Mind Your Business…Registration
Making sure everyone keeps their eyes on their own paper
Keep your home address off public business filings
If you’ve ever looked up a business or nonprofit on your state’s corporate filing website, you know how much personal information is exposed — names, home addresses, mailing addresses, and sometimes phone numbers. That level of visibility isn’t just uncomfortable; it can be dangerous.
At Brightlines, we believe your privacy shouldn’t depend on how well you navigate state bureaucracy. One of the simplest ways to reduce exposure is to use a registered agent (RA).
A registered agent replaces your personal name and address on public records with a professional business address. It’s more than a paperwork formality — it’s a privacy safeguard.
Who needs a registered agent
Every entity formed with a state — including LLCs, S-Corps, C-Corps, and nonprofit corporations (such as those seeking 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status) — must list an RA and physical address on their formation documents. Often, a post office box is not allowed.
Folks often list themselves as the RA and use their home address for the registrations, not realizing that these become public records that data brokers love! Data brokers scrape business entity databases, collecting and sharing this information, and connecting it to your phone number, property records, and online profiles. Once it’s published, it spreads.
For nonprofits, exposure can extend beyond founders to include board members and officers, since their details often appear on filings as well.
How to set up a registered agent
We use Northwest Registered Agent, but you can use any reputable service.
Select “Registered Agent Service.”
Choose the state where your organization is registered (e.g., Florida).
Create an account and complete payment.
Once active, you’ll receive a dashboard with your new business address.
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If you registered your company using your personal address already, you can amend your filing to remove it.
Option 1: Have your RA update it for you
Log into your registered agent dashboard.
Purchase the “change of agent” or “address update” service.
Confirm that your personal name and home address will be removed from all public fields.
The RA will file the amendment with the state.
Option 2: Update it yourself
Go to your state’s Secretary of State business portal.
For example, Florida: https://dos.fl.gov/sunbiz/manage-business/update-information/
Replace your name with the registered agent’s.
Update addresses for all required sections (principal office, mailing, and agent address).
Never list your home address.
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Step 1: Confirm the company’s legal status
First, look up the business on your state’s Secretary of State (or Division of Corporations) website to check its standing.
If it’s “inactive” but not dissolved (e.g., “inactive,” “not in good standing,” “administratively dissolved”), it still exists on the record — and your personal address likely still appears publicly.
If it’s fully dissolved, you usually can’t update the filing — but you can still limit future exposure (see Step 4).
Step 2: Reactivate or file a reinstatement (if possible)
If the entity is inactive but not dissolved, most states let you reinstate it to “active” status for the purpose of making updates.
File a Reinstatement or Amendment to Registered Agent/Address form with the state.
During reinstatement, list your new registered agent (e.g., Northwest Registered Agent) and business address instead of your personal address.
You don’t have to keep the business operational after reinstating — you can reactivate, correct the public record, and then formally dissolve it afterward.
Step 3: File an “Amendment” or “Change of Registered Agent”
If reinstatement isn’t required, or the state still accepts amendments for inactive entities, you can file a Change of Registered Agent/Address form directly.
Replace your personal name/address with the new registered agent’s information.
Double-check all sections: “Principal Address,” “Mailing Address,” and “Registered Agent Address.”
Step 4: If the entity is dissolved
If it’s permanently dissolved, you usually can’t file amendments. However, this varies on a state-by-state basis. In that case:
Ask the state business filing office if they can redact or suppress personal information.
Use a registered agent address or PO Box for any future filings or re-registrations.
Consider re-filing under a new entity name if you need to continue operating.
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These steps aren’t required but offer added protection and separation between your identity and your public filings.
Option A: Register a DBA (Doing Business As)
Operate under a trade name instead of your legal entity name (e.g., “Example Consulting” instead of “Example Holdings LLC”). Some states let you do this online (e.g., Florida:https://efile.sunbiz.org/ficregintro.html), or you can have your RA file it for you.
Once approved, update your website and social media to reflect the new name.
Option B: Create a Parent Company in a Privacy-Friendly State
You can form a new entity (often in Delaware or New Mexico) to serve as a parent or holding company for your existing organization. Then register it as a “foreign entity” in your home state.
This structure provides another buffer between your personal identity and public records.
Whether you’re launching a business, advocacy group, or charitable nonprofit, a registered agent keeps your personal name and address off the internet — protecting your privacy, your safety, and your peace of mind.
To learn more about business and nonprofit registration requirements in your state, you can also visit the National Association of Secretaries of State’s corporate registration directory.
