How to Change Your Business Address in California

Eric DawsonByEric Dawson Business

The process for how to change business address in California starts with filing an updated Statement of Information at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov for a limited liability company (LLC) or corporation. Update the separate Franchise Tax Board (FTB) record through MyFTB, by phone, or by mailing Form 3533-B.

Licensed contractors must also report an address change to the Contractors State License Board within 90 days of the change (under its official address-change guidance). Business mailing addresses, principal-office addresses, and agent addresses are separate fields, so check which details need changing. California LLCs must continue filing their periodic Statement of Information every two years.

Which Records Need Separate Address Updates?

Business tax accounts, licenses, permits, and service-provider records need separate address updates when a California business moves. Updating the Secretary of State record is not universal notice to federal, state, or local agencies. Each business should notify the agencies responsible for its accounts and the organizations that use its address for correspondence or services.

California FTB accounts require an address update separate from the business entity filing. Keeping the tax mailing address current helps future correspondence reach the business promptly. Licensed contractors must also notify the Contractors State License Board separately because a Secretary of State filing does not automatically change the contractor license record.

Business mailing address, business location, and responsible party changes require attention to federal tax records. Form 8822-B from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) handles updates to those details. Moving the business does not require a new employer identification number for an address change alone, so relocation is separate from obtaining a different federal tax identifier.

Seller’s permit holders should update the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration using Form CDTFA-345, as recommended by Bend Law Group. Businesses with employees should also notify the California Employment Development Department. Payroll-tax and employer accounts belong on the move checklist alongside other tax records, rather than being treated as part of the entity filing.

Local licenses and permits need attention from each city or county that issued an authorization to the business. Include business licenses, tax certificates, zoning approvals, and health permits when identifying which offices to contact. Fictitious business names are filed with the county where the principal place of business is located, adding another county record to consider.

Operating relationships need direct updates with banks, payment processors, insurers, lenders, landlords, vendors, customers, and payroll providers. Retain evidence that each organization accepted the change rather than keeping only the request to update its records. Websites, invoices, contracts, and stationery also need the revised address so the business’s own materials reflect its new contact information.

Mail access at the former address should remain available while updates are pending. Monitor correspondence sent there until the revised public record appears, rather than treating submission as the end of the process. If an urgent legal or tax notice is expected during that interval, contact the responsible agency directly rather than relying only on mail forwarding.

How Does the LLC-12 Form Update an LLC’s Record?

The updated Statement of Information, commonly called Form LLC-12, reports revised business information without changing a California limited liability company’s (LLC) Articles of Organization. Filing the address update with the Secretary of State does not require waiting until the company’s next assigned filing period.

Principal-office, mailing, and agent addresses serve different purposes, so review each field separately. Use the principal-office field for the LLC’s principal office, and enter a different mailing address if the business receives correspondence elsewhere. Changing only the mailing field does not automatically revise the principal-office location or the address recorded for the agent for service of process.

The agent for service of process receives lawsuits and other official legal papers for the LLC. If that agent is an individual, the individual must have a physical California street address. Moving the business does not necessarily move its agent, and replacing the agent does not update the business’s mailing address.

Prepare, Submit, and Check the Filing

Online submission is available through bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov. Paper filing is another option when following the current form instructions for mail or in-person delivery. Before choosing a delivery method, prepare to identify the existing entity accurately rather than starting a new business registration.

  1. Confirm the LLC’s exact legal name and entity number in the official business-filing portal before beginning the address-change submission.
  2. Review the filing tips provided with the online form to help meet minimum statutory requirements and avoid errors or omissions.
  3. Check the fee before submitting: a Statement of Information costs $20 or $25, as of September 2026, according to the California Secretary of State.
  4. Verify that the accepted document displays the intended address, then retain the filed document, confirmation, payment receipt, and any correspondence about corrections.

Keep Recurring Filings Separate from the Move

California LLCs must file their initial Statement of Information within 90 days after filing their Articles of Organization. Subsequent statements are required every two years during the assigned filing period. An address update between regular periods does not replace the next periodic filing unless the Secretary of State treats that submission as the required filing for that period.

A Certificate of Amendment addresses changes to provisions in the filed Articles of Organization, such as the LLC’s legal name. Routine address changes do not require that document. Submitting an amendment for a move can add cost and delay without accomplishing the intended address update.

Restated Articles serve a different purpose: consolidating the formation document after several amendments. Restatement is not the default procedure for changing an address. Ownership interests also remain separate from the move, because an address change does not transfer those interests.

How to Change a Business Address in California by Agency

California businesses changing their address must use the filing for their entity type and update applicable tax and licensing accounts separately. Each account requires its agency’s update process, rather than one submission notifying every office. Partnerships and associations file different Secretary of State documents than corporations.

Agency or Record Applicable Filing or Value Channel, Timing, or Limit
Secretary of State: Statement of Information fee $20 or $25 Confirm the fee through the official filing flow before submission, per the Secretary of State’s filing guidance.
California Stock Corporation and Out-of-State Corporation Statement of Information – CA and Out-of-State Corporation File online at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov.
California Nonprofit Corporation, Credit Union and General Cooperative Statement of Information – Nonprofit Corporation File online at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov.
Common Interest Development Common Interest Development Statement – CA Nonprofit Corporation Additional filing for corporations that are common interest developments.
California Limited Partnership Amended Certificate of Limited Partnership – CA LP File online at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov.
Foreign Limited Partnership Amendment to Application for Registration (Form LP-6) Submit on paper to the Sacramento office.
General Partnership Statement of Amendment/Cancellation (Form GP-7) Submit on paper to the Sacramento office.
Limited Liability Partnership Amendment to Registration (Form LLP-2) Submit on paper to the Sacramento office.
Unincorporated Association Statement by Unincorporated Association (Form UA-100) Submit on paper to the Sacramento office.
Foreign Partnership other than a foreign limited partnership Statement by Foreign Partnership (Form LL-27) Submit on paper to the Sacramento office.
FTB: businesses, exempt organizations, estates, and trusts Form FTB 3533-B Mail the form; online and phone updates are alternatives.
Contractors State License Board (CSLB) 90 days Report the change within this period using an Application to Change Business Name or Address.
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA): seller’s permit Form CDTFA-345 Update the seller-permit record.

