How To Change Your Registered Agent In California
To change your registered agent in California, you must complete and file a Statement of Information form with the California Secretary of State. The California Statement of Information can be submitted by mail, online (corporations only), or in person. There is no fee if you submit an updated Statement of Information outside of the normal filing period. However, if you are making this change when filing your Required Periodic Statement of Information (which California LLCs need to file every two years), you’ll need to pay the Statement of Information fee ($20 for LLCs, $25 for corporations). When you hire Northwest to be your new registered agent, we will file your California change of registered agent paperwork for you.
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Download the California Statement of Information here
Do It Yourself Online
Sign up for a free account and fill out the California Statement of Information here
California Registered Agent Service
$125 Per YearSteps to Changing Your California Registered Agent
If you would like to change your registered agent in California, you will need to complete the following three general steps:
- Select a new California registered agent. If you hire Northwest for our registered agent service, you can just as well stop reading now. We’ll handle the state filing for you.
- Notify your former registered agent that you’re moving on.
- Complete and submit your California Statement of Information to the California Secretary of State.
What are the options and different ways you can change your California registered agent?
To change the California registered agent for a corporation or LLC, all you need to do is provide a completed Statement of Information form to the California Secretary of State (SOS). Submit the statement of information by mail, online (corporations only) or in person. Checks should be payable to the Secretary of State.
You can file a corporate Statement of Information on the California SOS website (see link below). Go to the SOS Business Entities page and click on “E-File Statements.” Then you can log on using a corporations name or entity number. You can pay with Visa or MasterCard online.
*Before a corporation may be designated as registered agent, that corporation must have filed a Certificate Pursuant to Section 1505 form with the California Secretary of State. There is a $30 filing fee.
For the steps to take to ensure your former agent’s service and obligations come to an end, see our California registered agent resignation page.
Changing Your California Registered Agent FAQs
If you change your California registered agent during your required Statement of Information filing period, you have to pay the Statement of Information filing fee:
Corporations – There is a $25 fee (includes $20 filing fee and $5 disclosure fee)
LLCs – There is a $20 fee
If you file a Statement of Information outside of the required filing period to change the registered agent listed on your most recent statement, there is no fee.
There is no special handling service available for annual or biennial statements. If an annual or biennial statement is dropped off in person at the filing counter, the request will be processed at the same time as requests received by mail on that date.
Don’t want to pay the change of agent fee? Switch your registered agent to Northwest, and we’ll pay the change of agent fee to switch to us! Just sign up for registered agent service. You’ll see the pre-populated change of agent form in your online account. Fill it out with your company info, sign it, and email or mail it to us, and we’ll get it filed with the state. It’s that simple!
Normal processing will take the SOS at least eight weeks. Current processing times can be obtained on the California SOS website (see link below).
You may choose same day or 24 hour expedited processing for an additional fee.
Submit a copy with your original statement of information. The SOS will file-stamp the copy and return it to you by mail.
California Secretary of State
Statement of Information Unit
Mailing address: P.O. Box 944230, Sacramento, CA 94244-2300
Physical address: 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (916) 657-5448
Monday-Friday, 8-5
You just have to file a California Statement of Information for your type of business entity. Domestic and foreign corporations would file Form SI-200C. Domestic and foreign LLCs should file Form LLC-12R.
The Statement of Information forms are in your online account immediately, when you sign up for California registered agent service with Northwest.
Expect More From a Registered Agent
We have a team of California experts that know the in-and-outs of all business filings and what the California Secretary of State requires. As your registered agent we don’t wait around on any legal correspondence we receive on your behalf, we immediately scan it to your secure online portfolio so you can view it anytime, anywhere. Switch to Northwest Registered Agent today and we will file your Statement of Information form, all in less than a business day.
- Instant registered agent services annual price: $125.
- Instant California forms located directly in your online account to make a filing in California.
- State resources in your registered agent service account, with self-filing instructions to help you.
- We send multiple annual report reminders, and you can also track your due dates in your online account.
- We locally scan ‘service of process’ and all documents to you in real-time for no added cost.
- And, most importantly…We’re just not annoying™.
CHANGE YOUR CALIFORNIA REGISTERED AGENT IN 5 MINUTES