Every limited liability company operating in the United States needs to designate a registered office provider. Even after you identify your initial registered office provider in your formation paperwork, there are several reasons for why you may need to change the registered office provider for your LLC in Pennsylvania.
Your registered office provider 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 office provider to a professional service that operates in all 50 states, or perhaps you’re simply unsatisfied with your current registered office provider’s service.
Whatever the reason may be, each state allows you to change your registered office provider 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 office provider in Pennsylvania.
NOTE: If you need help changing registered agents, the same services that are known for offering online LLC services — like LegalZoom and Zen Business — can also take over registered agent duties and file the needed paperwork.
Who Can Be a Pennsylvania Registered Office Provider?
The Pennsylvania Department of State says that this state does not utilize registered agents, but rather that they require a registered office address. Practically and legally speaking, the registered office provider required by Pennsylvania is no different from a registered agent ― this state simply uses different terminology than every other state, even though the role is exactly the same.
A Pennsylvania registered office provider 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 office provider, you can designate a friend or family member for this role, you can hire a lawyer or accountant, or you can hire an online business services company to provide commercial registered office service.
No matter who you choose to be your registered office provider, 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 office provider, but it’s wise to choose a registered office provider who is familiar with the serious responsibilities that come with this role.
There is no minimum age requirement on who can be a registered office provider in the state of Pennsylvania. Specifically, the Pennsylvania Department of State says:
“The initial registered office address requires street and number, if any. A post office box alone is not acceptable. A Commercial Registered Office Provider’s (CROP) address is acceptable. Under Pennsylvania law (15 Pa.C.S. § 109), entities required to provide a registered office address in any document filed in the Department of State may enter into a contract for the services of a CROP, and may list the name of the CROP in lieu of providing a registered address. This option is also available for any corporation or association that does not have a physical location or mailing address in Pennsylvania.”
For more general information regarding the role of a registered office provider with a Pennsylvania LLC, we encourage you to check out our full guide on the topic.
What Is the Procedure for Changing Your LLC Registered Office Provider in Pennsylvania?
While the role of the registered office provider is vitally important for any American business entity, this role can always be changed, and there are different rules for how to change your provider depending on which state your business operates in.
Pennsylvania has different requirements for domestic and foreign entities to change their registered office providers. While a domestic limited liability company can change its registered office provider by filing a Change of Registered Office form, a foreign LLC needs to file an Amendment of Foreign Registration form.
Option 1) Domestic LLC – Filing a Change of Registered Office Form
The only way for a domestic LLC in Pennsylvania to change its registered office provider is to file a Change of Registered Office form with the Department of State. This form has a $5 filing fee, and it can be filed online, via mail, or in person.
Option 2) Foreign LLC – Filing an Amendment of Foreign Registration Form
Foreign LLCs operating in Pennsylvania can change their registered office provider by filing the Amendment of Foreign Registration form. This form has a $250 filing fee, and you can file it online, via mail, or in person.
Processing Times
The Pennsylvania Department of State says that the standard processing time for a document filing in this state is 7-10 business days. There are no expedited processing options in Pennsylvania.
Prefer to Have a Registered Office Service Handle Your Requirements?
A registered office service is a company that specializes in being a registered office provider 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 office 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 office 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 office provider for you.
If you’re interested in this option, we highly recommend Northwest Registered Agent.
The Law for Changing Your LLC Registered Office Provider in Pennsylvania
It’s always important to be well-informed regarding the specific laws for changing your registered office provider. Pennsylvania’s registered office laws vary by business entity type, but not by domestic/foreign classification, so all limited liability companies operate under the same rules and regulations.
Specifically, we can turn to Title 15, Chapter 88 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, which says:
- “After organization, a change in the location of the registered office may be effected at any time by the company. Before the change becomes effective, the company shall amend its certificate of organization under the provisions of this chapter to reflect the change in location or shall file with the department a certificate of change of registered office setting forth:
- The name of the company.
- The address, including street and number, if any, of its then-registered office.
- The address, including street and number, if any, to which the registered office is to be changed.”
Conclusion
If you operate a limited liability company in the state of Pennsylvania, you need to designate a registered office provider to receive important government document deliveries on your behalf. If you decide at any time that you would rather change your registered office provider to a different individual or business entity, it’s important to know what that process looks like.
In Pennsylvania, a domestic LLC may change its registered office provider by filing a Change of Registered Office form, whereas a foreign LLC can file an Amendment of Foreign Registration form. They’re both relatively simple documents with reasonable filing fees, but if you’d rather have a registered office service handle this task for you, you certainly have that option.
We hope this article helped you improve your understanding of changing a registered office provider in Pennsylvania, and as always we thank you for choosing Registered Agent Ready!