Last Updated: May 13, 2024 by TRUiC Team


Understanding Delaware LLC Laws

The rules for starting and running a Delaware limited liability company (LLC) are laid out by Delaware’s LLC laws

In this guide, we offer simple explanations to Delaware LLC laws about:

To learn more about starting an LLC, visit our form an LLC guide.

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Delaware LLC Statutory Details

Delaware LLC laws set out the requirements for forming an LLC. The State of Delaware has created the Delaware One Stop business registration portal and PDF Certificate of Formation form to simplify the process.

Delaware LLC Formation Statute

The following LLC formation statutes are from the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act:

Delaware LLC Act, Section 18-201. Certificate of formation.

(a) In order to form a limited liability company, 1 or more authorized persons must execute a certificate of formation. The certificate of formation shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of State and set forth:

(1) The name of the limited liability company;

(2) The address of the registered office and the name and address of the registered agent for service of process required to be maintained by § 18-104 of this title; and

(3) Any other matters the members determine to include therein.

(b) A limited liability company is formed at the time of the filing of the initial certificate of formation in the office of the Secretary of State or at any later date or time specified in the certificate of formation if, in either case, there has been substantial compliance with the requirements of this section. A limited liability company formed under this chapter shall be a separate legal entity, the existence of which as a separate legal entity shall continue until cancellation of the limited liability company’s certificate of formation.

(c) The filing of the certificate of formation in the office of the Secretary of State shall make it unnecessary to file any other documents under Chapter 31 of this title.

(d) A limited liability company agreement shall be entered into or otherwise existing either before, after or at the time of the filing of a certificate of formation and, whether entered into or otherwise existing before, after or at the time of such filing, may be made effective as of the effective time of such filing or at such other time or date as provided in or reflected by the limited liability company agreement.

(e) A certificate of formation substantially complies with § 18-201(a)(2) of this title if it contains the name of the registered agent and the address of the registered office even if the certificate of formation does not expressly designate such person as the registered agent or such address as the registered office or the address of the registered agent.

68 Del. Laws, c. 434, §  1; 69 Del. Laws, c. 260, §  7; 70 Del. Laws, c. 75, §  5; 76 Del. Laws, c. 105, §  9; 78 Del. Laws, c. 270, §  2; 81 Del. Laws, c. 89, § 6;

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What This Means: Key Takeaways*

The Delaware LLC statute provides the requirements for setting up (or forming) an LLC. The State of Delaware offers online and mail-in LLC filing to meet these requirements.

Required Information for Delaware LLC Formation:

Optional Information for Delaware LLC Formation:

  • LLC organizers can add their own provisions as long as the provisions don’t conflict with LLC statute. 

Recommended: For help with completing the LLC formation forms, visit our Delaware LLC Certificate of Formation guide.

Registered Agent Duties and Appointment

Delaware LLC laws define the duties and appointment of the LLC registered agent.

Delaware LLC Registered Agent Statute

The following registered agent statutes are from the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act:

Delaware LLC Act, Section 18-104. Registered office; registered agent.

(a) Each limited liability company shall have and maintain in the State of Delaware:

(1) A registered office, which may but need not be a place of its business in the State of Delaware; and

(2) A registered agent for service of process on the limited liability company, having a business office identical with such registered office, which agent may be any of:

a. The limited liability company itself,

b. An individual resident in the State of Delaware,

c. A domestic limited liability company (other than the limited liability company itself), a domestic corporation, a domestic partnership (whether general (including a limited liability partnership) or limited (including a limited liability limited partnership)), or a domestic statutory trust, or

d. A foreign corporation, a foreign limited liability partnership, a foreign limited partnership (including a foreign limited liability limited partnership), a foreign limited liability company, or a foreign statutory trust.

