In California, How Do I Change My Registered Agent?

In California, you may change your registered agent by submitting a Statement of Information to the California Secretary of State.

When transferring registered agent services, when an agent resigns or goes out of business, or if they choose to function as their own registered agent, a company owner may opt to change their registered agent.

Submit an Information Statement

The quickest approach to alter your registered agent is to file a Statement of Information with the California Secretary of State.

This may be done in person, via mail, or online.

Recommended: Online Information Statement Submission

The California Secretary of State website allows you to complete and submit a Statement of Information online. This procedure includes the following steps:

Navigate to the appropriate website. There is a page for corporations and another for limited liability businesses (LLCs).
Look for and choose your firm.
Fill out the online form and pay with a credit card.

When you submit your form, the modification is usually completed within one day.

Submit the Information Statement by Mail or in Person.

To submit a Statement of Information by mail or in person, begin by downloading the appropriate form from the California Secretary of State’s website. There are numerous forms for different sorts of businesses:

Stock Corporation – Form SI-550 Limited Liability Company – Form LLC-12
Form SI-100 – Nonprofit Corporation

Fill out the form and return it to one of the addresses listed below:

P.O. Box 944230 Sacramento, CA 94244-2300 Secretary of State Business Programs Division – Statement of Information

Secretary of State 1500 11th St. Sacramento, CA 95814

Fee: California LLCs and companies must submit a Statement of Information on a regular basis. The usual filing charge for companies is $25, while the fee for LLCs and NGOs is $20.

There is no filing fee if you file a Statement of Information to change a registered agent outside of the normal filing period. The forms include detailed information regarding the filing periods.

Any mandatory charge may be paid by cheque or money order. Read the Statement of Information form for complete instructions.

Why Should You Change Registered Agents?

A firm may choose to change its registered agent for a variety of reasons, including:

Changing from an Individual Agent to a Registered Agent Service: While people (even a company’s own executives or employees) may operate as registered agents, they will be publicly listed in the state’s database. Some individuals may see this as an invasion of their privacy. Registered agents must also be accessible at their office between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, which might be inconvenient. These concerns are resolved by switching to a registered agent service.
Business Expansion into New States: LLCs, corporations, and other formal business formations must have a registered agent in each state where they do business. Not all registered agents are authorized to act as a registered agent in every state. Some companies would rather have the same registered agent in each state than multiple separate ones.
Customer Contentment: Some changes occur simply because a firm is dissatisfied with its present registered agent, whether the issue is one of pricing, customer service, or job quality.