Buying a registered agent is only half the job. For your Stable registered agent to count, it has to be on file with the state — and that takes an official filing. Until that filing is processed, the state still has your old agent (or no agent) on record.
There are two filings that put your Stable registered agent on record, depending on your situation. Different states may use different names for them, but the purpose is the same.
What is a change of agent filing?
A change of agent filing is used when your business is already registered in a state and you're switching to a new registered agent. It notifies the Secretary of State that your registered agent has changed to Stable. It does not register your business in a new state — it only updates who your agent is. A change of agent only becomes effective once the state accepts it. Your previous agent remains the legal point of contact until then.
What is a foreign qualification filing?
A foreign qualification is used when your business is not yet registered in a state but needs to operate there. Your business is only considered "domestic" in the state where it was formed — in every other state, it's considered "foreign," which is where the name comes from. A foreign qualification registers your business to operate in the new state and designates your registered agent there at the same time.
Which one do I need?
In short: if you're moving into a new state, you need a foreign qualification. If you already operate in a state and just need to update your registered agent, you need a change of agent filing. When you start a filing in Stable, we'll guide you to the right one based on your situation.
Why are these filings necessary?
A registered agent has to be on file with the Secretary of State to be recognized as your legal point of contact. Without the filing, the state doesn't know to send your official and legal mail to Stable — which can mean missed compliance notices, lawsuits you don't hear about, or falling out of good standing.
Completing these filings on your own means navigating confusing state portals, paperwork, and fees. Stable brings that process into the platform so you can handle it in a few guided clicks.
How filing support works in Stable
You can complete a filing directly from the jurisdiction detail page for your company. We make it simple:
You’ll get a plain-language explanation of why the filing matters and what Stable will do on your behalf.
We’ll then ask you to tell us about your business. Where we can, we auto-fill fields from your Stable profile and mailbox locations so there's less for you to enter.
Next, you’ll get an editable summary plus an order summary showing the state filing fee, Stable's filing fee, the total due, and the expected processing time. You authorize the filing with a short legal acknowledgment.
You're all set. Stable takes it from here, handling any filing follow-ups and the resulting mail.
Once submitted, your completed and in-progress filings appear in the Filings table on the jurisdiction detail page, where you can track each one's type, submitted date, and status (In progress, Complete, or Cancelled).
What does it cost?
Filings carry fees that are separate from your $25/month registered agent subscription:
A state filing fee, paid to the Secretary of State. This is a pass-through cost set by the state, and it varies from state to state and by filing type.
A transaction fee for securely preparing and submitting your filing.
Both are always shown upfront in the order summary before you authorize anything, so there are no surprises.
To get started, head to the jurisdiction detail page for your company in your Stable dashboard.