Filings
Changing a registered agent is a form, not a re-formation
The expensive part of leaving a $0-year formation company is usually the new agent’s annual fee, not the secretary of state’s change filing. Four states publish those filing fees in plain numbers. We did not invent the rest of the map.
State change fees we can cite
| State | Instrument | Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Form 401, change of registered agent / office | $15 | BOC §5.201 office rules still apply after the change. |
| Florida | Change of registered agent (Sunbiz LLC fees) | $25 | §605.0113 describes the agent duty. |
| California | Statement of information / change-only SOI | $20 / $0 | SOI $20; $0 when the filing is only a change of agent (Gov. §12190 as cited in briefing). Corp. Code §17701.13. |
| Wyoming | Change of registered agent / office | $5 | New office still cannot be a mailbox or UPS store. |
Who files, and who pays the state
| Vendor | What they publish |
|---|---|
| Northwest | They file the change of agent and pay the state fee. That is the policy on their change page, retrieved 30 August 2026 — not a Filing Address promise about turnaround time. |
| LegalZoom (foil) | They cover state change fees. Renewal rate is subject to change. RA is $249/year, separate from Basic/Pro/Premium. |
| ZenBusiness / Bizee | We did not invent a “we pay the SOS fee” claim for these two on the retrieval date. Their RA prices are on the cost note. |
Questions
How much does it cost to change a registered agent?
Among the four states we read: Texas Form 401 is $15, Florida is $25, California’s statement of information is $20 and $0 when the filing is only a change of agent, Wyoming is $5. Vendors may charge their own RA fee on top of that. Northwest files the change and pays the state fee.
Does changing agents require a lawyer?
This desk does not give legal advice. The filings themselves are short SOS forms. Whether your operating agreement, lenders, or licenses need a notice is outside this table.
Sources
Official vendor, secretary of state, or statute pages. Third-party “best of” lists were not used. Retrieval dates are on each row.
- Texas SOS — registered agents (BOC §5.201) Retrieved 2026-08-30.
- Florida Sunbiz — LLC fees (change $25); §605.0113 Retrieved 2026-08-30.
- California Corp. Code §17701.13 (registered agent / office) Retrieved 2026-08-30.
- Wyoming SOS FAQ — registered office / agent (virtual addresses are not a registered office) Retrieved 2026-08-30.
- Northwest — change of agent Retrieved 2026-08-30.
- LegalZoom formation / registered agent pages Retrieved 2026-08-30.