A Massachusetts LLC changes its resident agent, and a corporation its registered agent or registered office, by filing a change with the Corporations Division. The fee schedule lists no charge when the change is filed electronically and $25 on paper or fax. The new agent must qualify and consent, and the office must be a Massachusetts street address.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionM.G.L. c. 156C, § 5M.G.L. c. 156D, § 5.01Massachusetts General Laws chapters 156C, 156D, 180 and 110 and the Corporations Division Filing Fees page reviewed November 11, 2026. Confirm current fees with the Secretary of the Commonwealth before filing.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
- Filed with the Massachusetts Corporations Division
- We track your Massachusetts annual report
- Cited to M.G.L. chapters 156C and 156D
- Talk to a filer: (386) 465-3937
The forks in the road.
Fee
No fee electronically; $25 paper or fax (LLCs and corporations).
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionNonprofits
A chapter 180 nonprofit pays $10 to change its resident agent.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionWho qualifies (LLC)
Massachusetts resident individual, domestic corporation or qualified foreign corporation (c. 156C, § 5).
M.G.L. c. 156C, § 5Who qualifies (corporation)
Individual, domestic business or nonprofit corporation, or qualified foreign corporation with a Massachusetts business office (c. 156D, § 5.01).
M.G.L. c. 156D, § 5.01Agent resignation
An agent may resign by filing; the company then needs a new agent promptly to keep receiving state mail.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionWhat to have ready
- Choose the new agent
- Get the agent's consent
- Confirm the street address
- File the change online
- Update your next annual report
- Tell your old agent
Changing Your Massachusetts Resident Agent or Registered Office: Free Online, $25 on Paper
Changing Your Massachusetts Resident Agent or Registered Office: Free Online, $25 on Paper
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When to change
Moving offices, an agent who stopped forwarding mail, or an owner leaving the state are the usual reasons. If the resident agent is an owner moving out of Massachusetts, they no longer qualify as a resident individual for an LLC.
Source: www.sec.state.ma.us
Online is free
The schedule lists $25 for paper or fax changes and no fee electronically, for both LLCs and corporations. We file online.
Source: www.sec.state.ma.us
Keep the annual report in sync
The next annual report repeats the agent and office. If you change agents mid-year, the report should show the new agent so the record stays consistent.
Source: malegislature.gov
Switching to our service
Choose our $199 per year service, sign the order, and we file the change with our consent. Your old agent does not need to sign.
Source: malegislature.gov
When owners usually switch
The most common trigger is a move. The original agent was a founder who has since left Massachusetts, or the agent address was a home the owner sold. Others switch because the agent missed forwarding a lawsuit or because a commercial service raised its price. Whatever the reason, the new agent must consent to the appointment, and the change should be on file before the old agent stops accepting papers.
Source: malegislature.gov
What the change costs
The Corporations Division charges nothing to change a resident or registered agent electronically and $25 on paper or by fax. Our agent service is $199 a year. The change is not an amendment to the certificate of organization, so it does not carry the $100 amendment fee.
Source: www.sec.state.ma.us
Step by step
Confirm the new agent's Massachusetts street address and get its written consent. File the change with the Division and keep the filed copy with the company records. Update the address on your next annual report so it matches. Tell your bank, your accountant and any licensing board that mails notices to the agent address.
Source: www.sec.state.ma.us
Mistakes we see
Listing a post office box, which cannot receive service of process; naming a person who works out of state for months at a time; and forgetting to update the agent on the LLC's next annual report, which leaves two different addresses on the public record.
Source: malegislature.gov
Massachusetts law and Corporations Division rules behind this.
| Topic | Massachusetts rule | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | No fee electronically; $25 paper or fax (LLCs and corporations). | Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division |
| Nonprofits | A chapter 180 nonprofit pays $10 to change its resident agent. | Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division |
| Who qualifies (LLC) | Massachusetts resident individual, domestic corporation or qualified foreign corporation (c. 156C, § 5). | M.G.L. c. 156C, § 5 |
| Who qualifies (corporation) | Individual, domestic business or nonprofit corporation, or qualified foreign corporation with a Massachusetts business office (c. 156D, § 5.01). | M.G.L. c. 156D, § 5.01 |
| Agent resignation | An agent may resign by filing; the company then needs a new agent promptly to keep receiving state mail. | Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division |
Related Massachusetts reading.
Heads up: we are an independent company that prepares and submits Massachusetts filings for owners. We are not the Secretary of the Commonwealth or its Corporations Division, and we do not give legal advice. Every state charge passes through at the exact amount billed, shown separately from our service fee.
What Massachusetts owners ask us
No. The company files the change.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionYes. Change of registered office is a separate line on the same schedule, also free online.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionOnline changes are typically processed quickly; we send the filed copy.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations DivisionYes. Corp USA prepares and submits your Massachusetts filing with the Corporations Division for you. The state fee is passed through at cost and our service fee is shown separately at checkout, so you never have to work through the state's filing system yourself.
Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth, Corporations Division