Pennsylvania Registered Agent

Get A Registered Agent

Fast registered agent service with no hidden fees.

Change Registered Agent in Pennsylvania

When Is a Change of Registered Agent Required in Pennsylvania?

Pennsylvania law requires every domestic and foreign filing association to maintain a registered office in the Commonwealth at all times, and any change to that office — or to the entity providing it — must be reflected in a filing with the Department of State. Under the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes Title 15 (15 Pa.C.S.) § 1507, a business corporation that wishes to change the location of its registered office must either amend its articles, include the change in an annual report, or deliver a statement of change of registered office to the Department. Identical obligations apply to nonprofit corporations under 15 Pa.C.S. § 5507, limited partnerships under 15 Pa.C.S. § 8625, and limited liability companies under 15 Pa.C.S. § 8825.

Pennsylvania’s framework differs from most other states in one critical respect: rather than requiring entities to designate a named registered agent, Pennsylvania law centers on the registered office address itself. An entity may list a physical street address as its registered office, or it may substitute the name of a Commercial Registered Office Provider (CROP) under 15 Pa.C.S. § 109. A CROP is a domestic or registered foreign association that has filed a statement of address of commercial registered office with the Department and is in the business of maintaining registered offices for other entities. CROPs serve the same practical function that registered agents serve in other jurisdictions — receiving service of process and official correspondence on behalf of represented associations.

A filing is required in any of the following circumstances:

  • The entity’s registered office address changes because the entity relocates or selects a new location
  • The entity switches from a physical street address to a CROP, or from one CROP to a different CROP
  • The entity switches from a CROP back to its own physical street address
  • The CROP or person maintaining the registered office resigns or ceases providing service
  • The registered office location becomes inaccurate due to postal renaming, building renumbering, or similar cause
  • The entity voluntarily designates a new registered office address or a new CROP

Pennsylvania does not distinguish between a voluntary and an involuntary change — the filing obligation is the same regardless of the reason.

Grounds for Changing Your Registered Agent in Pennsylvania

The most common grounds for filing a change of registered office — or switching to or from a Commercial Registered Office Provider — fall into several practical categories. Because Pennsylvania’s system focuses on the office address rather than a named agent, “changing the registered agent” in practice means changing the registered office address or the CROP designation on file with the Department.

Ground Filing Required
Entity relocates its registered office to a new physical address Statement of Change of Registered Office (DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825)
Entity switches to a new CROP Statement of Change of Registered Office (DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825)
Entity switches from a CROP to its own physical address Statement of Change of Registered Office (DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825)
CROP changes its own office address within the same county Statement of Change of Registered Office by Agent (DSCB:15-108)
CROP ceases providing service to the entity Statement of Change of Registered Office by Agent (DSCB:15-108), plus entity should promptly file a superseding change
Entity updates registered office through annual report Annual Report (DSCB:15-146) filed at file.dos.pa.gov
Foreign entity changes its registered office Amendment of Foreign Registration (DSCB:15-413)
Domestic LLP (general partnership) changes its principal place of business Statement of Amendment (DSCB:15-8201B)

An entity’s registered office information is part of the public record maintained by the Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations, and any inaccurate or outdated information should be corrected promptly by filing the appropriate form. Beginning in 2025, entities may also update their registered office address through the annual report filing under 15 Pa.C.S. § 146, though a standalone statement of change may be filed at any time.

Pennsylvania Registered Agent Change Requirements

Before filing a statement of change of registered office, several requirements must be met under Pennsylvania law.

Registered office address: The registered office must be a physical street address or rural route box number located in Pennsylvania. Under 15 Pa.C.S. § 135(C), the Department of State is required to refuse any document that sets forth only a post office box address. Every address submitted must also include the county in which the registered office is located.

CROP alternative: Instead of listing a physical address, the entity may designate a Commercial Registered Office Provider by name, preceded by “c/o,” along with the county of venue. The CROP must have previously filed a statement of address of commercial registered office with the Department under 15 Pa.C.S. § 109. The Department’s list of approved CROPs is publicly available and identifies each provider’s name, address, and county.

Note: Listing a CROP address without having entered into a contract with the provider could subject the filer to civil and criminal penalties under 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904 (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities).

Authorization: For business corporations and nonprofit corporations, the change of registered office must be authorized by the board of directors or other governing body. For LLCs, the change may be effected at any time by the company. For limited partnerships, the change may be effected at any time by the partnership.

Execution: The statement of change must be signed by a duly authorized officer, general partner, member, or manager. Signing a document delivered to the Department for filing constitutes “an affirmation under the penalties provided in 18 Pa.C.S. § 4904 (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities) that the facts stated in the document are true in all material respects.” No notarization is required.

