How to change your registered agent in Washington
Washington's statement distinguishes replacing the registered agent from updating the current agent's contact information. A replacement requires the authorized person's signature and the incoming agent's signed consent, regardless of agent type.
Checked against primary sources ·
Washington- Jurisdiction terminology
- registered agent
- Filing office
- Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division
Choose the right Washington filing
Washington's June 2025 statement puts two different transactions on the first filing page: updating the current agent's contact information and appointing a different agent. A replacement needs the authorized person's signature plus the new-agent page with signed consent, including when the replacement is commercial. The download filename mentions noncommercial agents, but the actual form contains both categories. Follow the questions and the consent page, not the filename or an assumption that a commercial listing supplies the company's acceptance.
- Procedure scope
- Washington domestic LLCs and registered foreign LLCs; the statement is a business-entity registered-agent filing rather than an LLC-only form.
- Form or online transaction
- Statement of Change/Designation of Registered Agent — revised June 2025
Which route fits your registered agent change?
- Only current-agent contact information changes
Question 3 asks whether only the currently recorded agent's contact information changed. If yes, provide the updated contact information and complete the authorized-person section; the form says the replacement page need not be submitted. Do not use this shortcut when a different person or organization is taking the appointment. Source 1.
- A different agent is appointed
Answer yes to question 5 and complete the new-agent page. The form expressly requires both the authorized-person signature and the incoming agent's consent for this branch. This is the replacement route for an existing Washington business entity, including a domestic or registered foreign LLC. Source 1.
- Commercial or one noncommercial designation
A commercial agent is identified by its listed name; its address is already recorded. A noncommercial agent may be an individual, business, or office or position within the business. Choose one type only. The form warns that if multiple types are listed, the office enters the first one rather than treating all as joint agents. Source 1.
Prepare for the change in Washington
- Match the UBI and business name
Copy the Unified Business Identifier and name from the Secretary of State registration. The instructions expressly require both to match for acceptance. Do not use a federal tax number, a provider account number or an informal trade name in place of these identifiers. Source 1.
- Obtain the right new-agent details
For a commercial agent obtain its exact listed name. For a noncommercial agent obtain the individual's first and last name, the full business name, or the office or position title, plus a Washington physical street address and email. The physical address cannot be a PO box or PMB; a separate Washington mailing address is optional. Source 1.
- Arrange two execution roles
Have the authorized person complete the statement's certification and have the appointed agent sign Consent to Serve. The agent-consent requirement applies to every type, not just individuals. Collect the printed name, title and signature date needed for the acceptance rather than sending an unsigned replacement page. Source 1.
- Review notification email carefully
The instructions require email on submitted documents and say existing addresses are used unless replaced through a filing; archived emails from previous filings continue to be used for notifications. Do not promise that replacing the current agent email will erase all historical recipients. Plan internal access and monitoring accordingly. Source 1.
Consent and acceptance
The current form requires the incoming registered agent's signed Consent to Serve for all agent types. Include the new-agent page with that consent when submitting a paper replacement; an authorized-person signature alone is not the complete paper change.
Entity-type differences
The statement uses the business's UBI and covers business entities, including domestic and registered foreign LLCs and corporations. A commercial agent's address is already on its listing and need not be supplied in the new-commercial-agent field. A current agent's contact-only update uses the separate block and does not require submitting the replacement page.
Complete the Washington change filing
Copy the business's Unified Business Identifier and exact name from the Secretary of State record; both must match the record.
For a replacement, mark that the registered agent has changed and complete the new-agent page, rather than using only the current-agent contact-update block.
Select one agent type. Name the listed commercial agent, or identify the noncommercial individual, business or office/position and provide its Washington physical street address and required email; do not use a PO box or private mailbox for the street address.
Have the authorized person sign and date the statement and have the appointed agent sign and date Consent to Serve, including printed name and title as requested.
File through the Corporations and Charities Filing System or mail the completed statement using its instructions, then save the filing evidence and check the business record.
Open the official filing instructions or transaction. Read the primary sources below alongside these steps.
Form fields and statement requirements
- Questions 1 and 2
Enter the business UBI and name as recorded. These identify the represented entity, not the incoming provider. Check them against the state record before circulating the packet for signatures, especially where one provider is changing multiple affiliated LLCs. Source 1.
