Northwest Registered Agent Review: Pricing, Privacy, and Who It’s For

Northwest Registered Agent charges $125 a year, and that price includes a business address, legal forms, and free scanning of state and legal mail plus up to 10 scans of regular business mail a year. This northwest registered agent review breaks down what you get, what you can skip, and who’s better off acting as their own agent. According to Northwest’s own site, five or more states drops the rate to $100 per year per state.

Here’s the short version. Pay for an agent if you want your home address off the public record. Skip it if you have a physical in-state address you’re happy to make public. And skip Northwest’s EIN service either way, because the IRS gives you an EIN for free.

This post contains affiliate links. If you sign up through our links, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Our recommendations are based on independent research and are never influenced by partners. Prices below come from each company’s own website as of October 25, 2026, so check the current price before you buy.

Last updated: November 8, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Northwest lists registered agent service at $125 per year, or $100 per year per state for five or more states.
• Its $39 LLC package (plus state fees) includes Privacy by Default and a year of agent service, per Northwest’s Texas page.
• Its EIN service costs $50 with an SSN and $200 without. The IRS charges nothing.
• Bizee costs less on day one but renews at $149 per year, versus Northwest’s $125.
• You may be able to act as your own agent, but your address goes on the public record.

What a Registered Agent Does

A registered agent is the person or company that receives your business’s legal papers. According to the Washington Secretary of State, the agent receives legal documents such as summons, complaints, and official notices on behalf of the business. A summons is the notice that you’re being sued. An official notice might be a state letter about your filing status.

Your state requires you to name a registered agent when you form an LLC or corporation. Rules vary, so check your state’s Secretary of State portal.

Washington shows how strict these rules can get. The Secretary of State says the agent must keep a physical address in Washington, and PO boxes and PMBs (private mailboxes) are prohibited. If your business lacks a physical address in the state, you may hire a commercial registered agent.

Whoever you name, that address goes on the public record. That’s why privacy is the main reason people pay for an agent.

Northwest Registered Agent Pricing: What You Pay and What You Get

Registered Agent Service at $125 a Year

Northwest lists registered agent service at $125 per year. It says it hasn’t raised the price in 20 years and that there are no hidden fees or per-document charges. A free business address and free legal forms come with it. Northwest says it accepts all state and legal mail and scans up to 10 pieces of regular business mail a year for free.

Run a multi-state business? Northwest drops the rate to $100 per year per state once you reach five or more states.

The $39 Northwest LLC Formation Package

Northwest advertises “The Northwest LLC” at $39 plus state fees. The state fee is what your state charges to file your formation documents, and it goes to the state, not to Northwest. It varies by state, so look it up on your state’s filing office website.

The package page lists these extras:

• A free domain name, open source website, phone line, business email, business address, and brand protection.
• Privacy by Default, which Northwest describes on its Texas LLC page as part of the $39 filing.
• A year of registered agent service, per the same Texas page.

That last item changes the math. The $39 isn’t only a filing fee, because it also covers your first year of agent service. The $125 renewal starts after that. (The Texas page is our source for what’s included, so confirm the details on Northwest’s page for your own state.)

Free Operating Agreement

Northwest offers a free LLC operating agreement as a PDF and DOC download. An operating agreement is the document that sets out how your LLC is owned and run, including who the members (owners) are and how decisions and profits are handled.

It’s a template, nothing more. If your situation is more complicated than a one-owner LLC, have a licensed attorney review it.

Annual Report Service at $100 Plus State Fees

Northwest’s order page lists free annual report reminders plus a renewal filing service at $100 plus state fees. An annual report is a periodic filing some states require to keep your business in good standing. Whether your state requires one depends on the state. Our guide to LLC annual report fees and deadlines by state is a good place to check.

EIN Service: The One to Skip

According to Northwest, its EIN service costs $50 if you have a Social Security number and $200 if you don’t. An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is the federal tax ID for your business.

Now the free option. The IRS says you can get an EIN directly from the IRS in minutes for free, and that you never have to pay a fee for one.

Here’s the part people always miss: lookalike sites charge for what the IRS gives away. Use IRS.gov only. If you don’t have a Social Security number, read the IRS instructions for your situation before paying anyone. Our walkthrough on how to get an EIN for your LLC for free covers the steps.

Paying can make sense if you want everything bundled in one order. Just know it’s a convenience fee, not a requirement.

Registered Agent Renewal Prices Compared

Here’s what each company lists for standalone registered agent service, according to its own website:

On renewal price, Northwest is the lowest of the four. For a wider look, see our best registered agent services roundup.

The Bizee Alternative: Cheaper Up Front, Higher Renewal

Bizee is the main alternative if your priority is the lowest upfront cost. According to Bizee’s order page, packages are $0, $199, or $299 as a one-time formation fee. State fees are paid on top of the package price.