How to File a Statement of Change of Registered Office/Agent

A domestic business corporation, nonprofit corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, or limited liability limited partnership changes its registered office by filing Form DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825 — Statement of Change of Registered Office with the Department of State. The form’s instructions are printed on the second page of the PDF and explain each field in detail.

The form collects the following information:

  1. Entity type — select one: business corporation, nonprofit corporation, limited liability company, or limited partnership/limited liability limited partnership.
  2. Entity name — the exact legal name as it appears in the Department’s records at the time of filing.
  3. Current registered office — the physical street address with county on file, or the name of the current CROP.
  4. New registered office — the physical street address with county to which the registered office is being changed, or the name of the new CROP with county of venue.
  5. Board authorization statement — for corporations only, a statement that the change was authorized by the board of directors or other governing body.
  6. Signature — an authorized officer, general partner, member, or manager must execute the form.

Upon acceptance, the statement operates as an amendment to the entity’s articles of incorporation, certificate of organization, or certificate of limited partnership, as applicable — no separate articles of amendment are required.

Note: A domestic general partnership registered as an LLP under 15 Pa.C.S. § 8201 cannot use this form. An LLP that is a general partnership must instead use Form DSCB:15-8201B — Statement of Amendment to change the address of its principal place of business. The filing fee for that form is $70, and the amendment must restate the statement of registration in full.

Filing Method: Online vs. Mail

The statement of change of registered office may be filed online through the Department’s portal, by mail, or in person at the Bureau’s office in Harrisburg. Expedited processing is available for online and in-person filings but is not offered for mailed submissions.

Method Details
Online Business Filing Services (BFS) — search for the entity record, request access, then file the change. A BFS account is required.
Mail Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations, P.O. Box 8722, Harrisburg, PA 17105-8722. Include the completed form and a check for $5 payable to the Department of State.
In-person 401 North Street, Room 206, Harrisburg, PA 17120. Open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Department strongly encourages online filing as the fastest method for processing. To file online, create an account in the Business Filing Services portal, search for the entity, request access to the record, and then select the appropriate amendment form. Help guides for navigating the portal are available on the Department’s help guides page.

Standard paper filings must be paid by check or money order made payable to the Department of State. Cash and credit cards are not accepted for standard filings. Credit card payments are accepted only for expedited services.

Registered Agent Change Filing Fees by Entity Type

The filing fee for a domestic entity’s statement of change of registered office is set by the Department of State fee schedule and is $5 for all domestic entity types that use Form DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825. Foreign entities and domestic LLPs follow a different fee structure because they use different forms.

Entity Type Form Filing Fee
Domestic business corporation DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825 $5
Domestic nonprofit corporation DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825 $5
Domestic limited liability company DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825 $5
Domestic limited partnership DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825 $5
Domestic limited liability limited partnership DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825 $5
Domestic LLP (general partnership) DSCB:15-8201B $70
Foreign business corporation DSCB:15-413 $250
Foreign nonprofit corporation DSCB:15-413 $250
Foreign limited liability company DSCB:15-413 $250
Foreign limited partnership DSCB:15-413 $250
Foreign LLP DSCB:15-413 $250
Change of registered office by agent/CROP DSCB:15-108 $5

All fees are nonrefundable, including for rejected filings. Checks must be commercially pre-printed with the account holder’s name and address. Expedited services — available only for online and in-person filings — carry additional fees: $100 for same-day processing (received before 10:00 a.m.), $300 for three-hour processing (received before 2:00 p.m.), and $1,000 for one-hour processing (received before 4:00 p.m.). These fees are in addition to the base filing fee.

Effective Date of a Registered Agent Change in Pennsylvania

The statement of change of registered office filed on Form DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825 becomes effective upon filing with the Department of State. The form does not provide a delayed effective date option.

Immediate effect (domestic entities): For domestic business corporations, nonprofit corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, and limited liability limited partnerships, the statement takes effect when the Department accepts the filing. Upon filing, the statement operates as an amendment to the entity’s organic document — whether articles of incorporation, certificate of organization, or certificate of limited partnership — under 15 Pa.C.S. § 1507(d), § 5507(d), § 8625(d), or § 8825(d), respectively.

Delayed effective date (foreign entities and LLPs): Both the Amendment of Foreign Registration (DSCB:15-413) and the Statement of Amendment for LLPs (DSCB:15-8201B) permit the filer to specify a future effective date. If a delayed date is specified but no time is given, the filing becomes effective at 12:01 a.m. on the specified date. A specified effective date may not be retroactive — it must fall after the date and time of delivery to the Department. If neither effective date option is selected, the filing becomes effective upon acceptance.

