How to Change Your Registered Agent in Florida 2026

What Is a Registered Agent in Florida?

A registered agent (sometimes called a "resident agent" or "statutory agent") is an individual or business entity designated to receive legal documents and official correspondence on behalf of your Florida business. Every business entity registered in Florida — including LLCs, corporations, limited partnerships, and nonprofits — is required by law to maintain a registered agent at all times.

The registered agent serves as the official point of contact between your business and the state, courts, and other parties who need to serve legal papers. Under Florida law, your registered agent must meet several requirements:

• Florida Address: The registered agent must have a physical street address in Florida (P.O. boxes are not accepted)
• Availability: The registered agent must be available at the registered address during normal business hours to accept service of process
• Individual or Business: The registered agent can be an individual (including yourself), or a commercial registered agent service authorized to do business in Florida
• Consent: The registered agent must consent to the appointment — you cannot designate someone without their knowledge or agreement

Reasons to Change Your Registered Agent

There are many valid reasons why a business owner might need or want to change their registered agent. Common scenarios include:

• You Were Your Own Registered Agent and Moved: If you served as your own registered agent and have moved to a new address (or out of Florida), you need to either update the address or designate a new agent.
• Privacy Concerns: If your personal home address is listed as the registered agent address, it is part of the public record on SunBiz. Switching to a commercial registered agent service removes your home address from public view.
• Your Current Agent Is No Longer Available: If your registered agent has moved, closed their business, or is otherwise no longer able to serve, you must designate a replacement.
• Switching to a Commercial Service: Many business owners start as their own registered agent and later switch to a commercial service for convenience and reliability.
• Dissatisfaction with Current Agent: If your current registered agent service is not meeting your needs — missing mail deliveries, poor communication, or high fees — you may want to switch to a better provider.
• Business Restructuring: Changes in business ownership, management, or operations may necessitate a change in registered agent.
• Cost Optimization: If you manage multiple entities, consolidating all registered agent services under one provider can reduce costs and simplify administration.

Two Methods for Changing Your Registered Agent

Florida provides two primary methods for changing your registered agent. The best method depends on your timing and circumstances:

Method 1: Update During Your Annual Report Filing (No Additional Fee)

The simplest and most cost-effective way to change your registered agent is to update the information when you file your annual report. When you access your entity's annual report on SunBiz, you will see the current registered agent information pre-populated. You can simply change the registered agent name and address to reflect your new agent.

This method has several advantages:

• No additional fee: The registered agent change is included in your standard annual report filing fee ($138.75 for LLCs, $150 for corporations)
• Convenience: You handle the change as part of a filing you already need to make
• Simplicity: No separate form or filing is required

However, this method has a limitation: it only works when you are actually filing your annual report (between January 1 and the filing deadline). If you need to change your registered agent at another time of year, or if you need the change to take effect immediately, you will need to use Method 2.

Method 2: File a Statement of Change of Registered Agent (Separate Filing)

If you need to change your registered agent outside of the annual report filing period, or if the change is urgent, you can file a Statement of Change of Registered Agent/Registered Office directly with the Florida Division of Corporations. Here is how:

Step 1: Prepare the Required Information

You will need:

• Your entity's Florida document number
• Your entity's exact legal name
• The new registered agent's name
• The new registered agent's Florida street address
• The new registered agent's acceptance/consent

Step 2: File Online Through SunBiz

Navigate to sunbiz.org and look for the option to file a change of registered agent. The online filing system will guide you through the process. You will enter your document number, provide the new registered agent information, and submit the filing.

Step 3: Pay the Filing Fee

The filing fee for a standalone registered agent change is $25.00. This is significantly less than the cost of filing an amended articles document, and it is a straightforward process.

Step 4: Confirm the Change

After submitting, you will receive confirmation that the change has been processed. Verify the update by searching for your entity on SunBiz and checking the registered agent information.

Step-by-Step: Changing Your Registered Agent Through the Annual Report

Since most business owners prefer to make the change during their annual report filing (to avoid the separate $25 fee), here is a detailed walkthrough of this process:

Step 1: Access the SunBiz Annual Report System

Go to sunbiz.org during the filing period (January 1 through May 1) and navigate to the Annual Reports section. Enter your document number to access your entity's filing.

Step 2: Locate the Registered Agent Section

On the annual report form, find the registered agent section. It will show the current registered agent's name and address as pre-populated fields.

Step 3: Clear the Old Information

Remove the current registered agent's name and address.

