How to Change a Registered Agent in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma is a great state to set up your business. It’s one of the best business environments in the US. If you plan on setting up a business in the State of Oklahoma, one of the foremost requirements of the state government is having a registered agent.

What is a Registered Agent?

A registered agent can be a business or an individual appointed to receive legal documents for your company. These legal documents include tax notices, subpoenas, lawsuits, and others. 

All companies doing business in the state of Oklahoma must have a registered agent to ensure tracking of all legal mail sent within the state. To become a registered agent in the state of Oklahoma, you must meet the following requirements:

You must

• Be able to receive mail during business hours at an office
• Be present to receive the legal mail intended for the business you represent
• Have a physical address within Oklahoma. Note that making use of a P.O Box is not allowed.

 

Registered Agent in Oklahoma, who can work as one?

A person must meet certain requirements before he/she can work as a registered agent in Oklahoma. These requirements are made by the Secretary of the State of Oklahoma. 

• A registered agent can be an employee of the company or third parties such as lawyers and registered agent service companies that is a resident or an organization that is located in Oklahoma and has a valid street address in Oklahoma. Corporations and limited liability companies (LLCs) cannot be their registered agents. However, if you are a resident and of legal age (more than 18) in Oklahoma, you are allowed to register as your business’s registered agent in a case whereby you have a start-up business or you are a small business entrepreneur. 
• If you are a business owner based outside Oklahoma, you must first have the authorization to do business.

 

Changing your Registered Agent in Oklahoma

If you have decided to shift to another agency or entity to represent your company in Oklahoma, maybe because your previous registered agent moved out of the state, no longer wants the responsibility, or he left your company for another. Changing registered agents is easy, all you need to do is follow the following steps, as outlined by the Department of the State of Oklahoma:

1. Go to the Oklahoma Secretary of State Entity filling webpage, you can get to this page by clicking on the “Business Entities’ ‘ Option on the Oklahoma Business Services Page. You can choose to change your Registered Agent in the State of Oklahoma through a non-electronic means by downloading and completing the appropriate Change or Designation of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office form depending on your business structure and whether or not your business is foreign or domestic to the State of Oklahoma. For example, a Domestic Corporation, a Foreign Corporation, a Domestic LLC, a Foreign LLC, etc. You can download these forms from the Secretary of the State of Oklahoma Downloadable Business Forms webpage.
2. The form must be correctly filled, note that there’s a fee of 25 dollars that must be paid for the document to be processed. The payment can be made through a money order or a check (made payable to the “Oklahoma Secretary of State”), or with a card (if you’re submitting online).

If you’re submitting through the mail, the completed document and the check  will be mailed to the address:

Oklahoma Secretary of State

421 N.W. 13th Street, Suite 210

Oklahoma City, OK 73103.

You can also choose to drop off the documents and the payment in person by delivering them to the address above.

The Secretary of the State of Oklahoma usually takes between 5 to 7 working days to complete the process if you had submitted through the mail, meanwhile, it takes only a day for the document to be processed if you submit it online, and the processing of the document is completed while you wait if you submit in person. 

You have to know that you cannot effectively change your registered agent in the State of Oklahoma by just making changes to your annual reports, however, you can still change your registered agent by filing for an amendment in your Articles of Organization, although with a fee of 50 dollars only.

 

Should I Get a Professional Registered Agent Service Company?

Getting a professional registered agent company can reduce a lot of effort and time for any business owner. There are numerous benefits to it whether you are an established company or a small business owner. Some of these benefits are:

• Making use of their address instead of your home address, especially if you don’t have an office yet. This detail will be included in public records.
• Registered Agent processes paperwork for you
• Notify you immediately if you receive any new legal mail 
• Notify you of mandatory filing of Oklahoma annual reports
• Help you to avoid penalties for delayed filings
• Assist you with forms and instructions needed to set up your business
• If you operate a small business out of state, they fill in as your local contact in the state.

Several agencies offer registered agent services in Oklahoma. However, you have to be careful in finding a trustworthy agent to handle your business. 

 Advantages of Using an Oklahoma Business Address vs. Personal Address

• A business address minimizes exposure of your home address as public information
• Some city municipalities may not allow using home addresses as business offices
• Using your personal address can probably link you to business liabilities 
• Using a business address can help you separate business and personal transactions

Image	Product	Features	Price
	Northwest Registered Agent	Pricing: $125/year Who Should Use It:  If you are willing to pay a little more for top-notch customer support and want to combine virtual office and mail forwarding services with registered agent service. Pros Top-notch customer service. Great Phone Support.  Focus on Privacy. Documents are scanned on the same day they are received. Mail forwarding is also available. Money back refund possible within 90 days No hidden charges. They handle all fees associated with the change in RA (good if you plan to change your registered agent). Cons Not the cheapest. Zenbusiness is slightly cheaper.	Get Best PriceFull Review
	ZenBusiness	Pricing: $99/year Who Should Use It: If you need a basic reliable registered agent service at a great price, ZenBusiness is a good choice. Pros: Affordable pricing. Plans start from $99/year. Offers free registered agent service with its incorporation service Convenient online dashboard for documents Offers business formation services It is a public benefit corporation. BBB accredited (A-) and positive word of mouth on internet communities. Cons: Does not forward mails. No pro-rated refunds.	Get Best PriceFull Review
	Incfile	Pricing: $119/year. Free for the first year if you use their incorporation service. Who Should Use It: If your objective is to minimize the startup costs in the first year, Incfile is a decent choice. Pros: Automatic mail forwarding service. Email and SMS notifications Free for the first year if you also incorporate your business with Incfile. It will cost you $119/year as a standalone service. Cons Customer reviews and word of mouth is mixed. Many customers complain about slow TAT and long waiting time for customer support. Lots of upsells. You may just choose to ignore it.	Get Best PriceFull Review
	LegalZoom	Pricing: $299/year One of the oldest brands with a high number of customers. 60 days money-back guarantee.  The price is very high as they charge $299/year for standalone registered agent service.	Get Best PriceFull Review
	Harbor Compliance	Pricing: $99/year. It is reduced to $89/year if you opt for a 3+ years package. Who Should Use It: If you are looking for reliable registered agent services that help track regulatory requirements and promptly notify about lawsuits, Harbor Compliance is a good choice. Pros: Affordable pricing and no hidden fees. Price starts from $99 a year. Multiyear discounts. Annual reports notification. Same-day document scanning and delivery. You get phone notifications of lawsuits. Other companies generally notify via email. Cons: No refund if you cancel the service. They do not offer physical delivery of mail	Get Best PriceFull Review
	Rocket Lawyer	Pricing: $150/year Who Should Use It: Medium-sized or Start-up Business owners who want to take advantage of Rocket Lawyer’s legal subscription services and don’t mind paying to pay a little extra to get their legal needs fulfilled in one place.  Pros Support from legal experts. You can avail all kinds of legal services in one place. Prompt customer service and Money-back guarantee You do not get free registered agent service with the business formation. Good customer support. Good reputation among users. Cons Price is on the higher side. No pro-rated or full refund option even if you cancel.	Get Best PriceFull Review

Conclusion

Having a registered agent is your gateway to setting up a business in the state of Oklahoma. Doing it yourself is possible, but it can eat up a lot of your time, money, and energy. It is better to get a registered agent service and use the resources to build your business instead. Let them help you do business hassle-free in Oklahoma.