Annual report update: Entities that have previously filed an annual report under 15 Pa.C.S. § 146 may also update their registered office address through a free annual report update at file.dos.pa.gov, rather than filing a separate statement of change.

Changing the Registered Agent Address Without Changing the Agent

When a person or CROP that maintains the registered office for an association changes its own name or moves its office within the same county — while continuing to serve as provider — the agent may file the change directly under 15 Pa.C.S. § 108 rather than requiring each represented entity to file individually. This agent-initiated change process uses Form DSCB:15-108 — Statement of Change of Registered Office by Agent.

This single form serves three distinct functions: it can reflect a change of name of the agent, effect a corresponding change in the registered office address of the represented association when the agent moves within the same county, or terminate the agent’s status as provider of the registered office for a particular association. A separate DSCB:15-108 must be filed for each represented association — the form does not permit batch filing for multiple entities on a single document.

Feature Entity-Filed Form (DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825) Agent-Filed Form (DSCB:15-108)
Filed by The entity itself The agent or CROP maintaining the registered office
Purpose Change registered office address or designate a new CROP Reflect agent’s name change, address change within same county, or termination of service
Can appoint a new agent/CROP Yes No — only modifies or terminates existing arrangement
Covers multiple entities per form No No — one form per represented entity
Prior notice to entity required Not applicable Agent must promptly furnish a copy of the filed statement to the entity
Signed by Entity’s authorized officer, partner, member, or manager The agent or CROP representative

Under 15 Pa.C.S. § 108(b), the agent is required to “promptly furnish the association represented with a copy of the statement of change of registered office by agent as filed in the Department of State.” The represented entity does not need to take any separate action for the change to be effective.

When a CROP terminates its relationship with an entity through this form, the location of the entity’s registered office on file with the Department is not affected, but the former provider no longer has any responsibility for matters tendered to the office in the entity’s name. The entity should then promptly file its own statement of change to designate a superseding registered office address. Until that filing is made, the old address remains in effect for purposes of venue and official publication.

The filing fee for Form DSCB:15-108 is $5 per entity.

What Happens After the Change Is Filed

Once the Department of State accepts the statement of change of registered office, several consequences follow:

  • The entity’s registered office information in the Department’s records is updated to reflect the new address or CROP designation.
  • The statement operates as an amendment to the entity’s organic document — no separate articles of amendment or certificate of amendment is needed.
  • The Department returns evidence of filing by mail or email, depending on the return method designated on the form.
  • The new registered office address becomes part of the entity’s public filing history and is searchable through the Business Filing Services search tool.
  • The former registered office address or CROP is superseded, and the former provider’s responsibility to accept service or correspondence on the entity’s behalf terminates.

For foreign entities that file the Amendment of Foreign Registration (DSCB:15-413), the accepted amendment operates as an update to the foreign entity’s registration on file with the Department. A Docketing Statement — Changes (DSCB:15-134B) must accompany the amendment.

Changing a Registered Agent for a Foreign Entity Registered in Pennsylvania

A foreign association registered to transact business in Pennsylvania must continuously maintain a registered office in the Commonwealth, subject to the same requirements as a domestic entity. However, a foreign entity does not use the domestic statement of change form. Instead, a foreign entity must file Form DSCB:15-413 — Amendment of Foreign Registration to update its registered office address or CROP designation.

Under 15 Pa.C.S. § 413, a registered foreign association must deliver an amendment to the Department whenever there is a change in its registered office, its name, its type of association, its jurisdiction of formation, or certain other information originally reported on its foreign registration statement. The amendment must state the entity’s name as registered in Pennsylvania, its current registered office address or CROP, and the specific information being changed. A Docketing Statement — Changes (DSCB:15-134B) must accompany the filing.

The filing fee for the Amendment of Foreign Registration is $250 — significantly higher than the $5 fee for the domestic statement of change. This fee applies uniformly to all foreign entity types: foreign business corporations, foreign nonprofit corporations, foreign LLCs, foreign limited partnerships, foreign LLPs, foreign limited liability limited partnerships, foreign business trusts, and foreign professional associations. The same physical-street-address and no-P.O.-Box requirements under 15 Pa.C.S. § 135(C) apply to foreign entities.

If a foreign entity fails to amend its registration when required, the Department may commence proceedings to terminate its registration under 15 Pa.C.S. § 419. The termination process provides at least 60 days’ notice and an opportunity to cure. Unlike a domestic entity that can be reinstated after administrative dissolution, a foreign association whose registration is terminated for failure to file an annual report must reregister by submitting an entirely new foreign registration statement.

