Are you unsatisfied with your Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky.
Guru Tip: If you would prefer to have a professional service deal with the paperwork and take over registered agent duties, hire a Kentucky registered agent service. It’s just a small annual fee.
What Is a Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky Secretary of State, the registered agent must have an office with a physical street address in the state of Kentucky.
Your agent can be an individual Kentucky resident, a business located in the state, or a foreign business authorized to transact business in Kentucky. For more information on who can serve as a registered agent in this state, check out our full guide to Kentucky registered agents.
The Kentucky Secretary of State’s office provides a convenient registered agent search tool, which includes every registered agent in the state, and can be sorted by name or organizational number.
How to Change Your Registered Agent in Kentucky
If you would like to change your registered agent for any reason, the process is simple.
All you need to do is fill out the Statement of Change of Registered Agent with the Kentucky Secretary of State. This form can either be completed online, or you can print out this pdf file and mail it to the Division of Business Filings. The information you’ll need to file this form includes:
- Name of your business
- Name and address of your current Kentucky registered agent
- Name and address of your new registered agent
- Signature of your new registered agent
Regarding the signature requirement, the Secretary of State says that,
“If the registered agent is a corporation, an officer or the chairman of the board of directors must sign on behalf of the corporation. If the registered agent is a limited liability company and management of the company is vested in one or more managers, a manager must sign on behalf of the limited liability company.
If management of the company is vested in its members, a member must sign. The person signing on behalf of the business entity acting as agent must designate the title or capacity in which he or she signs.”
It should also be noted that the Statement of Change of Registered Agent is the only way to change your registered agent in Kentucky ― you cannot do so by filing an amendment to your articles of organization, or in your annual report.
Change of Registered Agent Fee: $10
Should You Hire a Professional Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky 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 Kentucky registered agent!