To change your address with the Secretary of State, file a short address-change form (often called a Statement of Change or Amendment) through your state’s online business portal, by mail, or in some states by simply updating the address on your next annual report. The process usually takes minutes and costs somewhere between nothing and about $35. The bigger job is making sure you file it against the right address on record, and remembering that this filing does not update the IRS or anyone else.
Identify Which Address You’re Actually Changing
Your state keeps at least two addresses for your business, and picking the wrong one is the fastest way to file the wrong form.
- The principal office address is your main place of business, where operations happen and records are kept. If the company physically moved, this is the one.
- The registered agent address is where lawsuits, subpoenas, and official state correspondence get delivered. It must be a physical street address in the state of registration. If you use a commercial registered agent, that address usually stays put even when your office moves. If the agent is an officer working out of your office, both addresses change together.
- The mailing address, tracked separately in some states, is where routine reminders and notices go. A P.O. box is generally fine here.
Before filing anything, pull up your business on the state’s online entity search and see exactly which addresses are currently listed. That tells you which form you need. Some states use one form for a registered agent change and a different one for a principal office update.
What to Have Ready Before You File
Gather this information before logging in or opening the form:
- Your business’s exact legal name as it appears in state records. A small mismatch can get the filing rejected.
- Your entity identification number (also called a filing number, charter number, or document number, depending on the state).
- The full new address, including street, city, state, and ZIP. P.O. boxes generally aren’t accepted for the registered agent or principal office.
- The name and title of the person authorized to sign. Most states require an officer, director, manager, or member. An unauthorized signature will bounce the filing.
The correct form lives on your Secretary of State’s website, typically under a section called “Update Your Information,” “Amendments,” or “Statement of Change.” If you can’t find it, search the site for “change of address” or “registered agent change.”
How to File the Change
Online
Most states now let you update the address through an online portal. Log in with your entity number or business name, navigate to the address fields, enter the new information, pay the filing fee, and save the confirmation. In many states the change posts to the public record the same day or the next business day.
By Mail
If your state doesn’t offer online address changes, print the completed form, sign it, and mail it to the address in the form’s instructions. Certified mail gives you proof of delivery, which can matter later if there’s any dispute about when you filed.
On Your Next Annual Report
In many states you can update your address simply by entering the new information on your next annual report or statement of information. The annual report exists partly to let the state verify or correct these records. If your report is due soon and there’s no urgency, this route avoids paying a separate filing fee. If a lawsuit could arrive at the old address in the meantime, don’t wait.
Filing Fees
A standalone address change usually runs from free to around $35, depending on the state and entity type. A few states charge nothing. Others fold the update into the annual report fee. Online filings generally take a credit card; mailed filings usually require a check or money order.
Confirm the Update Posted
Don’t assume it worked. Every Secretary of State runs a free business entity search where you can look up your company and confirm the new address shows in public records. Online submissions usually update within a day or two. Mailed filings take longer because someone has to open and key them in.
If the old address is still showing after a reasonable window, call the Secretary of State’s office. A rejected filing sometimes generates a notice sent to the very address you were trying to change, and a phone call resolves that faster than waiting for mail to catch up with you.
Update the IRS Separately
Changing your address with the Secretary of State does not update your records with the IRS. Those are entirely separate systems, and the IRS will keep sending notices to the old address until you tell them otherwise.
The most reliable way to notify the IRS is Form 8822-B, which covers changes to your business mailing address, business location, or responsible party. You can also update by using the new address on your next tax return, sending a signed written statement with your full business name, EIN, and both old and new addresses, or by calling the IRS. Someone other than an authorized officer will need a power of attorney or Form 2848 attached.
Form 8822-B is filed by mail only, sent to the IRS processing center in either Kansas City, Missouri or Ogden, Utah depending on your old business location. Processing typically takes four to six weeks, so file early if you’re expecting correspondence.
One related requirement: if your business changed its responsible party (the person who controls or manages the entity’s funds), you have to report that change within 60 days on the same form.
What Happens If You Don’t Update
The most immediate risk is missing service of process. If someone sues your business and the papers are served at the registered agent address on file, the clock starts running whether you see the documents or not. Miss the response deadline and the court can enter a default judgment against your business, meaning the other side wins automatically.
An outdated address also causes missed annual report reminders, tax notices, and compliance warnings. Most states send a warning before taking action, but a warning sent to an address you no longer monitor doesn’t help you.
The common grounds for administrative dissolution are failure to file an annual report on time, failure to maintain a registered agent, and failure to pay franchise taxes. All three can trace back to a simple address mix-up. Administrative dissolution means your business loses its legal authority to operate. You can’t enforce contracts, you may lose liability protection, and in some states your business name becomes available for someone else to claim.
Reinstatement is possible in most states, but you’ll typically owe the reinstatement fee plus all back annual report fees for every year the business was dissolved. Depending on how long it lasted and your entity type, that can run into hundreds or thousands of dollars.
Other Places to Update After a Move
The Secretary of State and IRS are the two filings with the steepest consequences, but a move touches several other records:
- Your state department of revenue or taxation, which keeps its own address separate from the Secretary of State.
- Local business licenses, zoning permits, and health permits. A move may require re-application rather than a simple update.
- Business bank accounts, lines of credit, and merchant services.
- Business insurance policies, especially property and liability coverage, which are often location-specific. Moving without telling your insurer could void coverage.
- Professional licensing boards, if your business holds a contractor, real estate, healthcare, or similar license. Most require an update within a set timeframe.
- The U.S. Postal Service, for mail forwarding during the transition. USPS forwarding is temporary and doesn’t cover all government mail, so treat it as a safety net rather than a substitute for updating each agency directly.
Handle the Secretary of State and IRS first, then work through the rest within the first few weeks after the move.