Frequently Asked Questions About Changing a Registered Agent in Pennsylvania

How long does it take to change a registered agent in Pennsylvania?

The Department of State does not publish a guaranteed processing time for statements of change of registered office. Online filings submitted through the Business Filing Services portal are generally processed more quickly than paper filings. Expedited processing is available for online and in-person submissions at additional cost — same-day service costs $100, three-hour service costs $300, and one-hour service costs $1,000. For current processing-time estimates, contact the Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations at (717) 787-1057 or toll-free at (888) 659-9962, or email RA-CORPS@pa.gov.

Do I need to notify my current registered agent before changing?

Pennsylvania law does not require the entity to notify an outgoing CROP or office provider before filing a statement of change of registered office. The change is effective upon filing. Many entities choose to notify the former provider as a courtesy, particularly where a contractual relationship exists. If the outgoing provider wishes to end the relationship independently, it may do so by filing Form DSCB:15-108 to terminate its status as provider, rather than waiting for the entity to act.

Can I change my registered office address without changing the registered agent?

Yes. The Statement of Change of Registered Office (DSCB:15-1507/5507/8625/8825) permits an entity to move its registered office to a new physical address while continuing to use the same person or entity to maintain the office at the new location. If the address change is initiated by the agent itself — for example, because the CROP has relocated within the same county — the agent may file the change on the entity’s behalf using Form DSCB:15-108.

What is the agent-initiated address change form and when is it used?

Form DSCB:15-108 — Statement of Change of Registered Office by Agent — is filed by the person or CROP that maintains the registered office, not by the entity itself. It is used when the agent changes its own name, moves its office to a new address within the same county, or terminates its status as provider. Under 15 Pa.C.S. § 108, the agent must promptly furnish each represented association with a copy of the filed statement. This form cannot appoint a different agent or CROP — it only modifies or ends the existing arrangement. A separate form must be filed for each represented entity, at a cost of $5 per filing.

Is there a penalty for not filing a change of registered agent?

Pennsylvania requires every domestic filing association to continuously maintain a registered office in the Commonwealth. While no direct fine is imposed for maintaining outdated registered office information, the consequences can be serious. Beginning with annual reports due on or after January 4, 2027, a domestic entity that fails to file its required annual report within six months after the due date is subject to administrative dissolution under 15 Pa.C.S. § 381. An administratively dissolved entity may not carry on any business activities except winding up. For foreign entities, the Department may terminate registration under 15 Pa.C.S. § 419. Maintaining an accurate registered office address is also essential because the Department sends annual report reminders and other official notices to that address.

Can I change my registered agent and the registered office address in the same filing?

Yes. The statement of change of registered office permits the entity to simultaneously change the physical address of its registered office and switch to a different CROP — or switch from a CROP to its own physical street address — in a single filing. Only one filing fee of $5 applies. Entities that have already filed an annual report may also update their registered office address through a free annual report update instead of using the standalone form.

What happens if my registered agent resigns?

When a CROP or other person maintaining the registered office ceases to provide that service, it files Form DSCB:15-108 and checks the termination option in field six. Under 15 Pa.C.S. § 108, the termination does not change the registered office address on file — but the former provider “shall thereafter not have any responsibility with respect to matters tendered to the office in the name of the association represented.” The entity should promptly file its own statement of change to designate a new registered office or CROP. If a CROP withdraws its statement of address entirely under 15 Pa.C.S. § 109(C), it must file a DSCB:15-108 for each association it represents. The filing fee is $5 per entity.

Does the new registered agent need to sign the change form?

No. The Statement of Change of Registered Office is signed by the entity’s authorized officer, general partner, member, or manager — not by the new CROP or registered office provider. However, if the entity designates a CROP, it should have a contractual arrangement in place with the provider before filing. The Department warns on its CROP information page that listing a CROP without a contract could subject the filer to penalties.

Can I use a P.O. Box for the new registered office address?

No. Under 15 Pa.C.S. § 135(C), every address submitted in a document filed with the Department must be an actual street address or rural route box number. The Department is required by statute to refuse any document that sets forth only a post office box address. The filing must also include the county in which the registered office is located.

Is the filing fee the same whether I file online or by mail?

Yes. The filing fee for the Statement of Change of Registered Office is $5 regardless of whether the form is submitted online through Business Filing Services or by mail. There is no surcharge for online filing. Standard paper filings must be paid by check or money order; credit cards are not accepted for standard filings. Credit card payments are accepted only when requesting expedited processing, which carries its own additional service fee on top of the base $5 filing charge.