If I appoint a manager, do I still need a registered agent?

they're separate. The registered agent is for receiving legal documents; a manager is for running the business. You still need a registered agent.

Yeah, what prairiefern said. But a manager can also be the registered agent if they have a physical address in the state. So if your manager lives in Wyoming, you could kill two birds.

Hmm, is that true? I thought the registered agent had to be a commercial service or an individual who's physically present during business hours. Can a manager really serve as RA? I'm not sure that's allowed everywhere.

In Wyoming, yes, an individual can be a registered agent if they have a physical address in the state. No requirement to be a commercial service. But the manager would need to consent and be reliable.

Why would you want to skip the RA? Commercial RA services are cheap and keep your home address off the public record. If you use your manager as RA, their address goes public. That might defeat the privacy goal if the manager is a friend or something.

Exactly. If privacy is the goal, use a commercial RA. The manaGer can be a separate person and you don't have to list them publicly either (in some states). But the RA's address is public, so pick a service.

I think the confusion is that some people think a manager is like a 'responsible party' and that replaces RA. Nope. The RA is a statutory requirement. Manager is optional (for member-managed LLCs). Two different roles.

Yes, in Wyoming an individual can be both manager and registered agent. Just make sure they understand the legal responsibilities. And their address will be public.

Honestly, I'd still use a commercial RA. The manager might move or die or something. Then you're stuck updating the state. Commercial RA is more stable.

Also, if the manager is a non-member, they might not have the same incentives to handle legal mail promptly. A commercial RA forwards everything to you. That's worth the $50/year.

This thread is making me hungry for tacos.But yeah, RA and manager are not interchangeable. Don't try to be clever and skip the RA; the state will just reject your filing.