Q: In our original filing documents, we used an incorrect address. Can we still change the address?
Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: Still yes, but before you start filing the paperwork, which address are you trying to change? When you file New York Articles of Organization to form your LLC, you need to include two addresses on the form: your registered agent address (which goes on the public record), and a mailing address (which doesn’t). The purpose of the mailing address is simply so that the state can contact the filer if there is any issue processing your Articles of Organization. So after your paperwork is successfully processed, you don’t need to inform the New York Department of State if your mailing address changes. However, if your registered agent address changes, you will need to inform the state by filing a Certificate of Change. We’ll show you how.
What’s a New York Registered Agent Address?
The role of a New York registered agent is to accept important legal notices—including service of process—on behalf of a business. Your registered agent must have a physical address within New York State where they can be found during normal business hours. You’ll put your registered agent’s name and address on your NY LLC Articles of Organization.
Some business owners serve as their own registered agent, but this is often inconvenient. First of all, your registered agent’s address will be visible on the NY Department of State Corporation and Business Entity Database, where anyone can find it with a quick online search. So to serve as your own registered agent, you’ll have to give up some degree of privacy. Second of all, a registered agent needs to be available to accept service of process in person year-round. Want to take the kids on vacation for a week? Better hope you don’t miss any important legal mail while you’re gone.
For these reasons, many business owners hire a professional registered agent service—like us! That way, your registered agent’s address—not yours—will be on the public record, and you can take a vacation or leave work early occasionally without worrying about missing a notice from the state.
How do I change my NY registered agent address?
If you change your registered agent in New York, or if your registered agent simply moves to a new address, you’ll need to inform the New York Department of State of this change. You can do this by filing a Certificate of Change form with the Department of State and paying the $30 filing fee. On this form, you have the option to change:
- The county where your business is located. (This means the county where your registered agent is located, even if your actual business is located in a different county or different state.)
- Your registered agent.
- Your registered agent address.
You can change only one of these things or all three. An authorized person, who doesn’t need to be a member of your LLC, must sign the form.
How do I file my Certificate of Change form?
You can file your Certificate of Change by mail, fax, or in person. New York doesn’t allow you to file this document online.
By mail or in person:
New York Department of State, Division of Corporations
One Commerce Plaza
99 Washington Avenue
Albany, NY 12231
By fax: (518) 474-1418
How long will the Department of State take to process my Certificate of Change?
New York can take as long as four months to process Certificate of Change forms. You can pay for expedited processing if you’re in a rush:
- 24-hour processing—$25
- Same day processing—$75
- 2-hour processing—$150
Can I Change My Registered Agent Address on the Certificate of Amendment Instead?
Yes, but the Certificate of Amendment form costs $60 to file—twice as expensive as the Certificate of Change form. If you’re only changing your registered agent and/or registered agent address, you’re better off filing the Certificate of Change form. However, if you need to make another change to your Articles of Organization at the same time—such as changing your LLC name—you can use the Certificate of Amendment form to make both changes at once.
Learn how to file a New York LLC Amendment.