Registered agent service ($149/year value) is included free for the first year and then renews annually. A virtual address ($29/month value) is included free for the first month. Bizee says both are optional to continue, though its cancellation policy notes the registered agent service may renew automatically, so set a reminder.

Its Standard package ($199) adds your EIN, operating agreement, and faster processing. Since you can get an EIN free from the IRS, weigh that part of the bundle accordingly.

The trade-off is simple. Bizee’s renewal is $149 per year against Northwest’s $125, a $24 gap. Say you keep the same agent for years two through five: that’s $596 at Bizee versus $500 at Northwest. That’s an illustration using the listed prices, not a quote.

If you only need to get filed cheaply now and may switch agents later, Bizee’s free first year is appealing. Read our Bizee review or the full Bizee vs Northwest comparison for a deeper side-by-side.

Who Should Be Their Own Registered Agent

You can serve as your own agent if all three of these are true:

1. You have a physical address in the state where you’re forming the business. In Washington, per the Secretary of State, PO boxes and PMBs aren’t allowed. Other states have their own rules.
2. You’re reliably available at that address to accept legal papers. Check your state’s rules on availability.
3. You’re comfortable with the address being public. It goes on the public record.

Say you’re forming a one-person LLC in Washington and you work from a rented office downtown. You could list that office as your agent address and pay nothing extra. Work from home and don’t want your address online? That’s where a paid agent earns its fee.

Is Northwest Registered Agent Worth It? Who Should Pay

Paying makes sense if any of these apply:

• Privacy matters. You don’t want your home address on public state records.
• You don’t have an in-state address. Say you live in one state but form in another. The Washington Secretary of State notes you may hire a commercial registered agent in that case.
• You travel or are hard to reach during the day.
• You operate in several states. Northwest’s $100 per state rate for five or more states can work in your favor.

Northwest Registered Agent Review: The Honest Downsides

• It’s a recurring cost. After the first year included in the $39 package, you pay $125 every year to keep the service.
• The EIN service costs money when the IRS gives you the same thing for free.
• It isn’t the cheapest upfront. Bizee’s $0 Basic package and free first year of agent service cost less on day one. Northwest wins on renewal price, not opening price.
• Add-ons add up. The annual report service at $100 plus state fees is optional. If your state’s annual report is simple, you may prefer to file it yourself on the state website.

We aren’t citing star ratings or review scores here. Read the current terms on each company’s site and decide for yourself.

The Do-It-Yourself Route First

If you want the lowest-cost path, work in this order. Our guide on how to incorporate yourself for free covers each step in more depth.

1. Search your name. Use your state’s Secretary of State business name search to confirm your LLC name is available.
2. Choose your registered agent. Pick yourself (if you qualify) or a commercial agent.
3. File your articles of organization (the document that creates your LLC) on your state’s filing portal. You pay the state fee directly.
4. Get your EIN free at IRS.gov.
5. Sign an operating agreement. A free template, such as Northwest’s, works as a starting point.
6. Open a business bank account with your formation documents and EIN.

Do it all yourself and your total cost is the state filing fee, which varies by state. Use Northwest’s package and you pay that fee plus $39. In return, you get a year of agent service, Privacy by Default, and the extras above.

So the real question is whether you’d buy an agent anyway. If you would, the $39 package is a tidy way to do it.

Our Pick, and Your Next Step

If you want an agent, Northwest Registered Agent is the one we’d start with on renewal price and privacy. If upfront cost is your top concern, compare Bizee too.

Next step: open our Bizee vs Northwest comparison and run the numbers for your own state’s filing fee before you order.

FAQ

Is Northwest Registered Agent really $125 a year?

According to Northwest’s registered agent page, yes. It lists $125 per year, with no hidden fees or per-document charges, and $100 per year per state for five or more states. If you form through the $39 package, the first year of agent service is included, per Northwest’s Texas page.

Do I need to pay for an EIN through Northwest?

No. The IRS says you can get an EIN directly from the IRS for free and that you never have to pay a fee. Northwest charges $50 with an SSN and $200 without, as a convenience service.

Can I be my own registered agent?

Often, yes, but it depends on your state. In Washington, the Secretary of State requires a physical address in the state and prohibits PO boxes and PMBs. Your address will be on the public record. Check your own state’s filing office for its rules.

Is Bizee cheaper than Northwest?

At the start, yes. Bizee offers a $0 Basic formation package and a free first year of registered agent service. After that, per Bizee’s site, standalone service is $149 per year, compared with Northwest’s $125.

What happens if I stop paying for my registered agent?

Your state still requires you to have a registered agent on file, so if you cancel, you must name a new one, such as yourself or another company. Check your Secretary of State’s website for the process and any consequences of lapsing.

Disclaimer: The information in this article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, or financial advice. Business formation rules, fees, and deadlines vary by state and change often. Always consult a qualified attorney, CPA, or tax professional before making decisions about your business.