To change a Florida corporation address, you update it on Sunbiz with the Division of Corporations, either for free in your annual report or by filing a standalone change for $25 to $35. Which route makes sense depends mostly on when your annual report is due. The state filing takes a few minutes. Getting the IRS, your bank, your licenses and everyone else onto the new address takes longer.
Don’t let it slide. If state notices go to an old address, you can miss an annual report deadline or a legal document, and that’s how corporations end up with late fees, default judgments or administrative dissolution.
Which address are you changing?
Florida keeps three addresses on file for your corporation, and they don’t all follow the same rules.
Principal office address. This is where the business operates and keeps its books and records. It has to be a physical street address, not a P.O. Box, but it can be anywhere in the United States or abroad. It shows up publicly on Sunbiz. A Florida corporation headquartered in Tampa lists the Tampa office here.
Mailing address. This is where the state sends annual report reminders, administrative notices, legal correspondence and Certificate of Status requests. It can be a P.O. Box or a commercial mail receiving agency, it can differ from your principal office, and it doesn’t need to be in Florida.
Registered agent address. This is where service of process and other legal documents get delivered. It must be a physical Florida street address with someone available during normal business hours, and it’s public. Changing it uses a different form, covered further down.
The most common mistake is mixing these up, for example filing a principal address change when it’s actually your registered agent who moved. Work out which address is changing before you start.
Should you file now or wait for your annual report?
Updating your address in the annual report costs nothing extra. It’s included in the $150 annual report fee you’re paying anyway. A standalone filing costs $25 to $35.
So if your annual report is due within about 60 days and nothing urgent depends on the new address, wait and do it then. You can bundle officer and director updates into the same filing too.
File right away when:
- You’ve moved your principal office permanently
- Your mailing address has changed and the annual report isn’t due soon
- Legal notices need to reach you at the new address
- You’re changing your registered agent or the agent’s address
You don’t need to file anything if you’re only opening a second location while the principal address stays the same, moving to a different suite in the same building, or changing internal records.
Our recommendation: if your mail is already going somewhere you can’t check, don’t wait to save $25.
How do you change a Florida corporation address in your annual report?
- Go to dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz, click “E-Filing” and choose “File Annual Report.”
- Enter your document number (it’s on your previous filings) or search by corporation name, and make sure you’ve picked the right entity.
- Review the pre-filled information: corporate name, document number, current principal and mailing addresses, registered agent, and officers and directors.
- Enter the new principal office address and mailing address, and update officers or directors if anything else has changed.
- Pay the fee: $150.00 for for-profit and professional corporations, $61.25 for nonprofits. Credit card payments process immediately.
- Review everything, submit, and save the confirmation number and receipt.
Online submission is immediate, and processing takes anywhere from minutes to 24 hours. The public record usually updates the same day. If you requested a confirmation letter, it arrives in 5 to 10 business days. Check Sunbiz within 24 hours to confirm the new address shows up.
How do you file a standalone address change?
If you can’t wait for the annual report, there are two filings:
| Filing | When to use it | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Statement of Change of Principal Office or Mailing Address | Changing the principal or mailing address only | $25.00 |
| Articles of Amendment | Making other corporate changes at the same time | $35.00 |
Filing online
Go to dos.myflorida.com/sunbiz, open “E-Filing” and choose “Amendments/Changes.” Select “Statement of Change of Address” for address-only changes, or “Articles of Amendment” if you’re changing more than that.
Enter the document number, corporate name and state of incorporation (Florida). Mark which addresses are changing, principal office, mailing or both, and enter the complete new addresses. Then certify that the information is accurate, enter an officer’s or director’s name and title, and pay by credit card.
Print or download the confirmation page and keep the document number assigned to the filing. Online filings take 1 to 3 business days. Expedited processing isn’t available for amendments.
Filing by mail
Mail makes sense if you can’t pay online or you’re sending several documents together. Download the “Statement of Change of Principal Office or Mailing Address” or “Articles of Amendment” form from Sunbiz, fill it out in black ink or type it, include your document number and the new addresses, and sign and date it as a corporate officer.
Make the check payable to “Florida Department of State” for $25 (address change) or $35 (amendment), with your document number on the memo line. Mail it to:
Florida Department of State, Division of Corporations, P.O. Box 6327, Tallahassee, FL 32314
Paper filings take 7 to 10 business days. If nothing shows on Sunbiz after two weeks, call 850-245-6051 for a status update.
How do you change the registered agent address?
File a “Statement of Change of Registered Office or Registered Agent” when your agent moves to a new Florida address, when you switch to a different agent, or when your agent’s name changes. The fee is $25.
