When Is a Change of Registered Agent Required in Kansas?
Under the Kansas Business Entity Standard Treatment Act (K.S.A. § 17-7926), any covered entity — which includes every corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership, and limited liability partnership organized or registered in Kansas — may change its registered office or resident agent by filing a certificate of amendment with the Kansas Secretary of State. Kansas uses the term resident agent rather than “registered agent,” though both terms carry the same legal meaning and refer to the individual or entity designated to accept service of process on behalf of the business. Every domestic and foreign covered entity must continuously have and maintain a resident agent and a registered office in Kansas under K.S.A. § 17-7925, and failure to do so may lead to forfeiture of the entity’s organizing documents or, for a foreign entity, forfeiture of its authority to transact business in the state.
A change filing is required whenever any of the following circumstances occur:
- The current resident agent resigns.
- The current resident agent dies or moves from the registered office.
- The current resident agent’s business address changes.
- The resident agent is no longer generally present at the registered office to accept service of process.
- The entity voluntarily selects a different resident agent.
- The agent no longer consents to serve.
Kansas law does not distinguish between a voluntary and an involuntary change — the filing requirement and the form used are the same in either case. Under K.S.A. § 17-7926(b), if a resident agent dies or moves from the registered office, the entity must designate and certify a new agent to the Secretary of State within 30 days.
Grounds for Changing Your Registered Agent in Kansas
The most common grounds for filing a change of resident agent or registered office are summarized in the table below. Regardless of the reason, the entity satisfies the requirement by filing the appropriate certificate of amendment with the Secretary of State.
| Ground | Filing Required |
| Resident agent resigns | Form ROA – Certificate of Amendment, Change of Resident Agent and/or Registered Office |
| Resident agent dies or relocates out of Kansas | Form ROA |
| Resident agent’s business address changes | Form ROA (entity-filed) or Form RGO (agent-filed) |
| Entity switches to a professional resident agent service | Form ROA |
| Resident agent no longer generally present to accept process | Form ROA |
| Resident agent no longer consents to serve | Form ROA |
| Entity changes its own registered office address | Form ROA or Form RGO |
An entity’s resident agent and registered office information is part of the public record maintained by the Secretary of State and is searchable through the Business Entity Search. Any inaccurate or outdated information should be corrected promptly by filing the appropriate certificate of amendment to avoid the risk of forfeiture.
Kansas Registered Agent Change Requirements
Before filing a certificate of amendment to change the resident agent, the entity must confirm that the new agent and registered office satisfy Kansas eligibility requirements.
Eligibility of the new resident agent:
Kansas offers broader eligibility than many states. Under K.S.A. § 17-7925(a), the resident agent may be any of the following:
- Option A – The covered entity itself: Unlike most states, Kansas permits a covered entity to serve as its own resident agent.
- Option B – Individual: An individual who resides in Kansas and is generally present at a designated location in the state at sufficiently frequent times to accept service of process.
- Option C – Domestic entity: A domestic corporation, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability company, or business trust that is in good standing and maintains a business office identical with the registered office.
- Option D – Foreign entity: A foreign corporation, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability company, or business trust that is authorized to transact business in Kansas.
Registered office address:
The registered office must be a physical address in Kansas — a street address, rural route, or highway address — where the resident agent may be regularly present. Under K.S.A. § 17-7924, the postal address must include the building and suite number, street name or rural route number with box number, city, state, and zip code. A P.O. Box is not acceptable.
Execution and perjury declaration:
The certificate of amendment must be signed by an authorized person on behalf of the entity. Under K.S.A. § 17-7909, the execution of any document filed with the Secretary of State “shall constitute an oath or affirmation, under the penalties of perjury, that the facts stated in the document are true.” For corporations, this means an authorized officer; for LLCs, an authorized person; for limited partnerships, at least one general partner; and for LLPs, an authorized person. Notarization is not required.
Note: The Form ROA includes a declaration under penalty of perjury that the information is true and correct. Signing a document known to be false in any material respect may constitute a criminal offense under Kansas law.
