Every limited liability company operating in the United States needs to designate a registered agent. Even after you identify your initial registered agent in your formation paperwork, there are several reasons for why you may need to change the registered agent for your LLC in Connecticut.
Your registered agent could be moving out of state, or they could be a former co-owner or employee who no longer works for your organization. Maybe you want to switch from an individual registered agent to a professional service that operates in all 50 states, or perhaps you’re simply unsatisfied with your current registered agent’s service.
Whatever the reason may be, each state allows you to change your registered agent at any time, and in most states the process is both simple and inexpensive. Let’s dive into the specifics of how to change your LLC’s registered agent in Connecticut.
NOTE: If you need help changing registered agents, the same services that are known for offering cheap LLC services — like LegalZoom and Zen Business — can also take over registered agent duties and file the needed paperwork.
Who Can Be a Connecticut Registered Agent?
A Connecticut registered agent is a person or business entity that has a physical address in the state. You or one of your co-owners can serve as your own registered agent, you can designate a friend or family member for this role, you can hire a lawyer or accountant as your agent, or you can hire an online business services company to provide registered agent service.
No matter who you choose to be your registered agent, they need to be physically present at the address provided to the state during all standard business hours. This person or entity does not need to have any prior experience being a registered agent, but it’s wise to choose a registered agent who is familiar with the serious responsibilities that come with this role.
In Connecticut, anyone serving as a registered agent must be at least 18 years of age. The FAQ section on the Secretary of State’s website lists the following rules for registered agent eligibility:
- You can serve as your own agent if you are a resident of Connecticut
- Any Connecticut resident over the age of 18 can serve as a registered agent
- Another business entity registered with the Secretary of State’s office that has a Connecticut address can be your registered agent
- Foreign entities can designate the Secretary of State as their registered agent
In addition, registered agents in Connecticut must formally accept the position. To comply with this requirement, your registered agent can either sign your formation documents, or they can accept the role via an email exchange.
For more general information regarding the role of a registered agent with a Connecticut LLC, we encourage you to check out our full guide on the topic.
What Is the Procedure for Changing Your LLC Registered Agent in Connecticut?
While the role of the registered agent is vitally important for any American business entity, this role can always be changed, and there are different rules for how to change your agent depending on which state your business operates in.
LLCs in the state of Connecticut cannot change their registered agent by amending their articles of organization, or by indicating a change on their annual report. The only way to make this change is on the Change of Agent form.
Option 1) Filing a Change of Agent Form
To change a registered agent in the state of Connecticut, you’ll need to file a Change of Agent form, which has different versions for domestic and foreign entities. Each form costs $50 to file. You can file these forms online, via mail, by fax, or in person.
Processing Times
Standard processing for a Change of Agent form is 3-5 business days. Documents can be expedited by filing an Expedite Service Request form. The fee is an additional $50, and processing will be completed within 24 hours.
Prefer to Have a Registered Agent Service Handle Your Requirements?
A registered agent service is a company that specializes in being a registered agent for a wide variety of businesses across the country, bringing tons of expertise and a healthy dose of reliability to the role.
Most professional registered agent services operate on a national basis, meaning there’s no restrictions on which states you can operate your business in. They also tend to charge affordable rates, as you can find several registered agent services that charge around $10/month or even less for this service. In addition, most of these companies will also offer to handle the process of changing a registered agent for you.
If you’re interested in this option, we highly recommend Northwest Registered Agent.
The Law for Changing Your LLC Registered Agent in Connecticut
It’s always important to be well-informed regarding the specific laws for changing your registered agent. Connecticut’s registered agent laws vary depending on what type of business entity you operate.
For LLCs, we can look to Title 34, Chapter 613a of the Connecticut General Statutes, which states that:
- “A limited liability company or registered foreign limited liability company may change the address of its registered agent or appoint a new registered agent by delivering to the Secretary of the State for filing a change of address of agent certificate or a change of agent certificate containing all of the following:
- The name of the limited liability company or registered foreign limited liability company;
- if the address of the registered agent is to be changed, the information required by subsection (f) of section 34-243n; and
- if a new registered agent is to be appointed, the information required by subdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection (d) of section 34-243n, which change of agent certificate must be signed by, if other than the Secretary of the State, the registered agent appointed in the certificate.”
Conclusion
If you operate a limited liability company in the state of Connecticut, you need to designate a registered agent to receive important government document deliveries on your behalf. If you decide at any time that you would rather change your registered agent to a different individual or business entity, it’s important to know what that process looks like.
In Connecticut, the only way to change your LLC’s registered agent is to file a Change of Agent form. It’s a simple document with a reasonable filing fee, but if you’d rather have a registered agent service handle this task for you, you certainly have that option.
We hope this article helped you improve your understanding of changing a registered agent in Connecticut, and as always we thank you for choosing Registered Agent Ready!