Hawaii Registered Agent Requirements
Every Hawaii LLC must keep a registered agent on file with BREG (the DCCA Business Registration Division) from formation until dissolution. The governing law is HRS § 425R-4, part of Chapter 425R, Hawaii's adoption of the Model Registered Agents Act; the LLC statute points to the requirement as well (see § 428-107). Here is what the law demands, who qualifies, and how our $99-a-year service covers it.
The Job Description
The registered agent is the fixed point of contact where lawsuits, state notices, and official mail reach your company:
- Service of process: if the LLC is sued, the papers go to the agent
- State correspondence: BREG notices and compliance mail
- Legal and tax documents: anything the state directs to the company
The agent's name and address sit in BREG's public records, searchable by anyone.
Who Qualifies Under HRS § 425R-4
Hawaii accepts three kinds of agents:
- An individual who resides in Hawaii
- A Hawaii-formed entity
- A foreign entity authorized to transact business in the state
Whichever kind you pick, the agent must maintain a place of business with a street address in Hawaii where process and notices can be delivered. A PO box cannot stand in for it, and the agent needs to be reachable there during ordinary business hours.
Your LLC Cannot Name Itself
Hawaii bars an entity from serving as its own registered agent. A Hawaii-resident member or employee can be listed as an individual agent, but the company as a company cannot occupy the slot. Before listing a person, weigh what comes with it: that address becomes public record, someone must actually be present during business hours, and a process server may hand papers to whoever answers the door at what might be a home address.
Switching Agents: Form X-7
To change agents, an LLC files the Statement of Change of Registered Agent by Entity, Form X-7, with BREG. The stated fee is $25; with the $1 State Archives fee, $26 is collected. We prepare and file this for customers switching their agent to us.
What Our $99 Service Includes
- A Hawaii street address for your BREG filings, keeping yours off the public record
- Same-day scanning and upload when legal documents arrive
- Reminders ahead of your quarter-based annual report deadline
- An online portal holding every document we have received for you
The price is $99 per year, flat, renewing at the same figure. Formation customers get the first year included with the $199 formation service.