Are you unsatisfied with your Georgia registered agent? Or perhaps you’re currently serving as your own registered agent, but would rather hire a professional registered agent service instead?
The state of Georgia makes it rather easy to change your registered agent, but there are some details involved in the process that are worth reviewing.
In this guide, we’ll discuss all the relevant details of changing a registered agent in Georgia.
Rocket Tip: If you would prefer to have a professional service deal with the paperwork and take over registered agent duties, hire a Georgia registered agent service. It’s just a small annual fee.
What Is a Georgia Registered Agent?
Why is a registered agent required for every limited liability company (LLC) or corporation? It all comes down to the fact that the state needs to be able to contact an official representative of your business if they need to deliver important documents to you, especially service of process.
Without a registered agent, you could remain unaware of a lawsuit against your business progressing through the court system.
Who Can Be a Georgia Registered Agent?
If you’re looking to change your company’s registered agent, it’s a good idea to know who is eligible to serve as one.
The Corporations Division of the Georgia Secretary of State dictates that a registered agent may be an individual resident, a domestic business entity within the state, or a foreign entity which has been authorized to perform business transactions in the state. Regardless of which you select, your registered agent must have a physical street address in the state of Georgia rather than a PO box or any type of “mail drop”.
In Georgia, the company’s owner, a shareholder or an officer of the entity may serve as the registered agent (if they are a resident with a physical street address) but an entity may never serve as its own registered agent. In many cases, Georgia business entities select their attorney as their registered agent or they hire the services of a commercial registered agent.
How to Change Your Registered Agent in Georgia
If you would like to change your registered agent for any reason, the process is simple.
In Georgia, business entities must file an annual registration every year. If it’s time for your company’s annual registration, you may change your registered agent during that process. If your company has already done its annual registration (or an annual registration has not yet occurred), you may change your registered agent by filling out either the Amended Annual Registration for Corporations or the Amended Annual Registration for LLC depending on your entity’s type. The documents will require the following information:
- Name of your business
- The Entity Control Number of the business
- The business type
- The name of the current registered agent
- The name of the new registered agent
- Your signature
The forms can be printed and mailed to the Corporations Division of the Georgia Secretary of State or completed online here through the state’s e-filing platform.
Change of Registered Agent Fee: $20
Should You Hire a Professional Georgia Registered Agent Service?
Hiring a registered agent service like Northwest Registered Agent has some distinct advantages. First and foremost, compared to serving as your own agent, professional registered agent services allow you to keep your personal address private. They’re also much less expensive than hiring a lawyer or accountant to provide registered agent service.
An often-overlooked benefit is how easy it is to expand your Georgia business into other states if you choose a professional registered agent. They typically have offices in all 50 states, so if you begin transacting business in an additional state, your same registered agent service can handle that for you.
If you’re interested in hiring a professional registered agent service, take a look at our guide to the top service providers.
Conclusion
The process for changing a registered agent in Georgia isn’t a complicated one, but it’s certainly advisable to know exactly what you want to do ahead of time. If you know what you want going in, you’ll find that the process is really quite painless.
We hope this article answered your questions about changing your Georgia registered agent!