(b) A registered agent may change the address of the registered office of the limited liability company(ies) for which it is registered agent to another address in the State of Delaware by paying a fee as set forth in § 18-1105(a)(2) of this title and filing with the Secretary of State a certificate, executed by such registered agent, setting forth the address at which such registered agent has maintained the registered office for each of the limited liability companies for which it is a registered agent, and further certifying to the new address to which each such registered office will be changed on a given day, and at which new address such registered agent will thereafter maintain the registered office for each of the limited liability companies for which it is a registered agent. Upon the filing of such certificate, until further change of address, as authorized by law, the registered office in the State of Delaware of each of the limited liability companies for which the agent is a registered agent shall be located at the new address of the registered agent thereof as given in the certificate. In the event of a change of name of any person acting as a registered agent of a limited liability company, such registered agent shall file with the Secretary of State a certificate executed by such registered agent setting forth the new name of such registered agent, the name of such registered agent before it was changed, and the address at which such registered agent has maintained the registered office for each of the limited liability companies for which it is a registered agent, and shall pay a fee as set forth in § 18-1105(a)(2) of this title. A change of name of any person acting as a registered agent of a limited liability company as a result of (i) a merger or consolidation of the registered agent with or into another person which succeeds to its assets and liabilities by operation of law, (ii) the conversion of the registered agent into another person, or (iii) a division of the registered agent in which an identified resulting person succeeds to all of the assets and liabilities of the registered agent related to its registered agent business pursuant to the plan of division, as set forth in the certificate of division, shall each be deemed a change of name for purposes of this section. Filing a certificate under this section shall be deemed to be an amendment of the certificate of formation of each limited liability company affected thereby, and each such limited liability company shall not be required to take any further action with respect thereto to amend its certificate of formation under § 18-202 of this title. Any registered agent filing a certificate under this section shall promptly, upon such filing, deliver a copy of any such certificate to each limited liability company affected thereby.

(c) The registered agent of 1 or more limited liability companies may resign and appoint a successor registered agent by paying a fee as set forth in § 18-1105(a)(2) of this title and filing a certificate with the Secretary of State stating that it resigns and the name and address of the successor registered agent. There shall be attached to such certificate a statement of each affected limited liability company ratifying and approving such change of registered agent. Upon such filing, the successor registered agent shall become the registered agent of such limited liability companies as have ratified and approved such substitution, and the successor registered agent’s address, as stated in such certificate, shall become the address of each such limited liability company’s registered office in the State of Delaware. Filing of such certificate of resignation shall be deemed to be an amendment of the certificate of formation of each limited liability company affected thereby, and each such limited liability company shall not be required to take any further action with respect thereto to amend its certificate of formation under § 18-202 of this title.

(d) The registered agent of a limited liability company, including a limited liability company whose certificate of formation has been cancelled pursuant to § 18-1108 of this title, may resign without appointing a successor registered agent by paying a fee as set forth in § 18-1105(a)(2) of this title and filing a certificate of resignation with the Secretary of State, but such resignation shall not become effective until 30 days after the certificate is filed. The certificate shall contain a statement that written notice of resignation was given to the limited liability company at least 30 days prior to the filing of the certificate by mailing or delivering such notice to the limited liability company at its address last known to the registered agent and shall set forth the date of such notice. The certificate shall include such information last provided to the registered agent pursuant to subsection (g) of this section of this title for a communications contact for the limited liability company. Such information regarding the communications contact shall not be deemed public. A certificate filed pursuant to this subsection must be on the form prescribed by the Secretary of State. After receipt of the notice of the resignation of its registered agent, the limited liability company for which such registered agent was acting shall obtain and designate a new registered agent, to take the place of the registered agent so resigning. If such limited liability company fails to obtain and designate a new registered agent as aforesaid prior to the expiration of the period of 30 days after the filing by the registered agent of the certificate of resignation, the certificate of formation of such limited liability company shall be canceled. After the resignation of the registered agent shall have become effective as provided in this section and if no new registered agent shall have been obtained and designated in the time and manner aforesaid, service of legal process against each limited liability company (and each protected series and each registered series thereof) for which the resigned registered agent had been acting shall thereafter be upon the Secretary of State in accordance with § 18-105 of this title.