How to File a Statement of Change of Registered Office/Agent
The change is made by filing Form ROA – Certificate of Amendment, Change of Resident Agent and/or Registered Office with the Kansas Secretary of State. The form may be filed online or by mail, and detailed instructions are included with the Form ROA PDF.
The form is straightforward and requires the following information:
- Business ID/file number (Section 1): Enter the entity’s ID number issued by the Kansas Secretary of State. This is not a tax ID number. ID numbers can be found through the Business Entity Search.
- Name of business (Section 2): Enter the complete legal name of the business, including formation words such as LLC, LLP, Corp., or Inc. The name must match the name on record with the Secretary of State.
- Name of resident agent (Section 3): Enter the name of the new resident agent. The agent must be an individual, a business already registered with the Secretary of State’s office, or the business entity itself. If the resident agent is a registered business, the name must match exactly as it appears on file.
- Registered office in Kansas (Section 4): Enter the Kansas street address of the registered office for the resident agent. The address must be a street, rural route, or highway — a P.O. Box is not acceptable.
- Signature (Section 5): An authorized person on behalf of the entity signs the form under the penalty-of-perjury declaration.
The certificate of amendment does not require the new resident agent’s separate signature or a separate consent form. The authorized person’s signature and perjury declaration serve as the verification. On acceptance, the filing is effective as the entity’s change of record, and no further amendment to the entity’s public organic documents is needed. K.S.A. § 17-7926(с) specifically provides that a covered entity filing a certificate under this section “shall not be required to take any further action to amend its public organic documents to reflect a change of registered office or resident agent.”
Filing Method: Online vs. Mail
Kansas allows the certificate of amendment to be filed online or by mail. Online filing is available through the Secretary of State’s Change/Amend a Business page.
| Method | Details |
| Online | File at Kansas Secretary of State website — requires a free customer account; credit/debit cards accepted; processing happens within minutes; certified copy available for immediate download |
| Kansas Secretary of State, Docking State Office Building, 915 SW Harrison Street, Topeka, KS 66612 — checks and credit/debit cards accepted; certified copy mailed to sender after processing |
Online filing is significantly faster and carries a lower fee for most for-profit entity types — $30 online versus $35 by paper. Processing of online filings typically occurs within minutes, and the certified copy of the certificate of amendment can be downloaded immediately from the website. Paper filings take longer due to mail and processing time.
Note: If filing online, do not also mail the paper form. The online portal collects all required information directly.
Registered Agent Change Filing Fees by Entity Type
Filing fees for the certificate of amendment to change the resident agent or registered office vary by entity type and filing method. The fees are established through a combination of the statutory fee set by K.A.R. 7-34-2 and administrative surcharges under K.A.R. 7-16-1 and 7-16-2. The total fees, as published on the Form ROA instructions, are as follows:
| Entity Type | Paper Filing Fee | Online Filing Fee |
| For-profit corporation (domestic or foreign) | $35 | $30 |
| Limited liability company (domestic or foreign) | $35 | $30 |
| Limited partnership (domestic or foreign) | $35 | $30 |
| Limited liability partnership (domestic or foreign) | $35 | $30 |
| Business trust | $35 | $30 |
| Professional association | $35 | $30 |
| Not-for-profit corporation (domestic or foreign) | $20 | $20 |
| Cooperative society/marketing cooperative | $20 | $20 |
Checks should be made payable to “Kansas Secretary of State.” Credit and debit cards are accepted for both online and mail filings; a credit/debit card cover page is included with the paper form. The resident agent resignation form (Form RAN) also carries a fee — $35 for for-profit entities and $20 for not-for-profit corporations — which is unusual among states where resignation filings are typically free.
Effective Date of a Registered Agent Change in Kansas
A certificate of amendment changing the resident agent or registered office is effective upon its filing date with the Secretary of State. Under K.S.A. § 17-7911, any document filed with the Secretary of State is effective upon its filing date, but the document may specify that it is not to become effective until a later date, provided that date is not more than 90 days after the filing date.
Immediate effect: The default rule — the change takes effect on the date and at the time the Secretary of State endorses the document as “Filed.”
