In brief
One form, the Certificate of Change of Registered Office and/or Resident Agent (Form CSCL/CD-520), filed with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau - Corporations Division. The state fee is $5[2].
Mainstay Filing handles this filing for customers switching to its $149-a-year agent service; the state fee passes through at cost[1].
- Form
- Form CSCL/CD-520
- State fee
- $5
- Filed with
- Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau - Corporations Division
- Other states’ fees
- 10 lower, 35 higher
- New agent must qualify under
- MCL 450.4207
- Mainstay Filing
- $149/yr, files the change
Updated October 29, 2026. Fees from official sources.
The process
- Choose the new resident agent and get its consent; it has to qualify under MCL 450.4207.
- File the Certificate of Change of Registered Office and/or Resident Agent (Form CSCL/CD-520) with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau - Corporations Division.
- Include the $5 filing fee.
- Once the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) processes it, confirm the company's record shows the new resident agent.
The safest order is to sign with the new agent first, then file, then tell the old agent.
Rules the new agent must meet
Eligibility does not loosen for a change. Each Michigan resident agent. Under MCL 450.4207[3], that means a Michigan resident, or a corporation or LLC formed in Michigan or authorized there, whose business office (or, for a person, residence) is the registered office. Owners who live in Michigan qualify as individuals and can take the resident agent role themselves.
The address rule applies again. The address has to be a registered office in Michigan, which does not have to be the place of business. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
Why companies change agents
- An agent company stopped serving Michigan
- The owner relocated
- Better mail handling or alerts elsewhere
- Cost: renewals range from $125 to $249 in Michigan
Switching to Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) includes the change filing; the state fee passes through at cost[1]. Other Michigan renewals ran $125 to $249 on October 20, 2026.
Bordering states
| State | Fee | Legal term |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | $5 | resident agent |
| Indiana | $0 | registered agent |
| Ohio | $25 | statutory agent |
| Wisconsin | $10 | registered agent |
Each state's fee from its own fee schedule or statute, verified August 12, 2026.
Indiana charges less than Michigan for the same filing. A company registered in more than one of these states files a separate change in each.
Form CSCL/CD-520
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Form | Certificate of Change of Registered Office and/or Resident Agent (Form CSCL/CD-520) | [4] michigan.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Fee | $5 | [2] michigan.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Filed with | Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau - Corporations Division | [5] michigan.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
For a fee of $5, 10 states charge less and 35 charge more (the median is $15).
Questions
How much does it cost to change a resident agent in Michigan?
$5[2].
Which form changes a Michigan resident agent?
The Certificate of Change of Registered Office and/or Resident Agent (Form CSCL/CD-520), filed with the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau - Corporations Division.
Can a service file the Michigan change for me?
Yes. Mainstay Filing prepares and files it when you switch to its $149-a-year resident agent service, with the $5 state fee at cost[1].
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Corporations, Securities & Commercial Licensing Bureau - Corporations Division: Certificate of Change of Registered Office and/or Resident Agent fee. www.michigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/cscl/Folder6/Filing_Fees.pdf. Updated October 29, 2026.
- MCL 450.4207. www.legislature.mi.gov/Laws/MCL?objectName=mcl-450-4207. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Certificate of Change of Registered Office and/or Resident Agent (Form CSCL/CD-520). www.michigan.gov/lara/-/media/Project/Websites/lara/cscl/NonImages_new/Corps/forms/corpora. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA). www.michigan.gov/lara/. Updated October 29, 2026.