(e) Every registered agent shall:

(1) If an entity, maintain a business office in the State of Delaware which is generally open, or if an individual, be generally present at a designated location in the State of Delaware, at sufficiently frequent times to accept service of process and otherwise perform the functions of a registered agent;

(2) If a foreign entity, be authorized to transact business in the State of Delaware;

(3) Accept service of process and other communications directed to the limited liability companies (and any protected series or registered series thereof) and foreign limited liability companies for which it serves as registered agent and forward same to the limited liability company or foreign limited liability company to which the service or communication is directed;

(4) Forward to the limited liability companies and foreign limited liability companies for which it serves as registered agent the statement for the annual tax for such limited liability company (and each registered series thereof) or such foreign limited liability company, as applicable, as described in § 18-1107 of this title or an electronic notification of same in a form satisfactory to the Secretary of State; and

(5) Satisfy and adhere to regulations established by the Secretary regarding the verification of both the identity of the entity’s contacts and individuals for which the registered agent maintains a record for the reduction of risk of unlawful business purposes.

(f) Any registered agent who at any time serves as registered agent for more than 50 entities (a “commercial registered agent”), whether domestic or foreign, shall satisfy and comply with the following qualifications:

(1) A natural person serving as a commercial registered agent shall:

a. Maintain a principal residence or a principal place of business in the State of Delaware;

b. Maintain a Delaware business license;

c. Be generally present at a designated location within the State of Delaware during normal business hours to accept service of process and otherwise perform the functions of a registered agent as specified in subsection (e) of this section;

d. Provide the Secretary of State upon request with such information identifying and enabling communication with such commercial registered agent as the Secretary of State shall require; and

e. Satisfy and adhere to regulations established by the Secretary regarding the verification of both the identity of the entity’s contacts and individuals for which the natural person maintains a record for the reduction of risk of unlawful business purposes.

(2) A domestic or foreign corporation, a domestic partnership (whether general (including a limited liability partnership) or limited (including a limited liability limited partnership)), a foreign limited liability partnership, a domestic or foreign limited liability company, or a domestic or foreign statutory trust serving as a commercial registered agent shall:

a. Have a business office within the State of Delaware which is generally open during normal business hours to accept service of process and otherwise perform the functions of a registered agent as specified in subsection (e) of this section;

b. Maintain a Delaware business license;

c. Have generally present at such office during normal business hours an officer, director or managing agent who is a natural person;

d. Provide the Secretary of State upon request with such information identifying and enabling communication with such commercial registered agent as the Secretary of State shall require; and

e. Satisfy and adhere to regulations established by the Secretary regarding the verification of both the identity of the entity’s contacts and individuals for which it maintains a record for the reduction of risk of unlawful business purposes.

(3) For purposes of this subsection and paragraph (i)(2)a. of this section, a commercial registered agent shall also include any registered agent which has an officer, director or managing agent in common with any other registered agent or agents if such registered agents at any time during such common service as officer, director or managing agent collectively served as registered agents for more than 50 entities, whether domestic or foreign.

(g) Every domestic limited liability company and every foreign limited liability company qualified to do business in the State of Delaware shall provide to its registered agent and update from time to time as necessary the name, business address and business telephone number of a natural person who is a member, manager, officer, employee or designated agent of the domestic or foreign limited liability company who is then authorized to receive communications from the registered agent. Such person shall be deemed the communications contact for the domestic or foreign limited liability company. A domestic limited liability company, upon receipt of a request by the communications contact delivered in writing or by electronic transmission, shall provide the communications contact with the name, business address and business telephone number of a natural person who has access to the record required to be maintained pursuant to § 18-305(h) of this title. Every registered agent shall retain (in paper or electronic form) the above information concerning the current communications contact for each domestic limited liability company and each foreign limited liability company for which that registered agent serves as registered agent. If the domestic or foreign limited liability company fails to provide the registered agent with a current communications contact, the registered agent may resign as the registered agent for such domestic or foreign limited liability company pursuant to this section.

(h) The Secretary of State is fully authorized to issue such regulations, as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the enforcement of subsections (e), (f) and (g) of this section, and to take actions reasonable and necessary to assure registered agents’ compliance with subsections (e), (f) and (g) of this section. Such actions may include refusal to file documents submitted by a registered agent, including the refusal to file any documents regarding an entity’s formation.

