Short answer
To change an LLC address in California, file a Statement of Information, Form LLC-12, with the Secretary of State. You can file it online at bizfile Online, which since August 1, 2026 needs User Access to the LLC’s record. The form’s instructions list a “No Fee Statement” for updates filed after the initial or required filings are met. The Franchise Tax Board and the IRS each have their own way to update an address.
Key takeaways
- The Secretary of State says a California or out-of-state LLC changes its address of record by filing the Statement of Information for LLCs online at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov.
- You do not have to wait for the next due date. The Secretary of State says “any time there are information changes in between statutory filing periods, an updated statement should be filed.”
- Form LLC-12 has separate lines for the principal office, the mailing address, a California office, managers or members, and the agent. The principal office line says “Do not list a P.O. Box.” The instructions say the mailing address “may be a P.O. Box address or “in care of” an individual or entity.”
- The LLC-12 instructions list a “No Fee Statement” for updates submitted after the initial or required filing requirements have been met. The initial filing and a periodic filing with changes are listed at $20.00.
- Updating the Secretary of State record is one step. The Franchise Tax Board takes address changes through MyFTB, by phone, or on Form FTB 3533-B. The IRS uses Form 8822-B. A seller’s permit holder also tells CDTFA.
How do you change an LLC address in California?
You change it by filing a Statement of Information with the California Secretary of State. The form number for an LLC is LLC-12. The Secretary of State’s FAQ on changing an address of record says a “California and Out-of-State Limited Liability Company” files this statement online at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov.
Some owners look for an amendment form instead. California’s Amendment to Articles of Organization for a name change, Form LLC-2-NA, carries a note at the top. It says: “You must file a Statement of Information (Form LLC-12), to change the business address(es) of the LLC or to change the name or address of the LLC’s manager(s) and/or agent for service of process.” So an address change does not go through the articles.
The timing is flexible. Every LLC files a Statement of Information on a schedule, but the Secretary of State’s filing tips page also says “any time there are information changes in between statutory filing periods, an updated statement should be filed.” For a change of agent, the FAQ uses stronger words. It says a Statement of Information “also must be filed if the name and/or address of the agent for service of process changes or the agent resigns.”
Our general guide to changing an LLC address covers the same task for LLCs in other states and the federal records. This guide stays with California.
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Which address lines Form LLC-12 has
Form LLC-12 asks for more than one address. Each line has its own label and its own rules in the instructions. The table below quotes the labels from the form and the tips from its instructions page. Read each row on its own, because the rules are different.
The agent line works differently from the others. The instructions say an individual agent must be someone “who resides in California with a physical California street address.” The other choice is “a registered corporate agent qualified with the California Secretary of State.” If you name a registered corporate agent, you enter only its name in Item 6c.
These addresses are public. The instructions say “the name and the physical street address of the agent for service of process is a public record, open to all (as are all the addresses of the LLC provided in filings).” Treat each line as information other people can look up.
| Form LLC-12 item | Label on the form | What the instructions add |
|---|---|---|
| 4a | “Street Address of Principal Office - Do not list a P.O. Box” | “Address must be a physical address.” “Do not enter a P.O. Box address, an “in care of” address, or abbreviate the name of the city.” |
| 4b | “Mailing Address of LLC, if different than item 4a” | “This address will be used for mailing purposes and may be a P.O. Box address or “in care of” an individual or entity.” |
| 4c | “Street Address of California Office, if Item 4a is not in California Do not list a P.O. Box” | “Address must be a physical address in California.” “If Item 4a is an address in California leave Item 4c blank.” |
| 5 | Manager(s) or Member(s), with an “Address” line | Enter “the name and complete business or residential address” of each manager, or of each member if no manager was appointed. |
| 6b | “Street Address (if agent is not a corporation) - Do not enter a P.O. Box” | Used only for an individual agent. A registered corporate agent is named in Item 6c with no address. |
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What an address update costs and how long it takes
The LLC-12 instructions list three kinds of filing. The initial filing is due 90 days from registration and costs $20.00. The periodic filing is due every two years and is listed at $20.00, with the note “Form LLC-12, if changes have been made.” The last kind is the “No Fee Statement,” listed as “No Fee.”
The instructions describe the No Fee Statement this way: “A Statement of Information is submitted after the initial or required filing requirements have been met to update information including changes to the agent for service of process.” So once the initial or required filings are met, the instructions list an update between due dates as a no fee filing. Our guide to the California $800 franchise tax and Statement of Information explains the regular schedule.
Online is faster. The Secretary of State’s LLC Statement of Information forms page says online submissions get the “fastest response 5 days or less” and lists PDF forms at “10+ days.” A paper form goes to the Secretary of State, Statement of Information Unit, P.O. Box 944260, Sacramento, CA 94244-2600, or can be dropped off at 1500 11th Street in Sacramento.
