How to Change Your Registered Agent in Washington (2026)
To change your registered agent in Washington, file a Statement of Change/Designation of Agent. Send it to the Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division. There's no filing fee.
Washington routes this filing through the Corporations and Charities Filing System, or CCFS. You can file online there, or mail the paper form instead.
Quick Summary
- File the Statement of Change/Designation of Agent with the Corporations & Charities Division to name a new agent.
- File online through CCFS, or mail the paper form. Both use the same information.
- Your annual report can carry the change too, if the timing lines up with its due date.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Form | Statement of Change/Designation of Agent |
| Filing fee | No fee (free) |
| Optional expedited service | $100, about 3 working days |
| Optional same-day service | $150 |
| Governing statute | RCW 23.95.430 |
| Filing channels | Online (CCFS) or by mail |
| Agent address requirement | Washington physical street address; no PO Box or PMB |
| Agent types | Commercial registered agent or noncommercial registered agent |
| Consent requirement | New agent must consent in writing before appointment |
| Mailing address | PO Box 40234, Olympia, WA 98504-0234 |
| Alternate paths | Annual Report ($70) within 180 days of due date, or Amended Annual Report ($10) outside that window |
How to Change Your Washington Registered Agent
Washington law lets a business change its registered agent by filing a statement of change with the Secretary of State [1]. Members and managers don't need to approve this filing first. The Corporations & Charities Division handles it, not a court or any other office.
Submit the Statement of Change/Designation of Agent form. This is the noncommercial registered agent version. It's meant for a business naming a new agent, or updating an existing one's contact details.
The new agent has to consent in writing before the state will accept the filing [2]. The appointed agent signs that consent directly on the form.
Three paths lead to the same result:
- Statement of Change: file it any time, no fee.
- Regular Annual Report: update the agent here if you're within 180 days of its due date. This costs $70 and covers everything else on the report too.
- Amended Annual Report: use this outside that window instead of the standalone form. It costs $10.
An annual report is a separate compliance filing due every year. Check its due date before you pick either of these two routes over the standalone form above.
Filing Online Through CCFS
File through CCFS in a few steps:
- Log in to CCFS with your business account, or create one.
- Find your business record and look for the registered agent change filing.
- Enter the new agent's information as the system prompts you, then submit.
- Select expedited service in the same filing if you want faster handling, for an added $100.
Filing the Paper Form by Mail
Prefer paper? Print the same form and mail it in:
- Print the same form named above. It's a fillable PDF.
- List your Unified Business Identifier, business name, and the new agent's Washington street address. A PO Box can supplement that address but can't replace it.
- Have the new agent sign the consent section. Have an authorized person at your business sign the form itself, too.
- Mail it to PO Box 40234, Olympia, WA 98504-0234. Check the box on page one and add $100 if you want expedited handling.
Same-day service costs $150 more. It runs through the Division's front counter, not mail or CCFS. Call ahead to check that day's cutoff time before you plan a trip to Olympia.
Using a Registered Agent Service to File
Want someone else to handle the paperwork? A registered agent service in Washington can prepare and file the change for you. It can also serve as the new agent itself. Some businesses choose this route even with a Washington address on hand, just to keep a home address off the public record.
See the national registered agent service roundup to compare providers, or the change-of-agent overview for the steps in other states.
Who Can Be a Washington Registered Agent
A registered agent's job is simple to describe. It accepts legal mail and official notices for your business, then passes them along. Washington law recognizes two kinds of agent for this role. You can use a commercial registered agent, or a noncommercial one.
A commercial registered agent registers with the Secretary of State and serves many businesses at once. Once registered, it's added to a public list inside CCFS.
A noncommercial registered agent serves just your business instead. It can be an individual, another business, or an office or position title at your company. Whoever holds that role has to sign the consent statement.
Either type needs a physical street address in Washington State. PO Boxes and private mailboxes don't qualify as the registered address on their own. Your agent can list one as an additional mailing address, though. This address requirement applies every time you name or change an agent, not just the first time you register.
FAQs
How Much Does It Cost to Change a Registered Agent in Washington?
Changing a registered agent in Washington costs nothing when you file the standalone Statement of Change. You'd only pay if you also ask for faster handling: $100 for expedited service, or $150 for same-day service at the front counter.
Will My Annual Report Update My Registered Agent Automatically?
No, your annual report doesn't update the agent automatically. You have to fill in the agent fields yourself while filing it, and only within 180 days of the report’s due date. Outside that window, use the standalone form or an Amended Annual Report instead.
Does the New Registered Agent Have to Sign Anything?
Yes, the new registered agent has to sign a consent statement. It sits on the same filing that names them, right alongside the person authorizing the change for your business.
Can I Be My Own Registered Agent in Washington?
Yes, Washington law allows you to serve as your own registered agent. You just need a Washington street address where you, or someone at your business, can be reached during business hours.
Which Type of Registered Agent Does My Washington Business Need?
Most Washington businesses only need a noncommercial registered agent, since it covers just your own business and skips the separate state listing a commercial agent has to keep on file.
References:
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=23.95.430
- https://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=23.95.415