Secretary of State paper filings are returned for correction when names, omissions, errors, or misstatements prevent acceptance. Online forms include filing tips to help businesses meet minimum statutory requirements. Review those instructions before submitting the document, and retain the accepted filing, confirmation, payment receipt, and any correspondence about corrections.

Contractor address applications require an owner, partner, or corporate officer’s signature before submission. Using a post office box for the new business address also requires providing a business street address for the licensing record. Both mailing addresses and business street addresses are public information, so review the entries with that disclosure in mind.

Check license processing through the online license information service or by calling (800) 321-CSLB (2752). Monitor deliveries while the update is pending. For urgent notices, contact the agency directly.

Federal business address changes use IRS Form 8822-B for business mailing-address, business-location, or responsible-party changes. An address change alone does not require a new employer identification number. Employers should also update their address with the California Employment Development Department, which administers payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, and other employer-related programs.

Local address updates belong with each city or county that issued a business license, tax certificate, zoning approval, health permit, or other authorization. Fictitious business names are filed with the county where the principal place of business is located. Follow each agency’s current process for the authorization it administers.

Business partners need direct notice: update banks, payment processors, insurers, lenders, landlords, vendors, customers, and payroll providers. Revise websites, invoices, contracts, and stationery to carry the new address, and retain evidence that each partner accepted the change. Subscription services and online business listings also belong on the business’s operational update checklist.

Which FTB Address Form Is for Businesses?

For a mailed FTB address update, business taxpayers should use Form FTB 3533-B, “Change of Address for Businesses, Exempt Organizations, Estates and Trusts.” Choose the business address-change process rather than the individual taxpayer form.

Form FTB 3533, “Change of Address for Individuals,” applies to individual taxpayers who file Forms 540, 540 2EZ, or 540NR. Those individual income-tax forms identify the separate personal address-change process, not the form for updating a business account.

Mail the completed business form to Franchise Tax Board, PO Box 942840, Sacramento CA 94240-0002. Exempt organizations, estates, and trusts also use the business version for their mailed address changes.

Keeping the FTB mailing address current helps future correspondence reach the taxpayer promptly.

How Can a Business Update Its Address Through MyFTB?

MyFTB lets a business update its FTB address online by logging in, selecting “Profile,” and choosing “Update contact information.” Next, view the account information, select “Edit address,” enter the new address, and select “Save.”

Online address changes through MyFTB are the fastest way to update an account, according to the FTB. Business taxpayers without an account can register for one before using this route.

Phone assistance offers another way to change the business’s tax-account address: call 800-852-5711. Callers outside the United States should use 916-845-6500. Help is available on weekdays from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Continue monitoring correspondence while the update is pending.

For urgent notices, follow the guidance above while the update is pending.

Do Operating Agreements or Bylaws Need State Filing?

Operating agreements and bylaws stay with the business entity; they are not filed with the California Secretary of State. Public address filings belong in the state’s business record, separate from these internal governing documents.

A Certificate of Amendment applies when changing a provision in a California limited liability company’s (LLC) filed Articles of Organization, such as its legal name. Choosing that filing for a routine move adds cost and delay without updating the company’s address.

When Restated Articles Serve a Different Purpose

Restated Articles serve businesses that have made several amendments and want one consolidated formation document. Keeping that distinction clear separates a business-location update from work on the company’s formation documents.

Ownership interests do not transfer because an LLC changes its address. Changes in ownership require separate analysis, rather than treating the move as a transaction involving the company’s owners.

Until the revised public record appears, monitor correspondence sent there.

Operating agreements or bylaws deserve a document-level check rather than an assumption that every address move belongs in a state filing. After office and maintenance coordination at apartment properties (2009-2013), Dayton suburbs, I am wary of paperwork that treats a changed address as a complete answer, especially when lease fees, deposits, and move-out deductions surfaced in about 40 move-outs a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an LLC Report an Address Change Before Its Next Filing Period?

An interim address update does not replace the LLC’s next required periodic filing unless the Secretary of State accepts it for that period. Keep the accepted document, filing confirmation, payment receipt, and any correction correspondence.

Does Changing a Mailing Address Also Change the Registered Agent’s Address?

An individual agent for service of process must have a physical California street address.

Do California Partnerships Use the Same Address-Change Filing as LLCs?

California limited partnerships file an Amended Certificate of Limited Partnership online. Foreign limited partnerships submit Form LP-6 on paper, while general partnerships submit Form GP-7. Limited liability partnerships submit Form LLP-2 on paper to the Secretary of State’s Sacramento office.

Does a Business Address Change Require a New Employer Identification Number?

A business address change alone does not require a new employer identification number. Businesses with California employer or payroll-tax accounts should also update those addresses under the responsible agency’s current instructions.

References

Sources read in September 2026.

Eric Dawson

I'm Eric Dawson, and I write The Money Watch from north Columbus, Ohio. Most of what I cover comes from my own life: renting, a 2014 Honda Fit, parking, computers, food and the bills behind all of it. I spent four years in an apartment-property office and eleven on a distributor's operations desk, reading leases and invoices. Where you need real information, I research the maker's or agency's own page and independent sources and report what they publish. I don't give tax, investment, legal or medical advice.