- Questions 3 and 5: select the real transaction
Question 3 concerns only the current agent's contact update. Question 5 asks whether the agent changed and directs a replacement to the additional page. For a different provider, do not stop after filling the current-contact block and assume the state will infer a new appointment. Source 1.
- Question 4: authorized person
Sign, print the signer's name and date the certification; the instructions also call for title. This section is required for a contact-only update and for a replacement. It does not replace the incoming agent's signature on the new-agent page. Source 1.
- New-agent designation and consent
Complete either the commercial name or one noncommercial designation. Noncommercial entries require Washington street address and email, with optional phone and separate mailing address. The appointed agent signs and dates Consent to Serve with printed name and title, acknowledging receipt and forwarding responsibilities and notification if resigning or changing the office. Source 1.
Submit the change to Washington Secretary of State, Corporations and Charities Division
- Online through CCFS
The official instructions link the Corporations and Charities Filing System as an online filing option. Use that official route for the existing entity. This guide establishes availability from the published instructions, not the labels or signature sequence inside an authenticated account. Source 1.
- Mail the completed filing pages
The form gives PO Box 40234, Olympia, WA 98504-0234 for USPS mail and directs users to the website for a commercial-carrier overnight address. Use dark ink and complete the requested fields. A replacement packet includes the authorized-person page and the new-agent page with signed consent; a true contact-only update follows the shorter branch. Source 1.
Before you submit
The official download's filename mentions noncommercial agents, but the form itself includes both commercial and noncommercial options. Follow the actual form and select only one agent type.
Verify the change and finish the transition
- Preserve filing evidence and the signed consent
Practical guidance. Save the completed submission, acknowledgment and filed evidence. Compare the resulting business record with the intended commercial name or noncommercial designation. A signed provider contract does not demonstrate that the new-agent page was included or that the Secretary of State updated the record.
- Check the contact route
For a noncommercial agent, review the physical street address, email and any separate mailing address as well as the name. For a commercial agent, reconcile the listed provider. Keep the instructions' warning about archived emails in mind when deciding who monitors notifications after the change. Source 1.
- Close the operational handoff
Practical guidance. Confirm the replacement has a monitored internal destination for forwarded documents and ask the old agent about anything received during transition. Keep operating-address records, other-state appointments and private cancellation arrangements separate from the evidence of this Washington filing.
Avoid these Washington filing mistakes
- Sending only the first page for a replacement
Question 5 explicitly requires the new-agent page and signed consent when the agent changes. The page-one-only route is for current-agent contact updates, not a different provider. Source 1.
- Skipping commercial-agent consent
The form states that consent must be signed regardless of agent type. A commercial agent's registered address removes the need to repeat that address in the commercial field; it does not remove the signed acceptance requirement. Source 1.
- Naming several types or using a PMB
Select one designation. The form says the first type will be entered if multiple types are supplied, and the physical-address block expressly excludes PO boxes and PMBs. Resolve those choices before signing rather than leaving the filing office to select for you. Source 1.
Questions about changing your registered agent in Washington
Does the noncommercial filename exclude a commercial agent?
No. The actual June 2025 form includes commercial and noncommercial choices. A commercial agent is entered by its listed name, and it must still sign the consent. Source 1.
Can an office or position be the noncommercial designation?
Yes. The form permits an office or position title within the business, such as President, Secretary, Treasurer or Member, as one noncommercial type. Select that type alone and supply the required Washington address, email and consent. Source 1.
Do I need the replacement page for an email-only update?
If only the current agent's contact information changes, question 3 directs the contact-update branch and says the replacement page need not be submitted. The authorized-person section is still required. Source 1.
Will replacing the email erase all old notification addresses?
The instructions say existing email is used unless replaced by filing, but archived emails from previous filings continue to be used for notifications. Do not promise that this change removes all historical recipients. Source 1.
Which primary sources support this procedure?
Checked . The filing office’s current instructions govern the submission.
- Secretary of State — Statement of Change/Designation of Registered Agent and instructions, June 2025
Procedural guidance, not legal advice. Confirm the correct filing for your entity and its current record.
Need help with your Washington change?
Tell us the entity name, its jurisdiction and what needs to change. State fees are confirmed with you before anything is filed.