(i) Upon application of the Secretary of State, the Court of Chancery may enjoin any person or entity from serving as a registered agent or as an officer, director or managing agent of a registered agent.

(1) Upon the filing of a complaint by the Secretary of State pursuant to this section, the court may make such orders respecting such proceeding as it deems appropriate, and may enter such orders granting interim or final relief as it deems proper under the circumstances.

(2) Any 1 or more of the following grounds shall be a sufficient basis to grant an injunction pursuant to this section:

a. With respect to any registered agent who at any time within 1 year immediately prior to the filing of the Secretary of State’s complaint is a commercial registered agent, failure after notice and warning to comply with the qualifications set forth in subsection (e) of this section and/or the requirements of subsection (f) or (g) of this section above;

b. The person serving as a registered agent, or any person who is an officer, director or managing agent of an entity registered agent, has been convicted of a felony or any crime which includes an element of dishonesty or fraud or involves moral turpitude; or

c. The registered agent has engaged in conduct in connection with acting as a registered agent that is intended to or likely to deceive or defraud the public.

(3) With respect to any order the court enters pursuant to this section with respect to an entity that has acted as a registered agent, the Court may also direct such order to any person who has served as an officer, director or managing agent of such registered agent. Any person who, on or after January 1, 2007, serves as an officer, director or managing agent of an entity acting as a registered agent in the State of Delaware shall be deemed thereby to have consented to the appointment of such registered agent as agent upon whom service of process may be made in any action brought pursuant to this section, and service as an officer, director or managing agent of an entity acting as a registered agent in the State of Delaware shall be a signification of the consent of such person that any process when so served shall be of the same legal force and validity as if served upon such person within the State of Delaware, and such appointment of the registered agent shall be irrevocable.

(4) Upon the entry of an order by the Court enjoining any person or entity from acting as a registered agent, the Secretary of State shall mail or deliver notice of such order to each affected domestic or foreign limited liability company:

a. That has specified the address of a place of business in a record of the Secretary of State, to the address specified, or

b. An address of which the Secretary of State has obtained from the domestic or foreign limited liability company’s former registered agent, to the address obtained.

If such a domestic limited liability company fails to obtain and designate a new registered agent within 30 days after such notice is given, the certificate of formation of such limited liability company shall be canceled. If such a foreign limited liability company fails to obtain and designate a new registered agent within 30 days after such notice is given, such foreign limited liability company shall not be permitted to do business in the State of Delaware and its registration shall be canceled. If any other affected domestic limited liability company fails to obtain and designate a new registered agent within 60 days after entry of an order by the Court enjoining such limited liability company’s registered agent from acting as a registered agent, the certificate of formation of such limited liability company shall be canceled. If any other affected foreign limited liability company fails to obtain and designate a new registered agent within 60 days after entry of an order by the Court enjoining such foreign limited liability company’s registered agent from acting as a registered agent, such foreign limited liability company shall not be permitted to do business in the State of Delaware and its registration shall be canceled. If the Court enjoins a person or entity from acting as a registered agent as provided in this section and no new registered agent shall have been obtained and designated in the time and manner aforesaid, service of legal process against the domestic or foreign limited liability company for which the registered agent had been acting shall thereafter be upon the Secretary of State in accordance with § 18-105 or § 18-911 of this title. The Court of Chancery may, upon application of the Secretary of State on notice to the former registered agent, enter such orders as it deems appropriate to give the Secretary of State access to information in the former registered agent’s possession in order to facilitate communication with the domestic and foreign limited liability companies the former registered agent served.

(j) The Secretary of State is authorized to make a list of registered agents available to the public, and to establish such qualifications and issue such rules and regulations with respect to such listing as the Secretary of State deems necessary or appropriate.

(k) As contained in any certificate of formation, application for registration as a foreign limited liability company, or other document filed in the office of the Secretary of State under this chapter, the address of a registered agent or registered office shall include the street, number, city and postal code.

