Kentucky Registered Agent Resignation: A How-To Guide

Notifying the Kentucky LLC

Even though you aren’t required to inform your LLC before submitting your resignation to the Secretary of State, it can be beneficial to everyone involved if you do. By reaching out to your company in advance, you give them ample time to plan for a registered agent change and come up with a solid transition plan. In doing so, you’re helping the LLC avoid potential fines and penalties in the future.

Then, in line with state law, you must send them a copy of your official resignation promptly after submitting it to the Secretary of State.

Submitting Your Resignation

You might be excited to move on to your next job or project, but first, you need to submit a “Statement of Resignation” to the Secretary of State.

Navigate to the Secretary of State’s Business Filings Forms page. There, you’ll find the “Statement of Resignation of Registered Agent.” Download the form and then fill it out with the following information:

• Your name
• The LLC name (exactly as it appears on the Secretary of State’s records)
• The business type (LLC)
• Your mailing address
• Your signature
• The date

Quick and painless, right? And the best part is that there’s no filing fee, so you can put away your checkbook and send the resignation to:

Alison Lundergan Grimes

Office of the Secretary of State

P.O. Box 718

Frankfort, KY 40602-0718

If you live near Frankfort and would prefer to deliver it in person, you can do that too. The office location is:

Capitol Building, Room 154

700 Capital Ave.

Frankfort, KY 40601

Your resignation is in, but your name isn’t off the books just yet. You will retain registered agent duties for your LLC for 31 days after your form is processed unless the company appoints your replacement sooner. Keep in mind that you may still receive mail or service of process for up to one month after you officially resign.

Handing off Your Responsibilities

When you put down your registered agent responsibilities, someone else has to pick them up, or your LLC will lose its good standing with the state. Help your LLC keep its momentum by carefully planning your transition.

This starts with finding a successor who’s ready to take over right away. Even a small gap in registered agent coverage can result in severe penalties. A business entity that spends more than 60 days without a valid registered agent risks being administratively dissolved by the state. This is why it’s important to give your LLC plenty of time to find your successor.

Any new registered agent they appoint needs to meet Kentucky’s registered agent requirements. They must:

• Be an individual or business entity residing in Kentucky and authorized to do business there
• Have a physical Kentucky address (P.O. boxes aren’t allowed)
• Have a mailing address in Kentucky
• Be available to receive mail and service of process at the registered address during regular business hours

An LLC can appoint one of its individual members as its agent, but sometimes it’s best to pass along those responsibilities to a professional service.

We recommend using a registered agent service, which can take over registered agent duties, freeing up more time for the LLC’s managers to focus on running the business.

Finishing Up

You do a lot for your Kentucky LLC. You’re essentially the shield that protects it from fines, the filter that catches important documents, the conductor that keeps it on track with compliance.

Because you play such an important role, it’s crucial that you follow the resignation procedures exactly — and potentially provide a replacement agent for the business. Otherwise, you might find yourself and your LLC in hot water.

Follow this guide and you’ll be totally fine. Soon, you’ll be on to your next project, whether that’s starting a new business in Kentucky or something completely different.

If you need a fresh start and would like to form a brand new LLC, there are plenty of services that can take care of this for you. ZenBusiness and Northwest are two very popular options.