How to Change Registered Agent in Kentucky

There are a number of reasons you might need to change your Kentucky LLC’s registered agent. Maybe your designated registered agent moved out of state, left the company, or no longer wants the responsibility. Maybe you had assigned the job to yourself, and you no longer want your address on public record. Maybe (hopefully) your business has expanded so much that you no longer have time to handle the registered agent responsibilities.

Whatever your reason may be, changing a registered agent in Kentucky might seem like a daunting task, with a mountain of paperwork and legal proceedings involved. However it’s actually quite simple, and this guide will help make the process quick and painless.

What the State of Kentucky Says about changing a Registered Agent

The state of Kentucky has certain requirements about changing your LLC’s registered agent. Any change to your registered agent must be accompanied by a “Statement of Change,” filed with the Kentucky Secretary of State’s office.

You can either mail a paper form to the SOS office or submit an electronic one online. Find more information about this form on the Secretary of State’s Business Filings webpage.

Who can be a Kentucky Registered Agent

You can’t pick just anyone to be a registered agent for your LLC. The state of Kentucky puts certain restrictions on who can serve as one. If you’re choosing or changing your registered agent, keep these requirements in mind. The registered agent in Kentucky must:

• Be an individual Kentucky resident or a business entity located in Kentucky
• Have a Kentucky street address (P.O. boxes are not allowed)

* If your registered agent is a foreign business entity, it must be authorized to transact business in Kentucky

How to Change Your Kentucky Registered Agent

In order to change your registered agent in Kentucky, you must file a Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office Address. You can find this form on the Kentucky Secretary of State website, under the “Business Filings” page. The form will ask you for the following information:

• Your LLC name (must be identical to the name on record with the Secretary of State)
• The name of your current registered agent
• The name of your new registered agent
• A signature from your new registered agent consenting to the appointment
• Your signature

You can submit your form through postal mail or online. Both methods require a $10 fee.

To submit via postal mail, send your completed form, along with your $10 payment to:

Office of the Secretary of State

P.O. Box 718

Frankfort, KY 40602

*Checks should be made payable to the “Kentucky State Treasurer”

To submit online, visit the Kentucky Business One Stop Portal on the Secretary of State website. You will need to create a username and password, then use the “Link My Business” option to view or file official documents. You will need to pay your $10 fee electronically.

Some states allow you to change your registered agent by updating your Articles of Organization or annual report. This is not the case in Kentucky. You MUST file a Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office Address either electronically or by mail for your change to be approved.

If you’re too busy, or if you’d feel more comfortable letting someone else take the reins, you have the option of hiring a company or individual to file your paperwork for you. It’s a great way to save time and stress.

Submit your form? Pay your fee? Then you’re all set! The Kentucky Secretary of State’s office usually processes documents the same day they are received, but it could take 1-3 business days, so you should see your new registered agent on file within the week.

Consider a Registered Agent Service

Think of your registered agent as a mediator between you and the state of Kentucky, the person or business entity that handles some of your most important paperwork.

In case you thought the registered agent was just a formality, look at the documents they handle:

• service of process notices
• tax information
• lawsuits
• and other Secretary of State correspondence.

A lot of important stuff. Which is why a reliable registered agent is essential to every Kentucky business owner.

By handling high-priority and sensitive documents on your behalf, your registered agent takes care of your communications with the state, so you can spend more time building your business.

Plus, if you operate a Kentucky small business from out of state, a trustworthy registered agent is especially important, as the state requires a local contact for your LLC. Having this contact ensures your company will receive and respond to time-sensitive documents, so you won’t miss filings and get hit with penalties.

If you’re unsure where to find a good Kentucky registered agent, consider using a registered agent service. These companies provide you a reliable, professional registered agent so you can have peace of mind knowing you won’t ever miss a filing, tax deadline, or state correspondence.

Sure, you can jump online, search “registered agent service,” and get a ton of results. But the truth is that not all of these services are trustworthy. So, we’ve done some research for you. If you want to know you’re getting a top-quality registered agent, take a look at our comparison guide on the top registered agent services. Many of these providers can also form an LLC for you if you’re needing a fresh start. ZenBusiness and LegalZoom are two very well known options.

Need to Resign your Kentucky Registered Agent?

There are numerous reasons you might need to give up your Kentucky registered agent role, but only one way to resign.

Registered agents play an important role in the life of an LLC, handling sensitive legal and tax documents, so it’s essential that agents follow proper resignation procedures. Otherwise, you could leave your company with unplanned fines or penalties, and you could be individually liable.

Fortunately, for Kentucky LLCs it is easy.

Follow these steps and the hardest part of your resignation won’t be the process itself, it’ll be saying “so long” to your former business.

Notifying the Kentucky LLC

Even though you aren’t required to inform your LLC before submitting your resignation to the Secretary of State, it can be beneficial to everyone involved if you do. By reaching out to your company in advance, you give them ample time to plan for a registered agent change and come up with a solid transition plan. In doing so, you’re helping the LLC avoid potential fines and penalties in the future.

Then, in line with state law, you must send them a copy of your official resignation promptly after submitting it to the Secretary of State.

Submitting Your Resignation

You might be excited to move on to your next job or project, but first, you need to submit a “Statement of Resignation” to the Secretary of State.

Navigate to the Secretary of State’s Business Filings Forms page. There, you’ll find the “Statement of Resignation of Registered Agent.” Download the form and then fill it out with the following information:

• Your name
• The LLC name (exactly as it appears on the Secretary of State’s records)
• The business type (LLC)
• Your mailing address
• Your signature
• The date

Quick and painless, right? And the best part is that there’s no filing fee, so you can put away your checkbook and send the resignation to:

Alison Lundergan Grimes

Office of the Secretary of State

P.O. Box 718

Frankfort, KY 40602-0718

If you live near Frankfort and would prefer to deliver it in person, you can do that too. The office location is:

Capitol Building, Room 154

700 Capital Ave.

Frankfort, KY 40601

Your resignation is in, but your name isn’t off the books just yet. You will retain registered agent duties for your LLC for 31 days after your form is processed unless the company appoints your replacement sooner. Keep in mind that you may still receive mail or service of process for up to one month after you officially resign.

Handing off Your Responsibilities

When you put down your registered agent responsibilities, someone else has to pick them up, or your LLC will lose its good standing with the state. Help your LLC keep its momentum by carefully planning your transition.

This starts with finding a successor who’s ready to take over right away. Even a small gap in registered agent coverage can result in severe penalties. A business entity that spends more than 60 days without a valid registered agent risks being administratively dissolved by the state. This is why it’s important to give your LLC plenty of time to find your successor.

Any new registered agent they appoint needs to meet Kentucky’s registered agent requirements. They must:

• Be an individual or business entity residing in Kentucky and authorized to do business there
• Have a physical Kentucky address (P.O. boxes aren’t allowed)
• Have a mailing address in Kentucky
• Be available to receive mail and service of process at the registered address during regular business hours

An LLC can appoint one of its individual members as its agent, but sometimes it’s best to pass along those responsibilities to a professional service.

We recommend using a registered agent service, which can take over registered agent duties, freeing up more time for the LLC’s managers to focus on running the business.