68 Del. Laws, c. 434, §  1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1; 71 Del. Laws, c. 77, §§  3, 4; 73 Del. Laws, c. 83, §  3; 73 Del. Laws, c. 329, §  26; 75 Del. Laws, c. 317, §§  2, 3; 76 Del. Laws, c. 105, §§  3-8; 78 Del. Laws, c. 95, §  2; 79 Del. Laws, c. 302, §  1; 81 Del. Laws, c. 89, §§ 4, 5; 81 Del. Laws, c. 334, § 4; 81 Del. Laws, c. 357, §§ 5, 6; 82 Del. Laws, c. 48, § 3; 82 Del. Laws, c. 259, § 3;

What This Means: Key Takeaways*

A registered agent’s job is to accept service of process (legal summons to a lawsuit). 

A Delaware registered agent must:

  • Maintain a registered office in Delaware (i.e., no P.O. boxes)
  • Be an individual, a Delaware corporation or LLC, or foreign corporation or LLC with a business address that is the same as the registered office address

Registered agent information is kept on file by the State of Delaware. If you change your registered agent or if your registered agent resigns, you must file a change of registered agent form.

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Operating Agreements

Delaware LLC laws provide guidelines for creating and maintaining an LLC operating agreement.

The following operating agreement statutes are from the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act:

Delaware LLC Act, Section 18-101. Definitions.

(9) “Limited liability company agreement” means any agreement (whether referred to as a limited liability company agreement, operating agreement or otherwise), written, oral or implied, of the member or members as to the affairs of a limited liability company and the conduct of its business. A member or manager of a limited liability company or an assignee of a limited liability company interest is bound by the limited liability company agreement whether or not the member or manager or assignee executes the limited liability company agreement. A limited liability company is not required to execute its limited liability company agreement. A limited liability company is bound by its limited liability company agreement whether or not the limited liability company executes the limited liability company agreement. A limited liability company agreement of a limited liability company having only 1 member shall not be unenforceable by reason of there being only 1 person who is a party to the limited liability company agreement. A limited liability company agreement is not subject to any statute of frauds (including § 2714 of this title). A limited liability company agreement may provide rights to any person, including a person who is not a party to the limited liability company agreement, to the extent set forth therein. A written limited liability company agreement or another written agreement or writing:

a. May provide that a person shall be admitted as a member of a limited liability company, or shall become an assignee of a limited liability company interest or other rights or powers of a member to the extent assigned:

1. If such person (or a representative authorized by such person orally, in writing or by other action such as payment for a limited liability company interest) executes the limited liability company agreement or any other writing evidencing the intent of such person to become a member or assignee; or

2. Without such execution, if such person (or a representative authorized by such person orally, in writing or by other action such as payment for a limited liability company interest) complies with the conditions for becoming a member or assignee as set forth in the limited liability company agreement or any other writing; and

b. Shall not be unenforceable by reason of its not having been signed by a person being admitted as a member or becoming an assignee as provided in paragraph (9)a. of this section, or by reason of its having been signed by a representative as provided in this chapter.

What This Means: Key Takeaways*

An LLC operating agreement allows LLC members to create rules for how their unique LLC operates. These rules are often called “terms” or “provisions.”

Operating agreements are limited by state statute. For example, if the statute says LLC members can’t dissolve an LLC without all members agreeing, LLC members can’t change or override the statute with an operating agreement.

When an operating agreement is in place, it’s easier to navigate situations involving the operation of the LLC. And, if a lawsuit or dispute arises, LLC members (or the courts) have something to reference.

If a dispute arises that can’t be resolved by LLC members and there isn’t an operating agreement, the courts will use LLC statute to resolve disputes.

Creating an Operating Agreement

Some LLCs, such as professional LLCs or real estate LLCs, might need unique terms, while others might only need to cover standard provisions:

  • Each member’s responsibilities
  • How new members will be admitted
  • How existing members may transfer or terminate their membership
  • How profits and dividends will be distributed
  • The process for amending the operating agreement

Use our free operating agreement template or learn more with our What Is an Operating Agreement guide.