Connecticut Nonprofits Registered Agent

What Is a Registered Agent for a Connecticut Nonprofit Corporation?

A registered agent for a Connecticut nonprofit corporation is the individual or organisation officially designated to receive service of process, government notices, and legal demands on the nonprofit’s behalf. Under the Connecticut Revised Nonstock Corporation Act (Conn. Gen. Stat.) § 33-1050, every domestic nonstock corporation required to file an annual report must maintain both a registered agent and a registered office in Connecticut. The registered agent functions as the nonprofit’s official point of contact for legal and regulatory matters — accepting court papers in lawsuits, receiving correspondence from the Connecticut Secretary of the State, and accepting formal legal notices or demands permitted by law to be served on the corporation.

The registered agent does not manage the nonprofit’s operations, does not hold a board or officer position by virtue of the appointment, and is not a general representative of the nonprofit for programmatic or fundraising purposes. The role is a narrow legal function: ensuring that the nonprofit has a reliable, reachable contact point in the state at all times. Connecticut requires this designation for every nonstock corporation — whether it is a domestic nonprofit formed in Connecticut or a foreign nonprofit corporation that has obtained a certificate of authority to conduct affairs in the state. The registered office is the physical street address in Connecticut where the registered agent can be personally served during normal business hours. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1002, an “address” under the act means a location described by full street number, street, city or town, and state — “not a mailing address such as a post office box.”

Is a Registered Agent Required for a Connecticut Nonprofit?

Every nonprofit corporation in Connecticut — domestic or foreign — must continuously maintain a registered agent and registered office. Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1050 imposes this obligation on each domestic nonstock corporation that is required to file an annual report, and Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1216 extends a parallel requirement to every foreign nonstock corporation authorized to conduct affairs in the state.

The obligation runs throughout the entire life of the organization — from the date the nonprofit’s certificate of incorporation is filed (or, for a foreign nonprofit, the date a certificate of authority is issued) through the date of dissolution, withdrawal, or termination. There is no exception for small nonprofits, volunteer-only organizations, or nonprofits that have obtained federal tax-exempt status. The Secretary of the State sends official correspondence — including annual report reminders and notices of potential administrative dissolution — to the nonprofit’s registered agent at the registered office address on file. A nonprofit that fails to maintain a registered agent and registered office risks involuntary termination of its corporate existence under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1181, or, in the case of a foreign nonprofit corporation, revocation of its certificate of authority under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1225.

Who May Serve as a Registered Agent for a Connecticut Nonprofit?

A registered agent for a Connecticut nonstock corporation must be one of the following under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1050:

• An individual who is a resident of Connecticut, with a business address (or, if none, a residence address) in the state where service of process can be made during normal business hours
• A domestic entity — a Connecticut corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or statutory trust
• A foreign entity — a corporation, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, or statutory trust that is registered to transact business in Connecticut

The Certificate of Incorporation (Nonstock Corporation) instructions published by the Secretary of the State confirm that “the corporation may not appoint itself as its registered agent.” The registered agent must be a separate individual or entity — never the nonprofit corporation being formed.

Requirement	Details
Address type	Physical street address in Connecticut
P.O. Box	Not acceptable as the sole address
Mailbox-only or answering service	Not acceptable
Availability	Must be able to receive service of process during normal business hours
Connecticut location	Required

Connecticut requires written consent before designation. The appointment of a registered agent “shall be in writing and shall be signed by the registered agent therein appointed,” as Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1050 provides. On the Certificate of Incorporation form, the named registered agent must sign in the space provided to accept the appointment. If the agent is an individual, both a business address and a Connecticut residence address are required; if the agent is an entity, the signatory must print their full name and the capacity under which they sign on behalf of that entity. The consent is filed directly with the Secretary of the State as part of the formation document — it is not a separate retained record.

How to Designate a Registered Agent on Your Nonprofit Articles of Incorporation

A registered agent must be designated in the nonprofit’s Certificate of Incorporation filed with the Connecticut Secretary of the State. The registered agent information appears in Section 7 of the form — the section titled “Appointment of Registered Agent.” Connecticut law requires this information before the certificate can be accepted for filing; Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1026 lists “the street address of the corporation’s initial registered office and the name of its initial registered agent at that office” among the mandatory contents of a certificate of incorporation for a nonstock corporation.

1. Obtain the Certificate of Incorporation (Nonstock Corporation) from the Secretary of the State’s Business.CT.gov portal or download the paper form.
2. Complete Section 7 by selecting whether the registered agent is an individual (7A) or a business entity (7B). Do not complete both.
3. Enter the registered agent’s full legal name and the registered office street address. P.O. boxes are not acceptable as the primary address.
4. Obtain the agent’s written consent — the registered agent must sign in the space provided on the form before the certificate is filed.
5. Submit the completed certificate to the Secretary of the State. Filing methods include: online via a Business.CT.gov account, mail to Business Services Division, Connecticut Secretary of the State, P.O. Box 150470, Hartford, CT 06115-0470, or in-person delivery to 165 Capitol Avenue, Suite 1000, Hartford, CT 06106.
6. Pay the $50 filing fee. Online filings accept credit card payments; paper filings submitted by mail require a check or money order payable to “Secretary of the State.”

