How to Change Your Registered Agent in California (2026)
To replace your registered agent in California, file a Statement of Information (Form LLC-12). Send it to the Secretary of State. The fee is $20 for a periodic filing, or nothing for a standalone update.
You can file online at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov, by mail or in person at the Sacramento office. Processing time varies by filing method and by how busy the Secretary of State's office is that week. Check the current processing dates page before you file.
We read the Secretary of State's own filing rules and fee schedule directly. We used them to put together each step below.
Quick Summary
- The Statement of Information updates your agent's information directly, no attorney or extra state form required.
- Paying the periodic fee for what should be a No Fee update is a common mix-up. Check your filing window first.
- The same Statement of Information can update your agent. It can also update your business address or other entity details in one filing.
| Item | California Detail |
|---|---|
| Form | Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) |
| Filing fee | $20 for the initial or periodic filing, No Fee for an update-only filing |
| Online filing | California Secretary of State |
| Mail filing | P.O. Box 944230, Sacramento, CA 94244-2300 |
| In-person filing | 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 |
| Processing time | Processing time varies by method and receipt date, see the SOS processing dates page for today's order |
How to Change Your Registered Agent in California
To replace a registered agent in California, start by lining up a new LLC registered agent. The new agent must meet the state's rules. Then update the agent's name and street address on a Statement of Information. Submit it to the Secretary of State.
The Statement of Information sorts into three filing types. Each type has a different fee. An initial filing is due within 90 days of registration. A required filing is due every two years after that.
A standalone filing updates details like the agent between those required dates. The first two carry the standard $20 fee. The standalone update is free [1].
The steps below cover California. For the process in each state, see our national guide. It covers changing your registered agent.
1. Online Through bizfileOnline
Since August 1, 2026, online Statement of Information filings require established User Access. You'll need this on your entity's bizfileOnline account. Follow these steps:
- Set up bizfileOnline User Access first if you haven't already.
- Log in and open a Statement of Information for your LLC.
- Enter the new agent's details. Use either a person's name and an in-state address or a corporate agent's exact registered name.
Keep these details in mind before you submit:
- P.O. boxes are not accepted for the agent's address.
- Naming a corporate agent requires that corporation's advance consent. It must already have a Corporate Registered Agent (Form 1505) application. That application must be on file with the state.
- The state does not publish a set turnaround for online filings. Check your Statement of Information's status through the Business Search once you've submitted it.
Once the state handles the filing, bizfileOnline updates your entity's public record right away. You can confirm the update yourself instead of waiting on a mailed notice.
2. By Mail or In Person
Download the Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) from the Secretary of State's forms page. Fill it out with your new agent's details.
To file by mail:
- Complete the Submission Cover Sheet along with the form itself.
- Sign on the line as an authorized person.
- Attach a check or money order for $20. Make it out to the Secretary of State. Skip this if the filing is update-only.
- Mail everything to Secretary of State, Statement of Information Unit, P.O. Box 944230, Sacramento, CA 94244-2300.
To file in person, bring the completed form and payment. Deliver both to 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Statements of Information are exempt from the state's normal $15 in-person handling fee. An in-person drop-off costs the same as filing by mail.
3. Using a Professional Registered Agent Service
A California registered agent service prepares and files the Statement of Information for you. It then steps in as your new agent. This happens once the state handles it.
You're mainly paying for the service's own annual fee. It can keep serving as your registered agent well after the state handles this one filing.
If you're still forming the company, see our guide on how to start an LLC in California. Our guide on the best LLC formation services in California covers the earlier steps.
Who Can Be a California Registered Agent
California law requires each LLC to name and keep an agent for service of process in the state at all times [2]. The agent must be either a person who lives in the state or a corporation. That corporation must be registered under Form 1505 with the Secretary of State.
A registered agent must:
- Have a real California street address (no P.O. boxes, no "in care of" addresses).
- If it's a 1505 corporate agent, currently be allowed to do business in the state. It must be in good standing with the Secretary of State.
Only an in-state individual or a 1505-registered corporation qualifies under the statute. A general partnership, limited partnership or LLP can never serve.
The LLC itself can't name itself as its own agent. A member or manager who lives in the state can often fill that job. There's no extra cost.
An individual agent does not need to sign a separate consent document for that filing, unlike a corporate agent. A corporate 1505 agent works differently. That corporation has to give its advance consent before you can name it as your agent.
Going too long without a valid agent has real costs. Once the Secretary of State certifies that a Statement of Information is late, the Franchise Tax Board steps in. It assesses a $250 penalty [3].
Once filed, the agent's name and street address become part of the entity's public record. If keeping your home address out of that record matters to you, a registered agent service can help. It can stand in as the name and address on file instead.
FAQs
Do I Need the New Agent's Consent in California?
No, California does not require a signed consent form from an individual agent, though it is smart to confirm they agree before you list them on a public filing. A corporate 1505 agent is different, since that corporation must approve first.
Can I Change the Registered Agent for a Foreign Entity Registered in California?
Yes, a foreign LLC or corporation registered in California changes its agent the same way a domestic entity does, by filing a Statement of Information with the Secretary of State.
How Much Does It Cost to Change a Registered Agent in California?
Changing a California registered agent costs nothing if you file it on its own, but it adds the standard $20 fee when it's bundled with your LLC's initial or periodic Statement of Information.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in California?
Yes, California lets an LLC member or manager serve as the registered agent, as long as they live in California and use a real street address instead of a P.O. box.
What Happens if I Don't Have a Registered Agent in California?
Without a valid registered agent, the Secretary of State can eventually suspend your LLC, and separately, the Franchise Tax Board can assess a $250 penalty if a required Statement of Information stays unfiled. Filing promptly avoids both.
References:
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?sectionNum=12190.&lawCode=GOV
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CORP§ionNum=17701.13
- https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=RTC§ionNum=19141.
