How to Change a Registered Agent in Georgia in 2026?

When Is a Change of Registered Agent Required in Georgia?

Georgia law requires every filing entity to update its registered agent information with the Secretary of State whenever the entity’s registered agent, registered office, or both change. Under the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) § 14-2-502, a corporation changes its registered office or registered agent by delivering to the Secretary of State for filing an amendment to its annual registration. Parallel provisions apply to LLCs under O.C.G.A. § 14-11-209, limited partnerships and LLLPs under O.C.G.A. § 14-9-104, nonprofit corporations under O.C.G.A. § 14-3-502, and foreign LLPs under O.C.G.A. § 14-8-46.

Every domestic and foreign filing entity must designate and continuously maintain a registered agent and a registered office in the State of Georgia. An entity that fails to maintain a registered agent or registered office for 60 days or more may be administratively dissolved by the Secretary of State. A foreign entity that fails to do so may have its certificate of authority revoked. The obligation to file a change arises whenever the entity’s registered agent information on file with the Corporations Division becomes inaccurate for any reason, including the following circumstances:

The current registered agent resigns.
The current registered agent moves out of Georgia or is no longer a Georgia resident.
The registered agent’s address changes due to postal renaming, physical relocation, or any other cause.
The registered agent is no longer available at the registered office during normal business hours.
The entity voluntarily selects a new registered agent.
The current agent no longer consents to serve.

Georgia does not distinguish between a voluntary and an involuntary change — the filing requirement is the same regardless of the reason. An entity must notify the Secretary of State within 60 days after its registered agent or registered office has changed, its registered agent has resigned, or its registered office has been discontinued, or it risks administrative dissolution under O.C.G.A. § 14-2-1420.

Grounds for Changing Your Registered Agent in Georgia

The most common grounds for filing a change of registered agent or registered office in Georgia are outlined below. Each ground triggers the same filing: delivering an annual registration or amended annual registration to the Corporations Division.

Ground	Filing Required
Registered agent resigns	Annual registration or amended annual registration to appoint a replacement agent
Registered agent moves out of Georgia	Annual registration or amended annual registration to designate a new qualified agent
Registered agent’s address changes	Annual registration, amended annual registration, or agent-initiated Form RA-2
Entity switches to a professional registered agent service	Annual registration or amended annual registration naming the new agent
Registered agent no longer available during business hours	Annual registration or amended annual registration to designate a new agent
Agent no longer consents to serve	Annual registration or amended annual registration to designate a new consenting agent
Entity relocates its registered office	Annual registration, amended annual registration, or agent-initiated Form RA-2

The entity’s registered agent information is part of the public record maintained by the Corporations Division and is searchable through the eCorp business search portal. Any inaccurate or outdated information should be corrected promptly by filing the appropriate document to avoid triggering the administrative dissolution or revocation process.

Georgia Registered Agent Change Requirements

Before filing a change of registered agent, the entity must confirm that the new registered agent meets Georgia’s eligibility, address, and consent requirements. The Corporations Division FAQ provides detailed guidance on who may serve as a registered agent for each entity type.

Eligibility of the New Registered Agent

Eligibility rules vary slightly by entity type, but the general framework is consistent across all Georgia filing entities:

Option A – Individual: A person who resides in Georgia and whose business office address is identical to the registered office address.
Option B – Domestic Entity: A domestic profit corporation, nonprofit corporation, or limited liability company whose business office is identical to the registered office. For limited partnerships, a domestic professional corporation may also serve.
Option C – Foreign Entity: A foreign profit corporation, nonprofit corporation, or limited liability company authorized to transact business in Georgia whose business office is identical to the registered office.

An entity cannot serve as its own registered agent.

Registered Office Address

The registered office must be a physical street address in Georgia where service of process can be personally delivered. A post office box or “mail drop” address does not satisfy this requirement. The registered office address must be identical to the business office address of the registered agent, as stated under O.C.G.A. § 14-2-501 for corporations and comparable provisions for other entity types.

Consent of the New Registered Agent

When a domestic corporation or LP changes its registered agent, the written consent of the new registered agent to the appointment must be included with the filing. The new registered agent signs the annual registration or amended annual registration form to indicate acceptance. For LLCs, O.C.G.A. § 14-11-209 requires that if the registered agent is changed, “the written consent of the new registered agent to the appointment as registered agent” must accompany the filing.

Note: A person who signs a document knowing it to be false in any material respect with the intent that the document be delivered to the Secretary of State for filing is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, may be fined up to $500.00 under O.C.G.A. § 14-2-129.

