Are you unsatisfied with your Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana.
Guru Tip: If you would prefer to have a professional service deal with the paperwork and take over registered agent duties, hire a Louisiana registered agent service. It’s just a small annual fee.
What Is a Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana Secretary of State, a registered agent may be either an adult individual residing in the state of Louisiana or a qualifying business entity (either domestic or foreign) that has authorization to conduct business in Louisiana and is certified to act as a registered agent by the state.
In many cases, an individual attorney or a group of attorneys may act as a registered agent if they are authorized to practice law in the state. For further details on who may serve as a registered agent in Louisiana, consult our full guide to Louisiana registered agents.
How to Change Your Registered Agent in Louisiana
If you would like to change your registered agent for any reason, the process is simple.
Depending on whether your business entity is a corporation or an LLC, you’ll need to change your registered agent by filling out either the Notice of Change of Registered Office and/or Change of Registered Agent form for LLC companies or the Statement of Change of Registered Office, Principal Office, and/or Change of Registered Agent form for corporations. Depending on the Louisiana county in which you reside, these documents may be filed online instead, using the geauxBiz digital filing platform. Regardless of the filing method, the forms will ask for the following details:
- The name of the new registered agent
- The address of the new registered agent
- The agent affidavit and acknowledgement of acceptance
- The signature of a notary
In order for the document to be processed, you must obtain the signature of the new registered agent(s) as proof that they have agreed to the appointment.
Change of Registered Agent Fee: $25
Should You Hire a Professional Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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 Louisiana registered agent!