As a member of a limited liability company (LLC), you're responsible for informing your state of any changes regarding your business's status. If your LLC has a new address, or if you're expecting one in a few weeks, you'll need to update the articles of organization—or certificate of organization, depending on what your state calls it—and notify the proper agencies of your address change.
Failure to update the forms and inform the proper agencies can result in your LLC losing its license to operate, so notifying the proper agencies is critically important.
Here's how to make the required changes.
Who to notify about your address change
If you're going to change your business address, you must notify several agencies and other organizations that you're changing the address. How to update your address includes doing the following:
- Notify the IRS about your new address. The IRS has forms for this, which you can submit online by e-filing, or by mail. Form 8822-b is a one-page document that's self-explanatory. It comes with instructions if you need additional information.
- Change your articles of organization. As an LLC, you should have articles of organization, a certificate of formation, or a similarly-named document on file with your secretary of state. First, find your articles of organization. Then, check with the secretary of state to see what you need to file to change your mailing address. Pay any required fee. Even if you've decided to work from home or have a virtual business address, you must still inform the secretary of state of the address change.
- File any required articles of amendment with the state. Each state has different filing requirements, so call your secretary of state's office to find out if they require you to fill out certain amendment forms. You may need to pay a fee, depending on your state. Failure to file updated articles of organization or articles of amendment could cause the state to administratively end your right to do business in the state.
- Notify the state tax agency about your business address change. If the state tax agency doesn't have your new business address, you could miss important information, such as deadlines for paying certain taxes and fees. If you miss these dates, your LLC may have to pay fines and penalties.
- Inform vendors and suppliers of your new address. When changing your LLC address, make sure you shut off utilities at your former place of business if you're ceasing operations there, and set up new accounts or transfer accounts to vendors and suppliers at the new location. Vendors and suppliers can include anything from cable to electric, water, and sewer, to office suppliers, food services, decorating services, carpentry, soda machine vendors, telephone service, and anything else you need to keep your business operating.
- Inform lenders of your new address. The lenders helped you get started as an LLC, and as a condition, you probably agreed to keep them apprised of any new address, so make sure to inform them of your address change.
- Let the proper licensing agencies know about your address change. If you need a license to operate your business or a part of your business, make sure you get the required licenses to continue operating at your new location.
- Notify insurance agencies. You'll need to let insurance agencies, such as property and liability insurance, know if you're leaving your current place of business, and you'll need to obtain the same or similar insurance at your new location.
- Notify state agencies about your LLC address change in all states in which you do business. It's not enough to change the information in the state where you're primarily doing business. You must notify all states in which your company does business of your new LLC address. Locate the papers from each state where you're doing business, and follow through with updating the forms in each state. Call the secretaries of state if necessary.
- Inform your customers or clients. While it's necessary to inform state and federal agencies, it's important to inform your clients of your new address or you'll have missed business opportunities. Send out notices by email or letter to clients and customers in advance.
- Change your address in the post office so the USPS forwards your mail. You want to ensure that you don't miss important mail, so don't forget this step. Failure to get required notices on time could result in fines or penalties.
- Update your website. If you're unable to do this, you can hire a website developer to do it for you.
Update the forms no matter where you relocate
Whether you change your business's address to your home address or to another workplace address, it's crucial to update the required forms with the IRS, the local tax agencies, and with vendors, suppliers, customers, and other agencies, or the state can dismantle your LLC. If you want help with these steps, you can hire an attorney to make the changes for you.
Make sure to change the forms as soon as you've changed your address, or, ideally, a week to a few weeks before your move. This way, every agency or vendor has sufficient notice so you can continue your business uninterrupted.
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