Execution

For a corporation, the annual registration or amended annual registration must be signed by an officer of the corporation. For an LLC, it must be signed by a member or manager. For a limited partnership, it must be signed by a general partner. Notarization is not required.

How to File a Statement of Change of Registered Office/Agent

In Georgia, the registered agent change is made by filing an annual registration or an amended annual registration with the Corporations Division — not through a standalone statement-of-change form. If the entity has not yet filed its annual registration for the current calendar year, the change can be incorporated into that annual registration. If the entity has already filed the current year’s annual registration, an amended annual registration must be filed to reflect the change.

The Corporations Division provides filing templates for each entity type:

The form completion process follows a consistent structure across entity types:

Entity information fields: Enter the entity name, control number, type of entity, and the state or country of formation.
Principal office address: Provide the current principal office street address and mailing address.
Registered agent information: Enter the name of the new registered agent and the new registered office street address. The street address of the registered office and the business office of the registered agent must be identical.
Registered agent acceptance: The new registered agent signs the form, indicating written consent to serve as registered agent.
Officers or authorized persons: For corporations, list the current officers (CEO, CFO, Secretary). For LLCs, the registered agent is the only individual required to be listed with the Corporations Division.
Signature: An authorized person of the entity (officer, member, manager, or general partner, as applicable) must sign the form.

The annual registration or amended annual registration is effective when filed by the Secretary of State. Changes may also be filed online through the eCorp portal, which allows the entity to update registered agent information directly.

Filing Method: Online vs. Mail

The Corporations Division accepts annual registration and amended annual registration filings online, by mail, and by hand delivery. Online filing through the eCorp portal is the most common method and carries a lower fee.

Method	Details
Online	File through the eCorp online services portal using a credit card. Account creation is required.
Mail	Mail the completed paper form and payment (check or money order) to Corporations Division, 2 MLK Jr. Drive, Suite 313, Floyd West Tower, Atlanta, GA 30334-1530
Hand delivery	Deliver the completed form and payment (check, money order, or credit card) to the same street address during business hours

Online filings are generally processed within 7 to 10 business days. Paper filings submitted by mail or hand delivery are generally processed in 15 business days. Processing times increase during peak filing periods — particularly late December through January, and at the end of each quarter. Expedited processing is available for an additional fee: 2-business-day service costs an additional $120.00, and same-day service costs an additional $275.00 (same-day requests must be received by noon).

Note: Paper filings incur an additional $10.00 service charge that does not apply to online filings. This service charge applies to every type of paper filing with the Corporations Division.

Registered Agent Change Filing Fees by Entity Type

The filing fee for changing a registered agent in Georgia is the fee for filing an amended annual registration, since Georgia requires the change to be made through an annual registration or amended annual registration rather than through a standalone form. Fees are set by the Corporations Division filing fees page.

If the entity has not yet filed its current-year annual registration, the change can be made through the annual registration at the annual registration fee. If the entity has already filed for the current year, an amended annual registration is required.

Entity Type	Annual Registration (Online / Paper)	Amended Annual Registration (Online / Paper)
Profit corporation (domestic or foreign)	$55.00 / $60.00	$25.00 / $30.00
Professional corporation	$55.00 / $60.00	$25.00 / $30.00
Benefit corporation	$55.00 / $60.00	$25.00 / $30.00
Nonprofit corporation (domestic or foreign)	$35.00 / $40.00	$25.00 / $30.00
Limited liability company (domestic or foreign)	$55.00 / $60.00	$25.00 / $30.00
Limited partnership / LLLP (domestic or foreign)	$55.00 / $60.00	$25.00 / $30.00
Foreign limited liability partnership	$30.00 / $35.00	$25.00 / $30.00

The amended annual registration fee of $25.00 (online) or $30.00 (paper) is the same regardless of entity type. The difference in the paper fee reflects the $10.00 service charge added to all paper filings.

The Corporations Division accepts credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express) and ATM/debit cards with a Visa or MasterCard logo for online and hand-delivered filings. Mail filings must be paid by check, certified bank check, or money order payable to “Secretary of State.” Cash is not accepted.

There is no separate filing fee for the registered agent resignation form (Form RA-1). Paper filings of the resignation form do require the $10.00 service charge.

Effective Date of a Registered Agent Change in Georgia

A change of registered agent filed through an annual registration or amended annual registration in Georgia is effective when the filing is processed and accepted by the Secretary of State.

Immediate effect: O.C.G.A. § 14-2-502(a) authorizes the change by delivering an amendment to the annual registration to the Secretary of State “for filing.” The change takes effect upon filing. There is no statutory provision for a delayed effective date or future-event condition on a registered agent change in Georgia — the change becomes effective once the Secretary of State files the document.

