Are you unsatisfied with your West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia.
Rocket Tip: If you would prefer to have a professional service deal with the paperwork and take over registered agent duties, hire a West Virginia registered agent service. It’s just a small annual fee.
What Is a West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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.
In West Virginia, there are no extensive restrictions in regard to who may serve as a registered agent; registered agents may be either individual residents of West Virginia or business entities that are in good standing and authorized to transact business in the state.
In all circumstances, the registered agent must have a physical street address in West Virginia should service of process be necessary. Additionally, it is expected that the registered agent is present at the listed address during standard business hours.
While it is quite common for West Virginia business entities to choose to hire registered agent services to act as their registered agent, the West Virginia Secretary of State keeps no list of such companies. Should you decide you’d like to hire the services of a commercial registered agent for an annual fee, we have compiled this list of top companies based on price and overall value.
How to Change Your Registered Agent in West Virginia
If you would like to change your registered agent for any reason, the process is simple.
The most common and convenient way to change your West Virginia registered agent is by completing the Agent Address and/or Officer Change document (form AAO). The form may be found here as a PDF and filed by walk-in or fax. Alternatively, it may be submitted online by email to CorpFilings@wvsos.gov as per the instructions stated in the form itself.
To complete the document, you’ll need the following information:
- The company name
- The current principal office address
- The state in which the company was formed
- The name of the previous agent
- The name and address of the new agent
- The new agent’s signature
It should be noted that while it is possible to change your company’s registered agent by completing the Annual Report form, you may only do so during the designated time frames.
Change of Registered Agent Fee: $15 which must be paid using West Virginia’s e-Payment Authorization form for credit cards.
Should You Hire a Professional West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia registered agent!