Changing a Registered Agent in West Virginia: Form AAO and the $15 Fee

A registered agent change in West Virginia is accomplished through a single filing: Form AAO, the Application to Appoint or Change Process, Officers, and/or Addresses, submitted to the Secretary of State's Business & Licensing Division with a $15 fee. State statute refers to the role as the agent for service of process; the function is what other jurisdictions call a registered agent. The Secretary of State's agent and officer change page is the official reference for this filing.

About Form AAO

Form AAO is a consolidated instrument covering appointments and changes of process agents, officers, and addresses for all registered entity types. Three characteristics of the form are worth noting before you begin:

• Item 1 asks you to identify the entity type making the filing.
• Item 4 is the section devoted to a change of agent for service of process.
• The incoming agent must sign the form, formally consenting to the appointment.

The $15 fee is paid to the Secretary of State. The identical change can also be submitted electronically through the One Stop Business Portal, which carries a $1.00 online processing fee. For LLCs, the statutory authority for the change is W. Va. Code § 31B-1-109.

Reasons Entities Change Agents

Privacy. An agent address in the public record that happens to be a personal address exposes the owner to anyone searching state records. A professional agent substitutes a commercial address.

Reliability. Delayed document handling puts response deadlines at risk. A dedicated service accepts and scans documents the same day they arrive.

Price. Providers charging more for equivalent coverage are a common reason to move. Our rate is $99 per year with every feature included.

Operational change. Relocation out of state, closure of a physical office, or a shift to remote operations each require a compliant in-state agent arrangement.

The Change Process, Step by Step

1. Confirm the replacement agent's eligibility. W. Va. Code § 31B-1-108(b) permits an individual resident of West Virginia, a domestic corporation, another limited liability company, or a foreign corporation or company authorized in the state.
2. Complete Form AAO: the entity type at item 1, the agent change at item 4, and the new registered office address.
3. Obtain the incoming agent's signed consent directly on the form.
4. Deliver the form and the $15 fee to the Secretary of State's Business & Licensing Division, by mail or through the One Stop portal.
5. After processing, verify the updated designation in the Secretary of State's business records.

Enrollment and Transition

Upon enrollment we prepare the Form AAO filing on your behalf: our West Virginia address, the required consent signature, and submission to the state. There is no service charge for the change filing itself; the $15 state fee is the only amount due. We recommend keeping your existing agent active until the state confirms processing, which preserves continuous coverage.

Once the change is recorded, your registered office duties shift to us:

• Same-day scanning and email delivery of every document received
• Secure dashboard access to your full correspondence history
• Monitoring of the annual report window, January 1 through June 30
• Advance alerts before the $50 late fee attaches after July 1
• Our address on the public record in place of yours

$99 Per Year

All features. No tiers. No add-ons. Professional registered agent coverage in West Virginia for a single annual payment.

Order Here Questions about the change process? Contact us — Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm ET.