on the public record. Mo. Rev. Stat. §347.030 makes the role mandatory; the provider’s quality determines whether it is reliable. Four registered agent services dominate the Missouri market; the rankings below reflect 2026 pricing and Missouri-specific operational performance.
In Missouri, the registered agent’s job is heavier than the statutory floor implies. Missouri requires no annual report at all for LLCs — formation is one-time and the LLC remains in good standing indefinitely as long as the registered agent stays current. Missouri is one of only four no-annual-report states. The practical reason this matters when picking a provider: keeping the registered agent designation current — Missouri requires no annual report, so the agent is the only ongoing compliance touchpoint.
For Missouri businesses, the three traits that separate good providers from passable ones are (1) reliable same-day handling of service of process from Missouri state and federal courts, (2) accurate, deadline-aware reminders calibrated to Missouri’s specific annual cycle (no annual report required for LLCs), and (3) an online dashboard that shows scanned mail within hours, not days. All four services we ranked clear the Mo. Rev. Stat. §347.030 eligibility bar; the meaningful differences are in execution. Northwest leans privacy-first, Mainstay Filing leans value-first, ZenBusiness leans formation-bundle-first, and LegalZoom leans brand-and-phone-support-first.
The Missouri-specific filings that hinge on having a reliable registered agent:
Across all of these dates, the registered agent is the routing point for Missouri Secretary of State mail, state tax notices, and service of process. A reliable provider turns the Missouri compliance calendar into a passive maintenance task; an unreliable one turns it into a recurring fire drill.
Physical-address-only operations; mail forwarding; same-day filing.
Best balance of price and features for most businesses. Includes mail forwarding, online dashboard, and same-day filing at half the cost of premium providers.
Pairs RA with LLC formation packages; useful if forming a new entity from scratch.
Largest brand; phone-based support; bundled legal services beyond RA.
Missouri-specific option: Missouri Registered Agent.co operates exclusively in Missouri and specializes in same-state filings. Best for businesses that want a state-focused provider with local-only operations.
| Filing | Cost | Renewal |
|---|---|---|
| LLC formation | $50 online / $105 paper | no annual report required for LLCs |
| Annual Report | $0 | no annual report required for LLCs |
| DBA / Fictitious Name | $7 | Every 5 years |
| Change of Registered Agent | $10 | — |
Source: Missouri Secretary of State · Statute reference Mo. Rev. Stat. §347.030
For most Missouri LLCs, Northwest Registered Agent ranks first on privacy and reliability. Mainstay Filing earns the Editor's Choice for value at $99/year with the same core features. State-specific options like Missouri Registered Agent.co specialize in same-state filings.
Commercial services range $50–$250 per year. Mainstay Filing is $99/yr; Northwest is $125/yr; ZenBusiness is $199/yr; LegalZoom is $249/yr.
Yes. File a Statement of Change of Registered Agent with the Missouri Secretary of State for $10. Most commercial services handle the change paperwork for you.
National services like Mainstay Filing and Northwest operate across all 50 states with consistent pricing and online dashboards. State-specific providers (like Missouri Registered Agent.co) focus exclusively on one state and often handle same-state-only filings faster.
Yes — under Mo. Rev. Stat. §347.030, every Missouri LLC must designate and maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in Missouri.
Yes — if you are a Missouri resident with a physical street address in Missouri and are available during normal business hours to accept service of process. Most commercial services exist because keeping a personal address on the public record is a privacy concern.
Same-day with every service in the table above. The provider issues a confirmation letter you include with the Articles of Organization filed with the Missouri Secretary of State.
RA Ratings independently reviews registered agent services. We may earn a commission from sponsored links; this does not affect rankings or editorial selection. Verify all filing fees with the Missouri Secretary of State before submitting paperwork.