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, filed on your own or through a PA LLC service, there are several reasons for why you may need to change the registered agent for your LLC in Pennsylvania.
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 Pennsylvania.
One quick note: Pennsylvania often refers to this role as the registered office provider. It means the same thing as “registered agent,” but we don’t want you to be confused if you see both terms used.
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3 Steps to Change Your Pennsylvania Registered Agent
Thankfully, changing your registered agent in Pennsylvania isn’t a terribly complicated process. If you know the steps to follow, it’s a cinch:
1.) Gather contact information for both your old and new agents:
This might seem like fairly basic information, but the state requires you to gather the names and business addresses for both your former registered agent and your new one. If you don’t have this information immediately on hand, you’ll need to get it before proceeding.
2.) Obtain the proper forms:
Pennsylvania offers just one form for this filing procedure: a Change of Registered Office form (the exception is Foreign entities, which use this form instead). You can download it, print it, and fill out the required information. Alternatively, you can complete the filing online.
3.) Submit the completed form to the Department of State:
If you’re filing online, then this step is as simple as hitting the “submit” button. But if you opt for a paper method, you can slip it into an envelope and mail it or drop it off in person at the address listed on the form. Either way, be sure to include the $5 filing fee ($250 for foreign entities).
That’s all there is to it! Once the state receives and processes your documents, you’ll have yourself a new registered agent.
Important Pennsylvania Registered Agent Do’s and Don’ts
Want to make your registered agent switch a perfect success? If you follow the steps above, you’ll be off to a great start. But there are a few other things to keep in mind to keep things running smoothly—before, during, and after the switch.
DO follow state regulations when appointing a new agent.
When it all comes down to it, the state of Pennsylvania isn’t incredibly picky about who can be your registered agent, but they still have some rules they want you to follow. If you want to read the official statutes, you can find them here. But you’re probably pretty busy (and legalese can be overwhelming!), so here are the essentials:
- Can be an individual resident of the state
- OR a registered entity with authority to do business in the state
- Must maintain a physical address in the state (not a P.O. box)
- Be present at that address to accept service of process and official communications during regular business hours
As long as you meet those requirements, you can pick just about anyone to serve as your own registered agent.
DO pick the right agent for your business goals
Before you opt to serve as your own registered agent or hire a registered agent service, you’ll want to consider the right agent for your unique needs. After all, agents aren’t “one-size-fits-all.” Some businesses might benefit from having the owner or an employee serving as their own agent. Others might opt to have a local, Pennsylvania-dedicated registered agent service. And lots of LLCs in PA choose to work with a national service that covers businesses in all 50 states.
There’s not really a wrong answer here. Well, the only wrong answer is not hiring one. That would put you in non-compliance. That said, you should think about your long-term vision for your business when picking a registered agent.
For example, if you want to expand into other states later on, you should pick a service that covers multiple states. That way, you wouldn’t have to hire another service when you joined a new state. You’d just have your pre-existing agent serve you in that state, too.
DON’T confuse your filing options
Thankfully, Pennsylvania only has one filing option. So it’s not too confusing. The only thing you really have to keep straight is whether you opt to file online or with a paper method (and don’t accidentally file the foreign version; that costs a lot more). Our advice is to pick one method and stick with it. That way you won’t do any more work than you have to.
Additionally, keep in mind that how you file your form affects how quickly your documents are processed. Usually, the state department processes documents within 7-10 business days. But that timeline only applies when the state has received your documents. So naturally, mail-order filings will take longer than online ones. If you’re in a rush, go with online filing.
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 chat with both (unless, of course, you’re serving as your own agent). Obviously, you’ll talk with your new agent to let them know you’ll require their services. Plus, that’ll give you the opportunity to discuss your business’s needs, your agent’s fees, and more.
But be sure to touch base with your previous agent, too. This is especially important if you’re paying someone to serve as your registered agent. You’ll want to wrap up any payment obligations, including canceling any automatic payments you’ve set up. And even if a friend or family member was acting as your agent for free, you should let him or her know your plans to avoid any confusion.
Getting Help: Hiring a Registered Agent Service
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 or Zen Business.
Conclusion
Since the registered agent is such a vital part of any business, it’s crucial to get it right whenever you decide to switch agents. We hope this article helped you improve your understanding of changing a registered agent in Pennsylvania. If you’d like more assistance, there are plenty of business services online that can help with changing your agent or even filing an LLC. And, as always, we thank you for choosing Registered Agent Ready!