What to Do if You Need to Change Your LLC Address – A Detailed Guide
When you establish an LLC, you agree to commit to certain requirements to maintain your business status. One of the obligations is to notify the relevant government offices about any modifications in your company, such could be the change of address, whether it is a physical one or an official mailing address.
As every official business is obliged to have a primary office address registered in their state, this guide can be relevant to many business entities, including corporations and partnerships, even though we will be focusing mostly on LLCs.
First of All, Make Sure That the Address Change Is Necessary
One of the first things you need to determine is if you absolutely need to go through the process of changing your business address, because in some cases that might not be necessary.
If you, for example, already have a business in California, but are planning to start a Nevada LLC as a second location, and are still going to maintain the first business address active, you may not need to make the change.
The main purpose of having a registered address with the state is for the government to be able to find you and contact you. Therefore, if your first address still exists on file, you probably won’t need to go through all the paperwork.
Who do you need to notify?
To change the address of your LLC, you should contact several government agencies to make the update:
- Your Registered Agent
Every LLC should have a registered agent who takes care of legal documents and taxes and receives important mail on your behalf. The address of your registered agent is the address of your registered business, and in case the agent isn’t a member or an employee of your LLC, you may not need to change that address, of course, if you still want your business to be active on that first location.
If you are, on the other hand, moving your business completely to another state, you will need to update the registered agent at a new address. This is done by filling up an update with the secretary of state’s office at your new location.
- The IRS
It’s important to update your mailing address with the Internal Revenue Service, so as not to miss receiving any important tax documents. You should find Form 8822-B to add the new address of the responsible party at your LLC.
- The Business Agency of the State
If you are moving your business to another state, it is a good idea to update your address wherever you are. When you establish an LLC, you ought to file paperwork to the designated state agency or secretary of state.
This certificate of formation includes the primary physical address of your business for the purpose of contact. When this address needs to be changed, you must file articles of amendment with the state, as well as change the details on any e-filing platforms or profiles you might have.
For support and assistance, check the options Business Anywhere offers to their clients, on business creation, virtual mailbox, and more.
- Update Your Licenses and Permits
You may need to update the address on your business licenses and permits. This could be done by contacting the agencies that issued those licenses and submitting the change forms they require.
Inform Business Contacts and Relevant Parties
When you are done with all the required legal paperwork required for your address change, you should remember to inform all the services, partners, and clients about your moving, too.
- Banks and Financial Institutions
It is important to update your new address with your bank, as they will send letters of statements to the registered address. Furthermore, any business credit card must be connected to a physical address.
Updating banks on such details should be easy, and take only a phone call or filling out an online form on their website.
- Postal Services
Maintaining the correct address on the file of your postal services is crucial, because missing to receive your mail or having it lost may cause you bigger problems than you expect. Not only that your documents and packages will be out of reach, but you can risk exposing sensitive data related to your business, or your bank accounts.
If you are using USPS, the address-changing process will allow you to get your mail forwarded to your new address for a few months, which leaves you enough time to inform everyone you have mail correspondence with that your address has changed.
On the other hand, consider opening a virtual mailbox and getting the benefits of still keeping the address and receiving mail at your previous location. Such services will give you a chance to keep your presence at a certain location and manage and forward your mail to you.
- Customers
There is no need to explain just how important it is for the development of your business to keep your loyal customers and be at the disposal of the new ones.
If you are moving or expanding your business to another state, make sure you update your website and social media pages immediately about your new address, as well as your business cards, and other marketing material.
Even though people nowadays mostly focus on the information they can find online if you used to have a physical office or a store, never miss placing a physical sign or a notification about your moving. There are still a few people who may assume you have closed your business for good.
- Vendors
The same goes for vendors. Don’t miss to inform them about your new address, or update it on the accounts you have with them, because that mistake could significantly affect your business and the good collaboration you have been building for a long time.
Conclusion
Moving is never easy and it may bring you a lot of stress and worries. However, the most important thing is not to panic, and to take the whole process step by step. Stay informed on what you need to do to change your LLC address, and what may be the specific requirements of the state you are moving your business to.
The safest way is to consult an attorney or accountant who can help you with professional advice and guidance through all of the procedures.
