You’ve decided to move. New city, new address, fresh start. But if you run a business – even a one-person LLC – your registered office address doesn’t just update itself. And honestly, a lot of entrepreneurs underestimate how much of a headache this process can be if you go in blind.
So let’s talk about it properly. The steps, yes. But also the timelines (which are often longer than people expect), and the real costs – not the “it depends” kind of answer, actual numbers. If you’re simultaneously searching for a new place to set up, it’s worth checking out immobiliersafi.com before you lock in any address.
What Does “Transferring Your Registered Office” Actually Mean ?
Your registered office – sometimes called your statutory address or legal seat – is the official address attached to your company in the public registry. It’s the address that appears on your Kbis (in France), your Certificate of Incorporation, your contracts, your invoices. It’s also where official correspondence gets sent, including from tax authorities and courts.
When you move, that address doesn’t automatically follow you. You have to actively update it through a formal procedure. And depending on whether you’re moving within the same jurisdiction or to a different one, the complexity changes – quite significantly.
The Main Scenarios : Same Region vs. Cross-Border Move
This is where the fork in the road is. Moving your registered office within the same city or the same administrative region (same département in France, same state in the US) is relatively straightforward. Moving it to a completely different region – or across a border – is a different beast entirely.
Within the same region : simplified procedure, lower costs, faster processing. In France, this is handled through a single declaration to the Greffe du Tribunal de Commerce (commercial court registry). In the US, it’s a change of registered agent address filed with the Secretary of State.
Cross-regional or cross-state transfer : you’ll likely need to re-register in the new jurisdiction, potentially dissolve and reconstitute the entity, or at minimum file in both locations temporarily. In France, a cross-département transfer requires a specific legal notice published in a legal gazette (Journal d’Annonces Légales) in both the old and new location. That alone adds time and cost.
Step-by-Step : How the Transfer Process Actually Works
Let’s walk through the concrete steps. I’ll use the French context as a base (most applicable to the artframe.us readership navigating Franco-European structures), with parallels to common US procedure.
1. Decision by the company’s management
Before anything else, the transfer must be formally decided. For a SARL or SAS, that usually means a decision by the manager (gérant) or president – unless the articles of association require a shareholder vote. Check your statuts. Some companies buried a clause in there requiring an AGM vote even for a simple address change. It happens more often than you’d think.
2. Update the articles of association (statuts)
If the address appears in the articles – which it almost always does – you need to amend them. That means drafting an addendum or a full restated version of the document. You don’t need a notary for this in most cases, but the document has to be signed, dated, and kept on file.
3. Publish a legal notice
In France, this is non-negotiable. You publish a notice of address change in a Journal d’Annonces Légales authorized in your département. Cost : between €150 and €200 depending on the publication and the region. Turnaround : usually 24 to 72 hours for publication. You’ll receive a certificate of publication (attestation de parution), which you’ll need for the next step.
4. File with the relevant registry
In France : you file a modification declaration (formulaire M2) with the Greffe du Tribunal de Commerce, either via the Guichet Unique (the centralized business formalities portal) or directly through Infogreffe. Required documents include the amended statuts, the certificate of legal notice publication, proof of the new address (lease, ownership deed, or domiciliation contract), and the identity of the signatory.
In the US: you file a Change of Registered Agent/Office with the Secretary of State in the relevant state. Forms vary by state. Delaware, Wyoming, and Florida each have their own format. Filing fees range from $25 to $150 depending on the state.
5. Receive your updated documents
In France, once the Greffe processes your file, your Kbis is updated – usually within 5 to 10 business days. The new Kbis is your proof of the change. Update it everywhere : your invoices, your bank, your suppliers, your contracts.
Real Timelines : Don’t Count on It Being Fast
Here’s something that surprised me when I dug into this : the official timelines are optimistic. The Guichet Unique, launched in 2023 in France, was supposed to streamline everything. In practice, files with incomplete documents or cross-département transfers can sit for 3 to 6 weeks before full processing.
Within the same département : 1 to 2 weeks realistically.
Cross-département transfer : 3 to 6 weeks, sometimes more.
Cross-border (within EU): easily 2 to 3 months if you’re restructuring the legal entity.
US single-state change : 1 to 3 weeks standard, 24–48 hours with expedited processing (extra fee : $50–$150 depending on the state).
Plan accordingly. If you have contracts referencing your registered address, or if you’re in the middle of a tender, an audit, or a fundraising round – start the procedure early. Very early.
The Real Costs : A Breakdown
Let’s be concrete. Here’s what you’re actually looking at :
France – same département transfer :
– Legal notice publication : €150–€200
– Greffe filing fee : €192.01 (standard rate as of 2024 for modification)
– Accountant or legal assistance (optional but common): €100–€300
– Total : approximately €450–€700
France – cross-département transfer :
– Two legal notice publications (old and new location): €300–€400
– Greffe filing fees (both registries): ~€380
– Amended statuts preparation : €100–€400 depending on complexity
– Total : €800–€1,200+
US – single state change :
– State filing fee : $25–$150
– Registered agent update (if using a service): $0–$100/year
– Total : $50–$250
These are the direct costs. Add to that your own time (or your lawyer’s billable hours), and the indirect cost of updating all your business documents, contracts, and accounts.
What You Need to Update After the Transfer
This part is often overlooked, and it creates problems months later. Once your Kbis or state certificate is updated, you need to update :
Your bank accounts – most banks require a new Kbis or state filing as proof of the address change. Do this within 30 days.
Your tax authority registrations – in France, your SIE (Service des Impôts des Entreprises) needs to be notified separately. Don’t assume the Greffe update cascades automatically to the tax office. It doesn’t, not fully.
Your social security and health insurance bodies – URSSAF, CPAM, etc. need updated records.
Your insurance contracts – especially if your coverage is tied to a specific location.
Your commercial leases and supplier contracts – many of them reference the registered office address.
One Special Case : Domiciliation Services
If you’re moving to a new city and don’t yet have a permanent office, you might want to use a professional domiciliation service to hold your registered address while you settle. This is completely legal. Costs run from €15 to €70 per month depending on the provider and services included (mail forwarding, meeting room access, etc.).
It’s a useful intermediate step. You avoid the hassle of putting a temporary or uncertain address in your official documents, and you give yourself time to find a proper workspace.
The Bottom Line
Transferring your registered office is not complicated, but it has real steps and real costs that people consistently underestimate. Budget at least €500–€1,000 for a standard French transfer, factor in 2 to 4 weeks of processing time, and don’t forget the downstream updates that come after the official filing.
Start early, keep copies of everything, and don’t assume any part of the process is automatic just because it’s digital now. The administration has gotten faster – but it hasn’t gotten forgiving.