For online filings, processing typically takes 7 to 10 business days. For paper filings, processing typically takes 15 business days. The effective date is the date the Secretary of State accepts and files the document, not the date the filing is mailed or submitted. Expedited processing is available for entities that need faster turnaround.

Changing the Registered Agent Address Without Changing the Agent

When a registered agent changes its own street address — but continues to serve as agent for the same entities — the agent may notify the Secretary of State directly by filing Form RA-2 – Statement of Change of Address of Registered Office, rather than requiring each represented entity to file an amended annual registration individually. For corporations, this agent-initiated change is authorized by O.C.G.A. § 14-2-502(b), which permits the registered agent to change the street address of the registered office for any entity for which the agent serves by “notifying the corporation in writing of the change and signing … and delivering to the Secretary of State for filing a statement of change setting forth the new address and all corporations for which he is the registered agent.”

The table below compares the entity-filed change (through the annual or amended annual registration) with the agent-initiated Form RA-2.

Feature	Annual / Amended Annual Registration	Form RA-2 – Statement of Change of Address of Registered Office
Filed by	The entity (officer, member, manager, or general partner)	The registered agent
Purpose	Change the registered agent, the registered office address, or both	Update only the registered office address for one or more represented entities
Can appoint a new agent	Yes	No — the same agent continues to serve
Covers multiple entities	No — one filing per entity	Yes — a single filing may list all represented entities
Prior written notice to entity required	—	Yes — the agent must notify each entity in writing
Signed by	Authorized person of the entity and the new registered agent	The registered agent

The fee for Form RA-2 is $5.00 per entity, with a minimum fee of $20.00. Paper filings include the additional $10.00 service charge.

This form is especially useful for commercial registered agent services that represent large numbers of entities and need to update their address across all represented entities in a single filing. The form cannot be used to change the identity of the registered agent — only the street address.

What Happens After the Change Is Filed

Once the Secretary of State accepts and files an annual registration, amended annual registration, or Form RA-2, several consequences follow:

The entity’s registered agent and registered office information in the Corporations Division’s records is updated, and the new information becomes searchable through eCorp.
The former agent’s authority to receive service of process on behalf of the entity terminates.
The new registered agent assumes the duty to accept service of process and forward it to the entity at its principal office address.
The Corporations Division returns evidence of filing to the submitter — online filers receive an e-mail confirmation and can access receipts through their eCorp dashboard.
The entity’s filing history reflects the change, and the new agent’s name and address become part of the entity’s public record.

For online filings, the entity’s records update promptly after processing. For paper filings, the Corporations Division processes documents in the order received, and current turnaround times vary depending on workload.

Changing a Registered Agent for a Foreign Entity Registered in Georgia

A foreign entity authorized to transact business in Georgia is subject to the same registered agent and registered office requirements as a domestic filing entity. Foreign profit corporations must maintain a registered agent under O.C.G.A. § 14-2-1507, foreign nonprofit corporations under O.C.G.A. § 14-3-1507, foreign LLCs under O.C.G.A. § 14-11-703, foreign LPs and LLLPs under O.C.G.A. § 14-9-902.1, and foreign LLPs under O.C.G.A. § 14-8-46.

A foreign entity changes its registered agent by filing the same annual registration or amended annual registration used by domestic entities through the eCorp portal or by mail. The same eligibility requirements, consent requirements, physical street address requirements, execution requirements, and filing methods apply. Filing fees for the annual registration or amended annual registration are the same as those for the corresponding domestic entity type, with the exception of foreign LLPs, which pay $30.00 online or $35.00 on paper for the annual registration.

A foreign entity that fails to maintain a registered agent, or fails to file its annual registration within 60 days of its due date, may have its certificate of authority revoked by the Secretary of State under O.C.G.A. § 14-2-1530 (for corporations), O.C.G.A. § 14-3-1530 (for nonprofit corporations), O.C.G.A. § 14-11-708 (for LLCs), and O.C.G.A. § 14-8-51 (for LLPs). Unlike domestic entities, a foreign entity whose certificate of authority has been revoked is not eligible for reinstatement — it must re-qualify to do business in Georgia by submitting a new application for a certificate of authority.

Frequently Asked Questions About Changing a Registered Agent in Georgia

How long does it take to change a registered agent in Georgia?

