To change your business address with the California Secretary of State, file a Statement of Information through the state’s online portal at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov. Corporations use Form SI-200C; LLCs use Form LLC-12. Limited partnerships file a different document, Form LP-2. California does not offer a standalone “change of address” form for most entities, so the address update rides along with the periodic report the state already requires. Online filings are confirmed immediately; paper filings take weeks.
Which Form to File
The right form depends on how your business is organized.
Corporations: Form SI-200C
Corporations file the Statement of Information (SI-200C) within 90 days of incorporating and then annually during a six-month window tied to the original incorporation date. If your address changes between those regular filings, you can submit an amended Statement of Information at any time. The amended interim filing carries no fee.
LLCs: Form LLC-12
LLCs file the LLC-12, which works like the corporate Statement of Information but is due every two years rather than annually. LLCs can also file an amended statement at any point to report a change, and that amended filing is free.
Limited Partnerships: Form LP-2
Limited partnerships take a different route. To update a designated office or mailing address, an LP files Form LP-2 (Amendment to Certificate of Limited Partnership). It’s a standalone amendment rather than a periodic report, and it costs $30.
Limited Liability Partnerships
Form LLP-4 is sometimes referenced for LLP changes but is actually the form used to cancel an LLP’s registration in California. If your LLP needs an address update, use the Secretary of State’s online portal or contact the Business Programs Division for the correct filing.
What You Need Before You File
Confirm your exact legal entity name and entity number first. You can look both up through the search tool at bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov, which covers corporations, LLCs, LPs, and nonprofits. When you search by entity number, drop the leading “C.”
The corporate Statement of Information asks for the street address of the principal executive office, a separate mailing address if it’s different, and the names and addresses of every current director and principal officer (at minimum, the CEO, secretary, and CFO). You also designate an agent for service of process, listing that person’s street address or naming a corporate agent.
The LLC form asks for the same kinds of things: principal office address, mailing address, and the names and addresses of any managers plus the chief executive officer. If the LLC has no managers, list every member instead.
Whoever signs must have authority. For a corporation, that’s a director-level officer — chairman, president, secretary, or CFO. For an LLC, a manager or an authorized member signs.
How to Submit the Filing
Online
The Secretary of State’s portal at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov handles Statement of Information filings for corporations, LLCs, and limited partnerships. Online submissions process immediately and produce a filing confirmation you can save as proof. This is the fastest option and the one most businesses should use.
By Mail
Paper filings go to different addresses depending on the document. Statement of Information forms (SI-200C and LLC-12) are mailed to:
Statement of Information Unit
P.O. Box 944230
Sacramento, CA 94244-2300
The LP-2 amendment for limited partnerships goes to:
P.O. Box 944260
Sacramento, CA 94244-2600
Include the fee as a check payable to the Secretary of State. Paper filings are worked in the order received, and delays of several weeks are common.
In Person
You can drop documents off at the Secretary of State’s Sacramento office. A $15 special handling fee applies to most in-person filings, but Statements of Information are exempt.
Fees and Turnaround
- Corporation (SI-200C): $25 for the periodic filing; free for an amended statement filed between periods.
- LLC (LLC-12): $20 for the periodic filing; free for an amended statement.
- Limited partnership (LP-2): $30.
Online filings post immediately. Paper filings take several weeks depending on current workload. For paper documents dropped off in Sacramento, two expedite tiers are available on top of the regular fee: 24-hour processing for $350, or same-day processing for $750 if documents arrive by 9:30 a.m.
Your Registered Agent Address Is Separate
Your business address and your agent for service of process address are different fields, and they can change independently. The agent is the person or company designated to accept lawsuits and official legal notices for the business.
For corporations and LLCs, the agent’s information sits on the Statement of Information, so you update it through the same filing. If you need to change agent information outside your regular cycle, file an amended Statement of Information solely for that purpose. There’s no fee as long as you’re current on periodic filings.
If your agent is a professional corporate agent service, you generally don’t need to file anything when the agent’s own address changes. The agent company is required to notify the Secretary of State directly, and the update carries over to the businesses it represents. Verify the information on your next regular filing.
What Happens If You Don’t Update
The address on file is where California sends tax notices, compliance warnings, and filing reminders. Miss those because they went to the old address, and you won’t know about a deadline until the penalties have already started.
Failing to file the required Statement of Information can trigger penalties from the Franchise Tax Board and suspension or forfeiture of the entity. Separately, failing to pay taxes or respond to FTB notices triggers suspension under Revenue and Taxation Code Section 23301, which strips the business of its legal powers.
A suspended entity faces real problems:
- It cannot file a lawsuit to collect a debt, defend itself in litigation, or appeal an adverse judgment.
- Any contract entered into while suspended can be voided. Getting relief from voidability requires filing all back returns, paying all outstanding taxes, and paying a penalty of $100 per day of suspension, up to the total tax owed for the period.
- Anyone who exercises corporate powers on behalf of a suspended entity faces fines of $250 to $1,000, up to a year in jail, or both. That includes something as ordinary as cashing a check made out to the company.
Reinstatement, called “revivor” in California, requires clearing every outstanding obligation with both the Franchise Tax Board and the Secretary of State. Filing the missing Statement of Information handles the SOS side; tax delinquencies still have to be resolved with the FTB. The longer you wait, the more the penalties grow.
Other Agencies to Notify
The Secretary of State filing updates one government record. Several others are tied to your business, and missing them can create problems just as serious.
Franchise Tax Board
The FTB keeps its own address records, and updating with the Secretary of State does not update the FTB. File Form FTB 3533-B (Change of Address for Businesses, Exempt Organizations, Estates and Trusts) and mail it to:
Franchise Tax Board
PO Box 942840
Sacramento, CA 94240-0002
Because the FTB initiates most suspensions, keeping your address current here is arguably more urgent than the SOS filing itself. A missed franchise tax notice can start the suspension clock.
Internal Revenue Service
Businesses with an Employer Identification Number file IRS Form 8822-B to report a change in business mailing address or business location. If the change also involves a new responsible party (the person who controls or manages the entity), report that within 60 days.
U.S. Postal Service
File a Change of Address with USPS to forward mail from the old location. You can submit online at moversguide.usps.com (a $1.25 identity verification fee applies) or in person at any post office using PS Form 3575. A business request needs documentation showing the person filing is authorized to act for the company, such as a business license or a letter on company letterhead signed by someone in a leadership role.
First-Class Mail is forwarded for 12 months. Don’t treat forwarding as a permanent fix. It can be inconsistent with bulk mail and packages, and it expires. Use it as a safety net while you update your address with every agency and vendor that has it on file.
Confirming the Update
After filing, search for your entity on the BizFile Online tool to see what address the Secretary of State currently shows. The displayed information isn’t a certified record, but it will confirm the update posted. If you need a certified copy of your Statement of Information, request one through the portal or by mail for an additional fee.