This can’t be combined with a principal or mailing address change, so if both are moving, you’ll file separate documents. If you’re switching agents, get the new agent’s consent first. The form needs the agent’s Florida street address, and the new agent has to sign it to accept the appointment.
Who else needs your new address?
The state filing doesn’t update anyone else. The IRS in particular doesn’t receive address changes from state agencies, and missed IRS notices turn into missed deadlines and penalties.
| Who | What to do | When |
|---|---|---|
| IRS (EIN records) | File Form 8822-B | Within 60 days |
| IRS (tax returns) | Use the new address on your next return | Next return due date |
| U.S. Postal Service | File a change of address | Immediately |
| Florida Department of Revenue | Update sales tax and employment tax accounts online at floridarevenue.com | – |
| Department of Business & Professional Regulation | Contact the specific board for professional licenses | – |
| County Tax Collector | Update your business tax receipt with the county office | – |
After that, work through the rest:
- Money: business bank accounts, credit cards, lenders on any line of credit (in writing) and your payment processors
- Licenses and permits: occupational and professional licenses, health and building permits, industry certifications and any alcohol license
- Advisors and providers: insurance carriers (general liability, workers’ comp, property), payroll provider, accountant, attorney and any consultants
- Public listings: your website, Google Business Profile, social media, Yelp, BBB and industry directories, plus customers and vendors by email
- Internal documents: bylaws (if they name an address), shareholder agreements, stock certificates, employment contracts, vendor agreements, leases, and a record of the change in your minute book
Expect the whole round of updates to take 4 to 6 weeks, even though the state filing processes in days. Check that the IRS has your new address after 60 to 90 days, and confirm your mail forwarding is working.
What if you’re registered in other states?
If your corporation is qualified to do business elsewhere, each of those states has its own record of your address. A Florida corporation qualified in Georgia and Alabama files the change in Florida and then again in Georgia and Alabama, possibly updating registered agent information in each.
Every state does it differently. Some take online filings, some want notarized documents, fees range from $15 to $200 per state, and processing runs from days to weeks. Keep a simple spreadsheet listing every state you’re registered in, its annual report due date, its fees and your agent there.
Once you’re in three or more states, a corporate service company or business formation service that handles multi-state compliance usually earns its fee.
Mistakes that cause problems later
Using a P.O. Box for the principal office or registered agent address is the classic one. P.O. Boxes only work for the mailing address.
Incomplete addresses cause quieter trouble. Leave off the suite number and mail goes missing. Include the street number and name, suite, floor or unit, city, state and ZIP code, and the country if you’re outside the U.S.
Paying $25 to $35 for a standalone filing when the annual report is three weeks away is a smaller mistake, but an easy one to avoid.
And keep your paperwork. Save every confirmation, receipt and filed document so you can show when you made the change and what you submitted.
Florida corporation address change FAQs
How long does it take to change my corporation address?
Online filings process in 1 to 3 business days. Updating every related account and agency typically takes 4 to 6 weeks.
Can I change my address retroactively?
No. Address changes take effect from the date you file. If you moved six months ago and file today, the state treats the old address as valid until today.
Do I need to amend my Articles of Incorporation?
No. You don’t amend your articles to change an address. Addresses are kept current through annual reports and statements of change.
What happens if I don’t update my address?
The state sends notices to the address on file. If they don’t reach you, you can miss an annual report deadline (the late fee is $400) or legal papers, which can lead to a default judgment.
Can my principal office be outside Florida?
Yes, anywhere in the world. Only the registered agent address has to be in Florida.
When does the new address become public?
Once the filing is processed, usually 1 to 3 days, the new address appears on Sunbiz.org, which anyone can search.
Can I use a virtual office address?
Yes, for the principal office and mailing addresses. The registered agent address has to be a physical location where someone is available during business hours. Many virtual office providers also offer registered agent services.
Do shareholders need to approve the address change?
Not usually. Address changes are administrative and handled by the board of directors. Check your bylaws in case they say otherwise.
What if my corporation has been administratively dissolved?
You have to reinstate before you can file an address change. Reinstatement means paying all back annual reports, late fees and a reinstatement fee, typically $1,150 or more in total.
How do I confirm the change went through?
Search for your corporation on Sunbiz.org. The “Detail by Entity Name” page shows the current addresses, and the “Filed Documents” section lists your address change filing.
Make it a once-a-year habit
Set a calendar reminder for 30 days before your annual report is due and review everything on your Sunbiz record then: addresses, officers and registered agent. Most changes can ride along with the report for free.
If you’d rather not track this yourself, IncCraft provides registered agent services, deadline monitoring and compliance reminders to keep your Florida corporation in good standing, wherever your business is located.