Complete guide to updating your LLC's registered agent with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations Division, including required forms and fees.
The 5 steps to change your registered agent in Michigan. Source: Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations Division.
How to File
1
Choose Your New Registered Agent
Select a new registered agent who is either a Michigan resident with a street address in the state, or a business entity authorized to do business in Michigan. Ensure they can receive legal documents during normal business hours.
2
Obtain Written Consent
Get written agreement from your new registered agent confirming they accept the appointment. This consent should be kept in your LLC records, though it's not filed with the state.
3
Complete the Change of Registered Agent Form
File Form 806 (Change of Registered Agent/Office) with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Include your LLC name, file number, new agent's name and address, and signature of an authorized LLC member or manager.
4
Submit Form and Pay Fee
File Form 806 online at https://www.michigan.gov/sos or mail it to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The filing fee is $10, payable online by credit card or by check if mailing.
5
Update Your Records
Once the change is processed, update your internal LLC records and notify banks, vendors, and other parties of your new registered agent information. Keep a copy of the filed form for your records.
Ready to file your annual report?
Go directly to the Michigan Secretary of State portal.
Your current registered agent is moving out of Michigan or closing their business
You're unsatisfied with your current agent's service quality or responsiveness
You want to switch from being your own agent to using a professional service
Your registered agent's fees have increased beyond your budget
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. It reports what each state publishes about filing deadlines, fees, and the consequences of missing them, with the sources this page cites. It cannot tell you what your own company owes: the date turns on when and where you formed, states change these rules between our reviews, and in several states an entity-level tax falls due in a year when no report does. Confirm your own dates with the filing office named on this page before you rely on one here, because the penalty for missing a deadline can be administrative dissolution of the company.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can change your registered agent in Michigan within 1-2 business days if you file online through the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations Division's portal, or 7-10 business days if you mail Form CSCL/CD-501 (Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office) to the Lansing office. There's no filing fee for this change. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations Division will email or mail you a certification once your amendment is officially recorded in their system. This timeline matters because your new registered agent can only legally receive service of process and official documents after the change is processed, during the waiting period, your old agent remains responsible. To expedite the process, file online at mi.sos.gov using your existing Michigan login credentials, which guarantees processing within two business days rather than risking postal delays.
Michigan charges a $10 filing fee to change your registered agent, submitted with Form 806 (Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office) to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). This fee remains constant whether you file online through the LARA website or submit a paper form by mail to their Lansing office. Unlike some states, Michigan imposes no additional processing fees, expedited filing charges, or administrative costs beyond this single $10 payment. For LLC owners, this means your total out-of-pocket expense is minimal, though you should budget for any registered agent service fees if using a third-party provider rather than designating yourself. The $10 fee is non-refundable regardless of processing outcome. To proceed, access Form 806 from the LARA website, complete it with your current and new agent information, include the $10 check or credit card payment, and file immediately to ensure your agent change takes effect within 5 to 7 business days.
Yes, you can serve as your own registered agent in Michigan if you maintain a physical street address within the state. A PO Box doesn't qualify. However, this role carries significant legal responsibility: you must be available during standard business hours to personally receive service of process, subpoenas, and other official documents on behalf of your LLC.
The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) requires you to list your street address on the Certificate of Organization (Form CSCL/CD-500). If you miss receiving critical legal paperwork, your LLC could face default judgments or missed lawsuit deadlines without knowing proceedings were initiated.
Many Michigan LLC owners appoint a professional registered agent service instead to ensure documents are reliably received and forwarded. If you choose self-representation, verify LARA's current address requirements at michigan.gov/lara before filing or amending your registration.
No, changing your registered agent won't affect your LLC's good standing status in Michigan. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) doesn't penalize agent transitions when filed properly.
However, there's a critical caveat: failing to maintain a registered agent at all times can trigger administrative dissolution. If there's a gap between your old agent's resignation and your new agent's appointment, LARA may revoke your LLC's good standing status and dissolve the entity.
To avoid this, file Form LLLC5040 (Statement of Change of Registered Agent or Registered Office) with LARA before your current agent's termination takes effect. Michigan requires you to maintain continuous registered agent coverage. There can't be a lapse.
Next step: Contact your current registered agent's office to determine their notice period, then file your amendment form at least 5 business days before that date.
Online filing is the superior choice for changing your registered agent in Michigan. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations Division's online filing system processes Form MGREG (Statement of Change of Registered Agent) in just 1 to 2 business days, compared to 7 to 10 days for mailed submissions to the Corporation Division. You'll receive an immediate confirmation email upon submission, creating a timestamped record that protects you legally if disputes arise about when the change took effect. Online filing also eliminates handwriting legibility issues and postal delays that cause processing rejections. The filing fee is $25 regardless of method, but online submission is available 24/7 through mi.sos.gov, allowing you to complete it outside business hours. Mailing Form MGREG to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations Division, Corporation Division (430 W. Michigan Ave., Lansing, MI 48913) only makes sense if you lack internet access. For most LLC owners, filing online ensures your new registered agent information appears in the Michigan Corporate Database within days, preventing compliance issues. Visit mi.sos.gov/cis today to file your agent change online immediately.
Sources
Each entry below is a document recorded in our verified Michigan sources, and each entry says what the document is. Some statutory text is read from an accurate mirror rather than from the state's own host, and those say so.
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Edmond Hui is a software engineer and serial entrepreneur based in New York who has founded multiple online businesses across e-commerce, media, and information publishing. Before transitioning into tech, he spent years as a commercial real estate professional closing deals totaling over 100,000 square feet, giving him firsthand experience with business formation and entity structuring. He built MyStateLLC to provide the free, state-specific LLC guidance he wished existed when forming his own companies.