Delayed effective date: The certificate may specify a future effective date, not later than 90 days after the filing date. If a delayed effective date is specified and the entity later decides to terminate or amend the transaction before that date, the entity must file a certificate of termination or certificate of amendment of the original document prior to the future effective date.
In practice, nearly all resident agent changes use the immediate effective date. Online filings processed within minutes become effective almost instantly.
Changing the Registered Agent Address Without Changing the Agent
When a resident agent changes the address of its own business office — but the same individual or entity continues to serve as agent — the agent may file directly with the Secretary of State rather than requiring each represented entity to file an individual certificate of amendment. The agent-initiated form is Form RGO – Certificate of Amendment, Change to the Current Resident Agent by the Current Resident Agent, authorized by K.S.A. § 17-7927.
Form RGO can also be used when the resident agent’s name changes — such as through a merger, conversion, or division of the agent entity — without the need for each covered entity to file separately. The form cannot, however, be used to change from one resident agent to a different resident agent; that requires the entity to file Form ROA.
The following table compares the entity-filed and agent-initiated forms:
| Feature | Form ROA (Entity-Filed) | Form RGO (Agent-Filed) |
| Filed by | Entity (authorized representative) | Current resident agent |
| Purpose | Change resident agent, registered office, or both | Update agent’s address or name only |
| Can appoint a new agent | Yes | No — same agent must continue |
| Covers multiple entities in one filing | No (one per entity) | Yes (bulk filing available) |
| Signed by | Authorized person on behalf of entity | Current resident agent or representative |
The fee structure for Form RGO is:
| Filing Type | Fee |
| Single not-for-profit corporation | $20 |
| Single for-profit entity (all other businesses) | $35 |
| Bulk filing (multiple businesses) | $150 |
Under K.S.A. § 17-7927(b), if a resident agent’s office moves only to a different suite within the same building, no fee is charged for recording the change. The bulk filing option at a flat $150 is especially practical for commercial registered agent services that represent large numbers of Kansas entities, allowing a single filing to update the registered office address for every covered entity the agent represents.
What Happens After the Change Is Filed
Once the Secretary of State accepts and files the certificate of amendment, several effects follow:
- The entity’s resident agent and registered office in the Secretary of State’s records are updated to reflect the new designation.
- The filing is effective as the change of record, and the entity is not required to take any further action to amend its public organic documents.
- The Secretary of State returns a certified copy of the recorded document to the person who filed it or that person’s representative, per K.S.A. § 17-7910(d).
- The new agent’s name and address become part of the entity’s public filing record, searchable through the Secretary of State’s online business entity database.
- The former resident agent’s authority to receive service of process on behalf of the entity terminates upon the effective date of the filing.
For online filings, the certified copy can be downloaded immediately from the Secretary of State’s website. For paper filings, the certified copy is mailed to the address of the sender.
Changing a Registered Agent for a Foreign Entity Registered in Kansas
A foreign covered entity that has qualified to do business in Kansas is subject to the same resident agent and registered office requirements as a domestic entity. Under K.S.A. § 17-7934, every foreign covered entity must have and maintain a registered office and a resident agent in the same manner prescribed for domestic entities by K.S.A. § 17-7924 and § 17-7925.
A foreign entity changes its resident agent by filing the same Form ROA used by domestic entities. The same eligibility requirements, physical street address requirements, execution requirements, filing methods, and fees apply. The filing fee for a foreign for-profit corporation, LLC, LP, or LLP is $35 by paper or $30 online; for a foreign not-for-profit corporation, the fee is $20 regardless of filing method.
If a foreign entity fails to maintain a resident agent, the Secretary of State may declare the foreign entity’s authority to do business in Kansas forfeited under K.S.A. § 17-7926(b), after giving 30 days’ notice of the intended action. A resident agent serving a foreign entity may also initiate an address change using Form RGO or resign using Form RAN, following the same procedures and timelines as for domestic entities.
Frequently Asked Questions About Changing a Registered Agent in Kansas
How long does it take to change a registered agent in Kansas?
