Change Registered Agent in California: Forms, Filing, and Resignation

To change your registered agent in California, file an updated Statement of Information with the Secretary of State. There is no separate change-of-agent form. You use the same Statement of Information your business already files on a regular schedule, and if you file between your regular due dates solely to update the agent, the filing is free.1California Secretary of State. Business Entities Fee Schedule

Which Form to File

The form depends on your entity type:

  • Domestic stock corporations: Form SI-200
  • Foreign corporations formed outside California: Form SI-350
  • Limited liability companies: Form LLC-12

Each form reports your officers or managers, principal address, and agent for service of process in one filing. When you’re changing only the registered agent, you still complete the whole form; most of the information will simply match what’s already on file.2California Legislative Information. California Corporations Code 1502

Limited partnerships and limited liability partnerships also must designate an agent for service of process, but they use different forms.3California Secretary of State. Service of Process

How to File and What It Costs

You can submit the Statement of Information three ways: online through bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov, by mail, or in person at the Sacramento office at 1500 11th Street.4California Secretary of State. Statements of Information Filing Tips Online is usually the fastest route, though processing times fluctuate throughout the year and slow down as filings pile up around fiscal and calendar year-ends.5California Secretary of State. Current Processing Dates In-person drop-offs receive priority processing over mail submissions.6California Secretary of State. Service Options – Business Entities

Fees turn on timing. If you file between your regular Statement of Information periods just to update the agent, the Secretary of State charges nothing.1California Secretary of State. Business Entities Fee Schedule If the change lands when your periodic filing is already due, you pay the standard fee:

Corporations file annually; LLCs file biennially. If you can wait for your next scheduled filing, combining the two saves the fee.

Need it faster? The Secretary of State offers two expedited tiers on top of the standard fee. Twenty-four-hour processing costs $350, and same-day processing costs $750, with documents required to arrive by 9:30 a.m. for same-day turnaround.8California Secretary of State. Preclearance and Expedited Filing Services That tier matters when you’re facing a lawsuit and need the new agent on record immediately.

Who Can Serve as Your New Agent

California limits who can act as your agent for service of process. An individual agent must be a natural person who resides in California, and the filing must list that person’s complete business or residence street address. A P.O. Box will not satisfy the requirement.2California Legislative Information. California Corporations Code 1502

A corporate agent is also an option, but the company must be authorized to do business in California, be in good standing with the Secretary of State, and have a current Section 1505 certificate on file listing its office address and the employees authorized to accept process for the entities it represents.9California Legislative Information. California Corporations Code 1505

Naming yourself is legal as long as you have a California street address and can reliably accept documents during business hours. Commercial registered agent services typically charge between $35 and a few hundred dollars a year, and they keep your personal address off the Secretary of State’s public database.

If Your Current Agent Resigns

A registered agent can resign without your permission by filing a resignation with the Secretary of State. Service of process on the former agent stays effective for only a short period after the resignation, so the window to name a replacement is narrow.

Move quickly. Without an agent on file, the Secretary of State has no one to forward legal documents to. A plaintiff can ask the court to serve process through alternative means, and if notice never reaches you, the court can enter a default judgment against your business in a case you might otherwise have won. File an updated Statement of Information as soon as you learn your agent has resigned or plans to.

Consequences of Letting It Lapse

Failing to maintain an agent for service of process, or failing to file your Statement of Information on schedule, can trigger penalties from the Franchise Tax Board and lead to suspension or forfeiture of your business entity.4California Secretary of State. Statements of Information Filing Tips

A suspended or forfeited entity loses the right to conduct business in California. You cannot enforce contracts, defend lawsuits, or maintain legal actions already in progress. Reinstatement requires filing every overdue Statement of Information, paying the associated fees and any FTB penalties, and applying for revivor with the Franchise Tax Board.

Update Your Internal Records

The Statement of Information handles the public record, but your internal documents may still name the old agent. If your LLC operating agreement or corporate bylaws reference a specific agent or address, update them to match. For an LLC, that usually means an amendment to the operating agreement. For a corporation, the board should adopt a resolution authorizing the change and note the new agent in the corporate minutes. The Secretary of State does not require this, but a mismatch between state filings and internal records can create friction during a sale, audit, or dispute.