The Corporations Division does not guarantee a specific processing time. Online filings through the eCorp portal are generally processed within 7 to 10 business days. Paper filings are generally processed within 15 business days. Processing times increase during peak periods — late December through January, and at the close of each calendar quarter. Expedited processing is available: 2-business-day service costs an additional $120.00, and same-day service costs an additional $275.00 (requests must arrive by noon). The Division recommends allowing at least 15 business days for filings to be reviewed.

Do I need to notify my current registered agent before changing?

Georgia law does not require the entity to notify the outgoing registered agent before filing an annual registration or amended annual registration designating a new agent. The change is effective upon filing and acceptance by the Secretary of State. Many entities notify the outgoing agent as a courtesy, particularly if the agent holds pending correspondence or documents. If the outgoing agent wishes to end the relationship independently, the agent may file Form RA-1 – Statement of Resignation of Registered Agent with the Secretary of State.

Can I change my registered office address without changing the registered agent?

Yes. The annual registration and amended annual registration forms allow the entity to update only the registered office address while keeping the same registered agent. If the same agent continues to serve but the agent’s street address has changed, the agent may file Form RA-2 – Statement of Change of Address of Registered Office covering all represented entities at once, instead of requiring each entity to file separately. The registered office address must remain identical to the business office address of the registered agent.

What is the agent-initiated address change form and when is it used?

Form RA-2 – Statement of Change of Address of Registered Office is filed by the registered agent — not the entity — when the agent changes its own street address while continuing to serve. Under O.C.G.A. § 14-2-502(b), the agent must notify each represented entity in writing and deliver the statement to the Secretary of State listing the new address and all entities for which the agent serves. This form cannot appoint a different registered agent; it only updates the address. The filing fee is $5.00 per entity, with a minimum of $20.00.

Is there a penalty for not filing a change of registered agent?

Georgia requires every filing entity to continuously maintain a current registered agent and registered office. An entity that is without a registered agent or registered office for 60 days or more is subject to administrative dissolution under O.C.G.A. § 14-2-1420 (corporations), O.C.G.A. § 14-3-1420 (nonprofit corporations), and O.C.G.A. § 14-11-603 (LLCs). The Secretary of State mails a notice of pending dissolution, and the entity has 60 days to cure. Beyond dissolution, an entity that fails to maintain a registered agent may lose its ability to prosecute lawsuits in Georgia courts, and risks default judgment through substitute service on the Secretary of State.

Can I change my registered agent and the registered office address in the same filing?

Yes. The annual registration and amended annual registration forms include fields for both the registered agent name and the registered office address. An entity may change the agent, the address, or both in a single filing. A single filing fee applies — $25.00 online or $30.00 on paper for an amended annual registration. The form requires a certification that the street address of the registered office and the business office of the registered agent will be identical after the change.

What happens if my registered agent resigns?

A registered agent may resign by signing and delivering Form RA-1 – Statement of Resignation of Registered Agent to the Secretary of State for filing. Under O.C.G.A. § 14-2-503, the agent must deliver or mail written notice of the intention to resign to the entity’s chief executive officer, chief financial officer, or secretary on or before the date of filing. The agency appointment terminates on the earlier of the 31st day after the statement is filed, or when the entity files an amendment to its annual registration designating a new registered agent. There is no filing fee for the resignation form, though paper filings require the $10.00 service charge. After receiving notice, the entity must promptly file an annual registration or amended annual registration to appoint a replacement.

Does the new registered agent need to sign the change form?

Yes. The new registered agent must sign the annual registration or amended annual registration form to indicate written consent to the appointment. The agent’s signature on the form serves as the “written consent of the new registered agent” required by O.C.G.A. § 14-2-502 (corporations), O.C.G.A. § 14-11-209 (LLCs), and O.C.G.A. § 14-9-104 (limited partnerships). Both the entity’s authorized officer (or member, manager, or general partner) and the new registered agent must sign the form.

Can I use a P.O. Box for the new registered office address?

No. The registered office must be a physical street address in Georgia where service of process can be personally delivered. The Corporations Division FAQ states that “a post office box or ‘mail drop’ may not be used as the registered agent address.” The registered office address must be identical to the business office address of the registered agent, and the agent must be physically located at that address.

Is the filing fee the same whether I file online or by mail?

No. Georgia imposes an additional $10.00 service charge on all paper filings (whether mailed or hand-delivered) that does not apply to online filings through the eCorp portal. An amended annual registration costs $25.00 online and $30.00 on paper. An annual registration for a profit corporation, LLC, or LP costs $55.00 online and $60.00 on paper. The base filing fee is the same in both cases, but the $10.00 service charge makes paper filing more expensive. The Corporations Division accepts Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express for online and hand-delivered filings.

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Change Registered Agent in Georgia