Online filings submitted through the Secretary of State’s Change/Amend a Business page are typically processed within minutes, and the certified copy of the certificate of amendment can be downloaded immediately. Paper filings sent by mail take longer due to postal delivery and office processing time; the Secretary of State does not publish a guaranteed turnaround for paper submissions. For questions about current processing times, contact Business Services at (785) 296-4564.
Do I need to notify my current registered agent before changing?
Kansas law does not impose a statutory obligation on the entity to notify the outgoing resident agent before filing Form ROA. The change is effective upon filing and acceptance by the Secretary of State. Many entities choose to notify the outgoing agent as a professional courtesy, particularly when the agent holds files or pending correspondence. If the outgoing agent wishes to end the relationship independently, the agent may file a Form RAN – Resignation of Resident Agent Without Appointing a Successor, though the agent must give the entity at least 30 days’ written notice before filing that form.
Can I change my registered office address without changing the registered agent?
Yes. Form ROA permits changing only the registered office address while keeping the same resident agent. Enter the new registered office address in section 4 while leaving the existing agent’s name in section 3. If the resident agent itself is initiating the address change, Form RGO may be used instead. A single filing fee applies in either case.
What is the agent-initiated address change form and when is it used?
The agent-initiated form is Form RGO – Certificate of Amendment, Change to the Current Resident Agent by the Current Resident Agent, authorized by K.S.A. § 17-7927. The resident agent files it — not the entity — when the agent changes its own business address or name while continuing to serve. This form cannot appoint a different agent. Bulk filing for multiple entities is available at a flat $150 fee, making it practical for commercial agent services. If only the suite number changes within the same building, no fee is charged.
Is there a penalty for not filing a change of registered agent?
Kansas requires every covered entity to maintain a resident agent and registered office continuously. Under K.S.A. § 17-7926(b), if a resident agent dies or moves and the entity does not designate a new agent within 30 days, service of process may be made under K.S.A. § 60-304. After giving 30 days’ notice, the Secretary of State may declare the entity’s public organic document forfeited — or, for a foreign entity, may declare its authority to do business in Kansas forfeited. Forfeiture effectively suspends the entity’s legal existence and its ability to maintain lawsuits in Kansas courts.
Can I change my registered agent and the registered office address in the same filing?
Yes. Form ROA permits changing the resident agent, the registered office address, or both in a single filing. A single filing fee applies — $30 online or $35 by paper for for-profit entities, or $20 for not-for-profit corporations. Complete both the new agent name (section 3) and the new registered office address (section 4) on the same form.
What happens if my registered agent resigns?
A resident agent may resign without appointing a successor by filing Form RAN with the Secretary of State under K.S.A. § 17-7929. Before filing, the agent must give the entity at least 30 days’ written notice of the intent to resign. The resignation does not become effective until 30 days after the certificate is filed with the Secretary of State. The entity then has 60 days from the filing date to designate a new resident agent by filing Form ROA. If the entity fails to do so within that period, the Secretary of State will declare the entity’s organizing documents forfeited. After the resignation takes effect, if no new agent has been designated, service of process against the entity is made upon the Secretary of State.
Does the new registered agent need to sign the change form?
No. Form ROA is signed only by an authorized person on behalf of the entity. The form does not include a separate signature line or consent form for the new resident agent. Under K.S.A. § 17-7909, the authorized person’s signature constitutes “an oath or affirmation, under the penalties of perjury, that the facts stated in the document are true,” which implicitly encompasses the agent’s willingness to serve.
Can I use a P.O. Box for the new registered office address?
No. The registered office must be a physical address in Kansas — a street, rural route, or highway address — where the resident agent may be regularly present to accept service of process. Under K.S.A. § 17-7924, the postal address must include the building and suite number, street name or rural route number, city, state, and zip code. A P.O. Box is explicitly unacceptable, as confirmed on the Form ROA instructions.
Is the filing fee the same whether I file online or by mail?
No — Kansas charges different fees for online and paper filings. For for-profit entities (corporations, LLCs, LPs, LLPs, business trusts, and professional associations), the filing fee is $30 online or $35 by paper. For not-for-profit corporations and cooperative societies, the fee is $20 regardless of filing method. There is no additional credit or debit card surcharge for online filing.