Step 4: Enter the New Registered Agent Information

Enter the new registered agent's full name and physical Florida street address. Remember:

• The address must be a physical street address in Florida — no P.O. boxes
• The new registered agent must have consented to the appointment
• If using a commercial registered agent service, enter their official name and registered address

Step 5: Complete and Submit the Annual Report

Finish reviewing and updating all other information on the annual report, then submit with payment. The registered agent change takes effect when the annual report is filed.

Step 6: Notify Your New Registered Agent

If you are switching to a new agent (rather than just updating the address of your current agent), make sure the new agent is aware they have been designated and is prepared to receive service of process and other documents at the registered address.

Important Considerations When Changing Your Registered Agent

Ensure Continuity of Service

There should be no gap in registered agent coverage. Florida law requires that your business maintain a registered agent at all times. If your current agent is leaving or becoming unavailable, arrange for a replacement before the current agent's service ends. If your entity is found to be without a registered agent, the Division of Corporations may take administrative action.

Notify Relevant Parties

When you change your registered agent, consider notifying:

• Your attorney, who may send legal correspondence to your registered agent
• Any parties to ongoing litigation who serve documents through your registered agent
• Your insurance company, which may need updated registered agent information
• Your bank, if they have your registered agent information on file

Being Your Own Registered Agent: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• No cost for registered agent services
• Direct control over incoming legal documents
• Immediate awareness of any legal actions

Cons:

• Your home or office address becomes public record on SunBiz
• You must be available at the registered address during normal business hours
• If you are away (vacation, illness, travel), no one is available to accept service
• Process servers may visit your home or office, which can be uncomfortable or embarrassing

Using a Commercial Registered Agent: Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Privacy — your personal address is not on the public record
• Reliability — commercial agents are always available during business hours
• Professionalism — documents are received and forwarded promptly
• Convenience — especially if you manage multiple entities

Cons:

• Annual cost (typically $50-$200 per year depending on the service)
• Slight delay in receiving documents (forwarding time)

Changing Your Registered Agent Through FloridaAnnualFiling.com

When you file your annual report through FloridaAnnualFiling.com, you can update your registered agent as part of the filing at no additional charge. Simply provide us with the new registered agent information when you submit your filing details, and we will include the change in your annual report submission.

Our service fee is $99 plus the state filing fee ($138.75 for LLCs, $150 for corporations). The registered agent update is included at no extra cost. File Your Annual Report Now

What Happens If You Do Not Have a Registered Agent

Florida law requires every registered business entity to maintain a designated registered agent. If your registered agent resigns, moves out of state, or otherwise becomes unavailable, and you do not designate a replacement:

• You may not receive legal notices: If someone sues your business and attempts to serve you through the registered agent, you may miss critical court deadlines because there is no one to accept service.
• Service by publication: If you cannot be served through a registered agent, a plaintiff may obtain court permission to serve you by publication (a notice in a newspaper), which you may never see. This could result in a default judgment against your business.
• State action: The Division of Corporations may take administrative action against your entity if it lacks a registered agent, potentially leading to dissolution.

Frequently Asked Questions About Changing Registered Agents

Can I change my registered agent during the annual report filing?

Yes. Updating your registered agent during the annual report filing is the most common and cost-effective method. The change is included in your standard annual report filing fee — there is no additional charge. When you access your entity's annual report on SunBiz, simply update the registered agent name and address fields. The change takes effect when the annual report is filed and accepted.

How much does it cost to change a registered agent in Florida?

If you change your registered agent as part of your annual report filing, there is no additional cost beyond the standard annual report fee ($138.75 for LLCs, $150 for corporations). If you file a standalone Statement of Change of Registered Agent outside of the annual report, the filing fee is $25.00. Through FloridaAnnualFiling.com, registered agent changes during the annual report are included in our $99 service fee.

Can I serve as my own registered agent in Florida?

Yes. Any individual with a physical street address in Florida can serve as a registered agent. You do not need special licensing or certification. However, you must be available at the registered address during normal business hours to accept service of process. Keep in mind that your address will be part of the public record on SunBiz.

What if my registered agent moves to a different address in Florida?

If your registered agent moves to a new Florida address, you need to update the registered agent address with the Division of Corporations. You can do this during your annual report filing or by filing a separate Statement of Change. The key is that there must always be a valid, current Florida address on file where the registered agent can be reached.

Do I need my current registered agent's permission to switch to a new one?

No, you do not need your current registered agent's permission to replace them. However, you do need the new registered agent's consent to be designated. It is also good practice to notify your outgoing registered agent that they are being replaced, so they can properly transition any documents or notifications they may be holding.

Ready to update your registered agent and file your annual report? File Your Annual Report Now with FloridaAnnualFiling.com. For more helpful guides, visit Read More Guides.