How to Change Your Registered Agent in Washington

Changing your registered agent in Washington is straightforward and doesn't cost a filing fee. Whether you're looking for better value, enhanced privacy, or more reliable service, understanding the process helps you make the transition smoothly.

Common Reasons for Changing Registered Agents

Better Value Many registered agent services charge $125 to $436 annually. If you're paying premium prices for standard service, switching to Washington Registered Agent at $99 per year can reduce your compliance costs by $26 to $337 annually without sacrificing service quality.

Privacy Protection If you currently serve as your own registered agent, your home or business address appears on public records with the Washington Secretary of State. Anyone can search these records online. Switching to a professional service puts our address on public filings instead, protecting your privacy.

Improved Reliability Registered agents must be available during regular business hours to receive documents. If your current agent has missed deliveries, been slow to forward documents, or proven unreliable, changing to a dedicated professional service ensures consistent availability and prompt processing.

Business Changes Moving out of Washington, closing a Washington office, or transitioning to remote work often necessitates a registered agent change. Professional services provide address stability regardless of where you operate your business.

Enhanced Service Features Some businesses want better document management, faster forwarding, compliance tracking, or improved customer support. Professional registered agent services typically offer online portals, same-day scanning, and compliance reminders that individual registered agents may not provide.

Steps to Change Your Registered Agent in Washington

Choose a New Registered Agent Who Meets Washington Requirements Your new registered agent must meet Washington Secretary of State standards. Individuals must be Washington residents who are at least 18 years old. Business entities must be authorized in the state with a physical office. The registered agent needs a physical address (no PO boxes, private mailboxes, or virtual offices) and must be available during regular business hours.

File the Change Form with the Washington Secretary of State Complete and submit the change of registered agent form to the Washington Secretary of State. The form identifies your business entity, lists your current registered agent information, and designates your new registered agent along with the registered office address.

Confirm the Change in State Records After the Washington Secretary of State processes your filing, verify that the change appears correctly in state records. You can check business entity information through the Washington Secretary of State's online business search to confirm your new registered agent is listed.

Why Washington's Free Filing Makes Switching Easy

Unlike many states that charge $25 to $50 for registered agent changes, Washington doesn't charge a filing fee for this change. This policy makes it easy to switch registered agents without added cost, removing a financial barrier that might otherwise discourage businesses from improving their registered agent service.

The lack of filing fees means your only cost when switching to Washington Registered Agent is our $99 annual service fee. There's no state filing fee to absorb on top of your new service cost.

Why Switch to Washington Registered Agent

Washington Registered Agent provides professional registered agent service throughout Washington for $99 per year — less than many competitors charge.

Our Washington registered office meets all state requirements. We maintain presence during regular business hours to receive service of process, legal documents, and official correspondence. When documents arrive, we scan and forward them the same day via email, and they're also available in your secure online portal.

Our compliance tracking monitors Washington filing deadlines, including annual report requirements. The Washington Secretary of State currently charges a $70 annual report fee. We send reminders before deadlines so you stay informed and can file on time.

By using our address as your registered office, your personal information stays off public records. This privacy protection is particularly valuable for home-based businesses or business owners who want to keep their address private.

Making the Transition Smooth

When you sign up with Washington Registered Agent, we provide everything you need to file your registered agent change. You'll receive our registered office address and business entity information to include on the change form filed with the Washington Secretary of State.

Once you file the change, we begin monitoring your registered office. The transition happens seamlessly — we start receiving and forwarding documents as soon as the state processes your change. Most registered agent changes process within days, though timing can vary depending on the Washington Secretary of State's workload.

If you're currently serving as your own registered agent or using another individual, the switch typically takes effect quickly once filed. Business entity information updates usually appear in the Washington Secretary of State's online database shortly after processing.

Get Started — $99/year

Questions about changing your registered agent in Washington? Contact us at support@waregisteredagent.org or , Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm PT. We're here to help make your transition straightforward.