An Organization and First Report must also be filed within 90 days of the date the Certificate of Incorporation is filed, at an additional fee of $50. The Organization and First Report records the nonprofit’s officers, directors, and principal office address.

Note: Expedited processing is available only for filings submitted online through Business.CT.gov. Paper filings submitted by mail cannot be expedited.

Registered Agent Address and IRS / 501(с)(3) Filings

The state registered agent address and the federal addresses required by the IRS serve fundamentally different purposes and are governed by separate authorities.

Connecticut Secretary of the State (state level): The registered agent’s address is the address on file with the Secretary of the State, where official state correspondence — including annual report reminders, notices of potential administrative dissolution, and service of process — will be directed. This address appears in the nonprofit’s public formation records and remains the state’s official contact point for the corporation throughout its existence.

IRS Form 990 (federal level): The IRS Form 990 instructions require the nonprofit to report its official mailing address (Item C on the return header) and the name and complete mailing address of its principal officer (Item F). The instructions state that the address provided for the principal officer “must be a complete mailing address to enable the IRS to communicate with the organization’s principal officer.” The registered agent’s address is not a required entry on Form 990 and is not the same as the organization’s mailing address unless the nonprofit has specifically designated it as such.

The IRS does not require a nonprofit’s registered agent address on Form 990. Obtaining 501(с)(3) status from the IRS does not affect or replace the state registered agent requirement. The state and federal filing requirements are independent obligations — a Connecticut nonprofit must satisfy both the state requirement to maintain a registered agent under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1050 and any applicable federal reporting obligations with the IRS. If the nonprofit’s principal officer address changes after a return is filed, the organization should file IRS Form 8822-B to notify the IRS.

Note: Obtaining 501(с)(3) status from the IRS does not affect or replace the state registered agent requirement — the two obligations are independent.

Filing Fees for Nonprofit Registered Agent Filings

Connecticut nonstock corporations benefit from significantly reduced filing fees for registered-agent-related filings compared to for-profit stock corporations. The fee for a nonstock corporation to change its registered agent is $20, while the same filing costs $50 for a domestic stock corporation. Similar reductions apply to the certificate of incorporation and reinstatement filings.

The following table compares fees for key filings based on the Domestic Non-stock Corporations Forms and Fees and the corresponding for-profit fee schedules published by the Secretary of the State.

Filing	Nonprofit Fee	For-Profit Fee	Form
Certificate of Incorporation	$50	$250	Certificate of Incorporation (Nonstock Corporation)
Application for Certificate of Authority (foreign)	$40	$385	Application for Certificate of Authority
Change of Registered Agent	$20	$50	Change of Agent
Change of Agent’s Address	$20	$50	Change of Agent’s Address
Resignation of Agent	$20	$20	No prescribed form — file in duplicate
Annual Report	$50	$150	Annual Report
Reinstatement (includes required annual report)	$160	$300	Reinstatement

Online filings submitted through Business.CT.gov accept credit card payments. Paper filings submitted by mail require a check or money order payable to “Secretary of the State.” Expedited service is available only for online filings.

What Happens to a Connecticut Nonprofit Without a Registered Agent?

The Secretary of the State may administratively dissolve a domestic nonstock corporation that fails to maintain its registration in good standing. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1181, whenever a nonstock corporation is more than two years in default of filing its annual report as required by Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1243, the Secretary of the State may notify the corporation and, if the default is not cured, file a certificate of administrative dissolution. Because the annual report includes updated registered agent information, a nonprofit that loses its registered agent and fails to file reports risks triggering this provision.

The consequences of losing registered agent coverage and facing administrative dissolution are severe:

• Notice and cure period: The Secretary of the State notifies the corporation of the ground for dissolution. The corporation must cure the default within the period prescribed by statute, or the Secretary of the State may file a certificate of administrative dissolution.
• Administrative dissolution: Once the certificate is filed, the nonprofit loses its legal status as a corporation in Connecticut.
• Loss of legal standing: A dissolved nonprofit may lose the ability to bring or maintain lawsuits in Connecticut courts in its corporate name.
• Default judgments: Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1053, if a corporation has no registered agent or the agent cannot with reasonable diligence be served, process may be served on the Secretary of the State. Legal actions served through the Secretary of the State while the nonprofit lacks an active agent may proceed without the organization’s knowledge, potentially resulting in default judgments.
• Revocation of foreign nonprofit registration: For a foreign nonstock corporation, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1225 authorizes the Secretary of the State to commence a proceeding to revoke the corporation’s certificate of authority if it fails to maintain a registered agent, fails to file an annual report, or otherwise violates the conditions of its authorization.
• Impact on 501(с)(3) status: State-level administrative dissolution does not automatically revoke federal 501(с)(3) status. However, a dissolved nonprofit may lose its authority to operate as a charitable organization in Connecticut, and failure to file required IRS Form 990 returns — which may follow a loss of organizational capacity — can lead to automatic revocation of tax-exempt status by the IRS after three consecutive years of non-filing.
• Attorney General oversight: The Connecticut Attorney General has supervisory authority over charitable organizations under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 3-125. A charitable nonprofit that is administratively dissolved may face scrutiny from the Attorney General regarding the disposition of charitable assets and ongoing solicitation activities.

