You have two options for changing your registered agent and registered office information:

• use the  Clerk's Information System for real-time changes
  • Helpful Hint: How-to Change a Registered Agent/ Office for a Virginia Entity Guide and How-to Change a  Registered Agent/ Office for a Foreign Entity Guide provide step-by-step instructions
• submit an Online Forms Request for Statement of Change of a Registered Agent And/or Registered Office to have a form sent to you to complete and mail back.

Once the Clerk’s Office has recorded the change, you will receive an Acknowledgement of Change.

Yes. A registered agent has two options for completing a Statement/Certificate of Resignation of Registered Agent:

• making the change in real-time with the Clerk's Information System
  • Helpful Hint: Resignation for Virginia Business provides step-by-step instructions
• submitting a paper form
  • Business Trust
  • Limited Liability Company
  • Limited Partnership
  • Corporation
  • Limited Liability Partnership

 The registered agent must send a copy of the form by certified mail to the principal office.

 The resignation is effective on the 31^st day after the statement was filed.

Registered agents must meet the following requirements:

• Be a Virginia resident
• Have a Virginia physical business address, registered office
• Be available during normal business hours

In addition, registered agents must meet one of these qualifications:

• A member of the Virginia State Bar
• A member of the business entity’s management, examples include:
  • officer or director of a corporation,
  • a member or manager of a limited liability company,
  • a trustee of a business trust,
  • a general partner of a limited partnership, or
  • a partner of a registered limited liability partnership

You may use a third-party business such as a law firm or a service company to act as your registered agent. Keep in mind that a business entity cannot act as its own registered agent.

Yes. The registered office is defined as a business office of the registered agent, which must be located in Virginia. If a foreign business entity’s proposed registered agent does not maintain a business office in Virginia, the person is not qualified to serve as its registered agent in Virginia. Please refer to FAQs regarding Registered Agents for more information.

The registered office is the Virginia business office for the registered agent who receives important documents such as service of process (lawsuits) and annual registration fee notices at that location. Because this agent must be physically present to receive documents, a Post Office box is not acceptable*.

The registered office address is part of the public record.

A registered office must include a complete address includes the street number and name, city, state, zip code and the locality. A locality is the county or independent city in Virginia where the registered office is located.

*Post Office Boxes are only acceptable for cities/towns that have a population of less than 2,000 and no street address is associated with the location. If you use a Post Office address and meet the population requirement, you will only be able to file using paper.