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How to Change Your Registered Agent in District of Columbia

The form, the fee, and how to file it.

Filing details

Form name
Statement of Change of Registered Agent by Entity
Filing fee
$50
Online filing
Yes
Processing time
about 5 business days for a non-expedited online filing, with the same $50 and $100 expedite tiers available
Filing agency
DLCP ↗
Note: Filed on BOSS under Filings and Registered Agent Services. The $50 is the for-profit rate; $40 is the nonprofit rate on the same fee page and does not apply to an LLC. D.C. Code Section 29-104.07 calls the filing a statement of change and treats it as an affirmation that the new agent has consented to serve, so no separate consent form is filed by the entity. DLCP PUBLISHES NO FORM NUMBER FOR THIS FILING. It is reached through the BOSS workflow rather than a downloadable form, and the name above is the one the statute uses. A commercial registered agent updating its OWN listing uses a different filing with its own fee, which is not the one an entity makes here.
Open online filing portal ↗

How to change your registered agent in District of Columbia

  1. Choose your new registered agent first. Do not file the change form until you have a new agent lined up. The new agent has to consent to the appointment, and most states will not process the change without that consent in hand. If you let coverage lapse, the DLCP can administratively dissolve your LLC.

    Two ways to go. Name yourself or someone you know. Nothing to pay beyond the state filing fee above, but your address goes in the public record and somebody has to be there during business hours to accept legal mail.
    Or use a service at $125/year. That keeps your address private and prepares the change form for you. If you are here because your current agent resigned, missed a delivery, or raised its price, this is usually the reason. See what Northwest charges, or compare what the major agents cost first.

  2. Get the Statement of Change of Registered Agent by Entity. Download the form ↗ You can file this online through the District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection portal. The form requires your LLC name, the new agent name and address, and a signature. The new agent must consent to the appointment.
  3. Pay the $50 filing fee. Pay by credit card during the online filing. A small processing surcharge usually applies. Mail filings accept check or money order; confirm the exact payee on the form before you send it, because it is not the Secretary of State in every state.
  4. Notify your old agent. Once the change is processed, your old agent's responsibility ends. If you are paying them an annual fee, cancel that subscription so it does not auto-renew. Most agents do not refund the unused portion, so time the cancellation against your renewal date.
  5. Verify the change in state records. Search your LLC name on the DLCP business search and confirm the new registered agent is listed. Check back after the processing window shown above.

Important to know about District of Columbia

  • The agent address must be a physical street address in the District. PO boxes, third-party mailboxes and addresses in Maryland or Virginia are rejected.
  • Going more than 60 days without a registered agent is an independent ground for terminating the registration under D.C. Code Section 29-105.11(a)(3).
  • A change of agent name or address that arrives on the biennial report is treated as a statement of change under Section 29-102.11(e), so the report itself can carry the update.
  • A person or entity acting as agent for more than 50 entities must become a commercial registered agent by filing form RA-1 under Section 29-104.05.

Have a service handle the change for you

Northwest will prepare and file the Statement of Change of Registered Agent by Entity for you when you sign up. The state filing fee is yours to pay. The change is usually filed the same business day.

Get Northwest Registered Agent ↗
$125/year · All 50 states · Privacy included
Harbor Compliance
$99 first year, then $149/year · Full-service compliance option
Visit site ↗
Registered Agents Inc
$200/year · Report filing included, state fees extra
Visit site ↗

Choosing a replacement agent? Our full Northwest Registered Agent review and Harbor Compliance review compare pricing, renewals, and service before you file.

Related guides

This page provides general information based on publicly available District of Columbia Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection requirements. It is not legal advice. Forms, fees, and procedures can change. Verify with the DLCP before filing.