What is my business address?

Delaware requires that each registered business entity (LLC, corporation, limited partnership, etc.) must have a registered agent for service of process. That registered agent’s address is called the “registered office” of the company.

Is my company’s “registered office” its business address? The answer to that question is a quick NO.

The registered office is the place where the courts serve legal documents on the company and the address to which the Division of Corporations directs official notices and sends the company’s annual tax notice.

According to decisions by the US Supreme Court, the business address or business office of a company is the address of its “head office”. Most businesses do not have multiple offices, but for those who do, the head office is generally the place where the president of the company has his or her office and the office where major business decision take place.

When you are asked for the address of your business office, provide the address where you have your office, not the address of your registered office in Delaware.

A word about mail. Do not have mail sent to your registered office in Delaware, the office will return the mail to the sender. Delaware Corporate Agents, Inc., accepts legal notices mailed to your company at its address and forwards that mail to you.  Delaware Corporate Agents, Inc., for a fee, will accept general mail and forward that mail to you, however, unless you have made the business arrangements in advance, mail will be rejected. With the Post Office’s electronic mailing systems, it is often difficult to return mail to the sender without going to the expense of placing a new stamp on the mail piece. If mail is again returned to Delaware Corporate Agents, Inc., after being marked “return to sender”, Delaware Corporate Agents, Inc., takes no further action.