Missing a due date is a separate problem. The instructions say “Failure to file this Statement of Information by the due date will result in the assessment of a $250.00 penalty.” The FAQ says the Franchise Tax Board assesses and collects that penalty after the Secretary of State notifies it.
Filing online: User Access and the PIN letter
Since August 1, 2026, the online filing needs access to the LLC’s record. The Secretary of State’s filing tips page says “web User Access is required for Statement of Information filings.” It adds that the option to file online “will only be visible to users with access established.”
If nobody has access yet, bizfile mails a PIN. The Secretary of State’s bizfile account setup guide says to click Request Pin, and that “A letter with a PIN will be mailed to the mailing address of the entity.” The guide also tells you to confirm the mailing address is correct before you ask.
The PIN goes to the address the state already has. If the mailing address on file is old, the letter goes to the old address. Our guide to the bizfile “Request Pin” letter walks through that case. The User Access rule is written for online filings. The paper Form LLC-12 is still posted on the Secretary of State’s site, with a mailing address for the Statement of Information Unit.
Tell the Franchise Tax Board, CDTFA, and the IRS
The Secretary of State keeps the LLC’s business record. Tax agencies keep their own addresses for your accounts, and each one has its own way to change them. We did not find a statement on the pages we read that one agency passes your change to another.
The Franchise Tax Board’s page on changing an address says MyFTB online is “the fastest way to update your account.” Businesses can also mail Form FTB 3533-B, Change of Address for Businesses, Exempt Organizations, Estates and Trusts, to Franchise Tax Board, PO Box 942840, Sacramento CA 94240-0002. The form’s instructions say it is for filers of Form 568, the LLC return, among others. They also say “If you change your address online or by phone, you do not need to file this form.” The phone line listed is 800-852-5711.
If the LLC holds a California seller’s permit, CDTFA needs to know too. CDTFA’s seller’s permit FAQ asks “Should I tell the CDTFA if I change my business address or mailing address?” and answers “Yes.” It says to complete a notice of business change form, CDTFA-345, or contact the Customer Service Center. Our guide to California seller’s permit address fields explains what each CDTFA address field is for.
For federal records, the IRS says to use Form 8822-B if you changed your “Business mailing address,” “Business location,” or the “Identity of your responsible party.” The form instructions say use of the form is mandatory for a responsible party change, which must be reported within 60 days, and otherwise voluntary. They also warn that if you do not give the IRS your current mailing address, “you may not receive a notice of deficiency or a notice of demand for tax.”
Which record holds which address
The table lists the records named in this guide. Each row is a separate filing with a separate agency. An LLC without a seller’s permit can skip the CDTFA row.
| Record | Agency | Address lines | How to change it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) | California Secretary of State | Principal office, mailing address, California office, manager or member addresses, agent | File online at bizfile Online with User Access, or mail the paper form |
| LLC tax account | Franchise Tax Board | Address on the LLC’s FTB account | MyFTB, phone 800-852-5711, or Form FTB 3533-B |
| Seller’s permit (if you have one) | CDTFA | Business address and mailing address | Form CDTFA-345 or the Customer Service Center |
| Employer Identification Number record | IRS | Business mailing address, business location, responsible party | Form 8822-B |
Choosing the new address before you file
Pick the new address with the form’s labels in front of you. The principal office line says “Do not list a P.O. Box,” and the instructions say “Address must be a physical address.” The mailing address line is the one the instructions say “may be a P.O. Box address or “in care of” an individual or entity.”
The form and its instructions do not name mail service addresses. They do say the principal office “must be a physical address” and must not be an “in care of” address. Ask the California Secretary of State or a California attorney before you put a mail service address on that line. Remember that every address on the statement is a public record, and that state notices, such as the PIN letter, go to the mailing address on file.
For receiving the LLC’s everyday mail, our Los Angeles business address and Silicon Valley virtual office address pages describe the business addresses save office offers.
Not legal or tax advice
This guide summarizes Form LLC-12 and its instructions, the California Secretary of State, Franchise Tax Board, and CDTFA pages, and IRS Form 8822-B, as read on October 31, 2026. Forms, fees, and online filing steps can change. Check the agency’s current page before you file, and ask a California attorney or tax professional about your LLC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources & References
Primary sources this guide is based on.
- 1California Secretary of State · Business Entities Frequently Asked Questions (accessed October 31, 2026)
- 2California Secretary of State · Statements of Information Filing Tips (accessed October 31, 2026)
- 3California Secretary of State · Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) and Instructions (accessed October 31, 2026)
- 4California Secretary of State · Limited Liability Companies Statement of Information Forms and Fees (accessed October 31, 2026)
- 5California Franchise Tax Board · How do I change my address? (accessed October 31, 2026)
- 6California Department of Tax and Fee Administration · Seller’s Permit FAQs (accessed October 31, 2026)
- 7Internal Revenue Service · About Form 8822-B, Change of Address or Responsible Party, Business (accessed October 31, 2026)
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