Are you unsatisfied with your Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota.
Rocket Tip: If you would prefer to have a professional service deal with the paperwork and take over registered agent duties, hire a Minnesota registered agent service. It’s just a small annual fee.
What Is a Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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.
As stated by the Minnesota Secretary of state, you have three options when it comes to selecting a registered agent. Your registered agent must be either a Minnesota business entity, a foreign business entity that is authorized to do business in Minnesota, or an adult individual resident of the state. In all three cases, the registered agent must have a physical street address (rather than a P.O. box) if you wish to use their office as your registered office.
In Minnesota, many people choose to hire the services of a commercial registered agent for an annual fee. For more information on Minnesota registered agents and what entities qualify to serve as one, we recommend you visit our full guide on Minnesota registered agents.
How to Change Your Registered Agent in Minnesota
If you would like to change your registered agent for any reason, the process is simple.
Registered agents wishing to resign must simply complete a Notice of Change of Registered Office/Registered Agent. The document is relatively brief and requires only the following information to complete:
- The business entity’s name
- The new registered agent or registered office
- The dated signature of an authorized person
- An email address, phone number, and contact name for any potential questions regarding the form
If you’d like to submit the Notice of Change of Registered Office/Registered Agent document online, you may do so here. Alternatively, you may complete and print the form here as a PDF file and mail it to the Minnesota Secretary of State.
Lastly, it’s essential to note that the Notice of Change of Registered Office/Registered Agent form is the only way to change your registered agent in Minnesota; it is impossible to do so by filing an amendment to your articles of organization or by filing an annual renewal form.
Change of Registered Agent Fee: $35.00 by mail
Should You Hire a Professional Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota 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 Minnesota registered agent!