Pennsylvania Registered Agent Resignation: How-To Guide

Notifying the Pennsylvania LLC

You’re not required by Commonwealth law to tell your LLC before changing the registered office. Rather, you must notify them promptly after filing a “Statement of Change of Registered Office” with the Department of State. In some cases, though, it’s beneficial to inform them beforehand. If you’re terminating the registered office without submitting a new one, the LLC will need to register one themselves. Giving advance notice will give the company more time to line up a new registered office and facilitate a smooth transition.

Submitting Your Resignation

Since the Department of State doesn’t keep registered agent names on file, only registered office addresses, there is no form for a registered agent resignation. Instead, you’ll file a “Statement of Change of Registered Office by Agent” form, submittable online or on paper.

To file online – usually the quicker option – navigate to the PENN File portal. You will need to create an account if you don’t already have one. Once you’ve logged in, select the appropriate filing and follow the onscreen prompts to complete it. You can pay the $5 fee using a credit or debit card.

You can get your hands on the paper form through the Department of State Registration Forms page. Here are the steps to complete it:

• Enter your return postal address or email address.
• Enter the LLC name (#1) and your name (#2).
• If you’re appointing a replacement agent, enter their name on #3.
• If you’re changing the registered office address, enter the current address on #4 and the new address on #5.
• If you’re simply terminating your status as the provider of the registered office, check the box on #6 and enter the LLC’s last-known address on #7.

The filing fee isn’t expensive, only $5, and you can pay it with a check made out to “Pennsylvania Department of State.” Mail the check and your completed form to:

Pennsylvania Department of State
Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations
P.O. Box 8722
Harrisburg, PA 17105-8722

As soon as your filing is processed, the termination or change of registered office will take effect. Standard processing time is 5-10 business days. If you don’t have that kind of time, you can choose one of three expedited service options: same-day processing ($100), three-hour processing ($300), or one-hour processing ($1,000). Before you know it, you’ll be off the books and onto your next endeavor.

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 Commonwealth. Help your LLC keep its momentum by carefully planning your transition.

This starts with finding a registered office that’s available right away. Even a small gap between registered offices can result in severe penalties. Every Pennsylvania LLC is required to keep a valid registered office address on file, or the commonwealth can administratively dissolve them. This is why it’s important to communicate with your company about registered office address changes and/or termination.

Any new registered office provider your LLC appoints must meet Pennsylvania’s registered office provider requirements. They must:

• Be an individual resident of Pennsylvania or a corporation authorized to do business in the Commonwealth
• Have a physical Pennsylvania address (P.O. boxes aren’t allowed)
• Have a mailing address in Pennsylvania

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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.