Are you unsatisfied with your Alabama 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 Alabama 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 Alabama.
Guru Tip: If you would prefer to have a professional service deal with the paperwork and take over registered agent duties, hire a Alabama registered agent service. It’s just a small annual fee.
What Is an Alabama 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 an Alabama 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.
According to the Alabama Secretary of State, the registered agent must have an office with a physical street address in the state of Alabama.
Your agent can be an individual Alabama resident or a business located in the state. For more information on who can serve as a registered agent in this state, check out our full guide to Alabama registered agents.
Due to frequent requests regarding where to find registered search agents, the Alabama Secretary of State’s office has compiled a list of some of the state’s registered agents which can be found by clicking this link. However, it’s important to note that these individuals and companies are in no way officially endorsed by the Alabama Secretary of State.
How to Change Your Registered Agent in Alabama
If you would like to change your registered agent for any reason, the process is simple.
All you must do is fill out the State of Alabama’s Change of Registered Agent form with the Alabama Secretary of state. This form can be completed on the computer via this link and then printed for mailing to the Secretary of State’s Business Services Division. The information you’ll need to file this form includes:
- Name of your business
- Your Alabama Entity ID Number
- Name and address of your current Alabama registered agent
- Name and address of your new Alabama registered agent
- Signature of your new registered agent
- The details of your payment method
Once completed, two copies of the printed form along with a $25.00 fee must be mailed to the Alabama Secretary of State, Business Services Division, P.O. Box 5616, Montgomery, Alabama 36103-5616.
The fee can be paid by check, money order or credit card. If you choose to pay by credit card, you may email your filing to miscellaneous.filings@sos.alabama.gov. However, if the credit card does not authorize, your change will not be indexed and you will be charged a $30 fee.
Change of Registered Agent Fee: $25
Should You Hire a Professional Alabama 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 Alabama 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 Alabama 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 Alabama registered agent!