How To Change Registered Agent In California

Every express liability company operating in the United States needs to designate a registered agent . Even after you place your initial registered agent in your formation paperwork, filed on your own or through a CA LLC service , there are several reasons for why y'all may need to change the registered agent for your LLC in California .

Your registered agent could exist moving out of country, or they could be a sometime co-owner or employee who no longer works for your organization. Maybe you want to switch from an individual registered agent to a professional person service that operates in all 50 states, or possibly you're simply unsatisfied with your current registered amanuensis'southward service.

Whatever the reason may be, each state allows y'all to change your registered agent at whatsoever time, and in almost states the process is both simple and inexpensive. Let's swoop into the specifics of how to change your LLC's registered agent in California .

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3 Steps to Change Your California Registered Agent

Thankfully, changing your registered agent in California isn't a terribly complicated process. If you know the steps to follow, information technology'due south a cinch:

one.) Get together contact information for your new agent:

This might seem similar fairly basic data, only the state requires yous to gather the full name and street address for your registered amanuensis. If y'all don't have this data immediately on hand, y'all'll need to get it earlier proceeding.

2.) Obtain the proper forms:

In California, all LLCs are required to submit a Statement of Data , which acts every bit a biennial report. Only you can also use this report equally your change of agent document, besides. If your annual report is coming due, and then you tin can let the Statement practice double-duty every bit your biennial report and your agent change. Simply if your biennial report still isn't due yet, you can use information technology as a simple agent modify form.

3.) Submit the completed form to the Secretary of Land:

California gives you several different filing options: mail, in-person, and online . In-person filings will be charged an expediting fee (varies based on the speed you choose). Simply no matter how y'all file, you lot'll demand to pay the $twenty filing fee.

That'southward all in that location is to it! Once the state receives and processes your documents, you'll take yourself a new registered agent.

Important California Registered Amanuensis Exercise'south and Don'ts

Want to make your registered agent switch a perfect success? If you follow the steps higher up, you lot'll be off to a peachy start. Simply in that location are a few other things to keep in heed to keep things running smoothly—before, during, and after the switch.

DO follow land regulations when appointing a new amanuensis.

When it all comes down to it, the country of California isn't incredibly picky about who can exist your registered agent, simply they still have some rules they want you to follow. If you lot desire to read the state's guidance, you lot can find it here . But you're probably pretty busy (and legalese can exist overwhelming!), then here are the essentials:

Can be an individual or a business organization entity
A resident of the country OR a business authorized to do business in the state
Maintain a physical address in the country (not a P.O. box)
Be present to accept service of process and official communications at that address during regular business hours

As long as y'all meet those requirements, you tin can pick merely about anyone to serve as your own registered amanuensis.

DO pick the right amanuensis for your business goals

Before you lot opt to serve equally your own registered amanuensis or hire a registered amanuensis service , you'll desire to consider the right amanuensis for your unique needs. After all, agents aren't "i-size-fits-all." Some businesses might do good from having the possessor or an employee serving as their own amanuensis. Others might opt to have a local, California -dedicated registered agent service. And lots of LLCs in CA cull to piece of work with a national service that covers businesses in all 50 states.

There's not really a wrong answer here. Well, the merely incorrect answer is not hiring one. That would put you in non-compliance. That said, you should think about your long-term vision for your concern when picking a registered agent.

For case, if y'all desire to expand into other states afterwards on, you should option a service that covers multiple states. That mode, you lot wouldn't take to rent some other service when you joined a new country. You'd just take your pre-existing agent serve you in that state, likewise.

DON'T confuse your filing options

In some states, your only pick would be to file past mail. California, however, gives you lot a lot of different options. But no thing which method yous cull, you should stick with it. You lot'd hate to pick 1 method then cull some other halfway through, losing your progress.

It's also of import to note that how you lot file affects how quickly your documents are processed. If you file in-person, you tin can go expedited filing options. They're pretty hefty fees, though. But ordinary filing speeds aren't as well irksome: 4 business days upon receipt. And so naturally, mail-order filings will take the longest.

DON'T forget to keep both your new and old registered agent in the loop

This might seem like a common courtesy, but when you switch registered agents, you should conversation with both (unless, of course, y'all're serving as your own agent). Obviously, y'all'll talk with your new amanuensis to permit them know you'll crave their services. That way, you can affect base with him or her regarding fees and what your ongoing business organisation relationship volition look like.

Merely be certain to bear upon base with your previous agent, too. This is especially important if you're paying someone to serve as your registered amanuensis. You'll want to wrap upward any payment obligations, including canceling any automatic payments you lot've prepare. And even if a friend or family member was interim as your agent for free, y'all should let him or her know your plans to avoid whatever defoliation.

Getting Assistance: Hiring a Registered Amanuensis Service

A registered agent service is a visitor that specializes in beingness a registered amanuensis for a wide variety of businesses beyond the state, bringing tons of expertise and a healthy dose of reliability to the role.

Most professional person registered agent services operate on a national basis, meaning in that location'due south no restrictions on which states you can operate your business in. They also tend to charge affordable rates, as yous can find several registered agent services that charge around $10/month or fifty-fifty less for this service. In addition, most of these companies volition also offering to handle the process of changing a registered amanuensis for yous.

If you're interested in this selection, nosotros highly recommend Northwest Registered Amanuensis or Zen Business .

Conclusion

Since the registered agent is such a vital part of any business, it's crucial to become it right whenever y'all decide to switch agents. We hope this article helped yous amend your understanding of changing a registered amanuensis in California . If you'd like more than assistance, there are plenty of business concern services online that tin help with changing your agent or even filing an LLC . And, as always, we cheers for choosing Registered Amanuensis Set!