Reinstatement: A nonstock corporation that has been administratively dissolved may apply to the Secretary of the State for reinstatement under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1183. The nonprofit must file a combined Reinstatement and Annual Report form and pay a fee of $160, which includes the required annual report. The application must demonstrate that the ground for dissolution has been eliminated — typically by bringing all delinquent annual reports and fees current.

How to Change a Registered Agent for a Connecticut Nonprofit Corporation

A Connecticut nonstock corporation may change its registered agent or registered office at any time by filing a statement of change with the Secretary of the State. Under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1051, the corporation delivers a statement of change that sets forth the name of the corporation, the name and address of the current registered agent, and the name and address of the new registered agent or new registered office.

1. Obtain the new agent’s written consent. The new registered agent must sign the change filing to accept the appointment.
2. Complete the Change of Agent form with the nonprofit’s name, filing number, the new registered agent’s name, and the new registered office street address.
3. File the form with the Secretary of the State. The preferred method is online through a Business.CT.gov account. Alternatively, download the paper Change of Agent form and submit it by mail to P.O. Box 150470, Hartford, CT 06115-0470, or deliver it in person to 165 Capitol Avenue, Suite 1000, Hartford, CT 06106.
4. Pay the filing fee of $20 for a nonstock corporation.

The change becomes effective on the date and time of filing under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1006, unless a delayed effective date is specified. A nonprofit corporation may also update its registered agent information when filing its annual report each year.

Note: If only the registered agent’s address is changing (not the identity of the agent), the agent may file a Change of Agent’s Address directly with the Secretary of the State for $20.

Connecticut Nonprofit Registered Agent FAQ

Can a nonprofit corporation serve as its own registered agent?

No. Connecticut law prohibits a nonstock corporation from appointing itself as its own registered agent. The Certificate of Incorporation (Nonstock Corporation) instructions state that “the corporation may not appoint itself as its registered agent.” The registered agent must be either an individual resident of Connecticut or a separate entity — a domestic or foreign-registered corporation, LLC, LLP, or statutory trust. 

Can a founding director or executive director serve as the nonprofit’s registered agent?

Yes. Any individual who is a resident of Connecticut may serve as a registered agent for a nonstock corporation under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1050. A founding director or executive director qualifies if they maintain a Connecticut address where service of process can be made during normal business hours. The individual must sign the formation document or change-of-agent filing to accept the appointment. Many nonprofits prefer a commercial registered agent service to maintain privacy, ensure continuous availability at a fixed address, and avoid disruptions when staff or leadership transitions occur.

Does receiving 501(с)(3) status waive the state registered agent requirement?

No. Federal tax-exempt status under Section 501(с)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code has no effect on the state registered agent requirement. The obligation to designate and continuously maintain a registered agent under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1050 is a requirement of Connecticut corporate law and remains in effect regardless of the nonprofit’s federal tax status. A Connecticut nonstock corporation must satisfy both its state registered agent obligation and any applicable federal reporting requirements independently.

What is the filing fee for a nonprofit to change its registered agent?

The filing fee for a Connecticut nonstock corporation to change its registered agent is $20. The same $20 fee applies to a change of agent’s address filed separately. By comparison, a domestic stock corporation pays $50 for the same change-of-agent filing. The fee schedule is published on the Domestic Non-stock Corporations Forms and Fees page maintained by the Secretary of the State. Online filings accept credit card payments; paper filings require a check or money order.

Must a registered agent be designated before filing your nonprofit’s articles of incorporation?

Yes. The registered agent and registered office are required contents of the Certificate of Incorporation under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1026. Section 7 of the form requires the incorporator to identify the registered agent by name, provide a physical street address, and obtain the agent’s signature accepting the appointment. The Secretary of the State will not accept a certificate of incorporation that omits this information. The agent’s consent — executed by signature on the form — must be obtained before the document is submitted.

Can the same commercial registered agent service act for multiple nonprofits?

Yes. Connecticut law does not limit the number of entities for which a single registered agent may act. A domestic or foreign entity that is authorized to transact business in Connecticut may serve as registered agent for any number of nonstock corporations simultaneously. Commercial registered agent services routinely serve hundreds or thousands of entities, and the Secretary of the State’s records reflect many entities sharing a single registered agent. There is no statutory cap or additional registration requirement for agents representing multiple organizations.

Does a nonprofit need to list its registered agent on IRS Form 990?

No. The IRS Form 990 instructions require the nonprofit to report its official mailing address and the name and address of its principal officer. The registered agent’s name and address are not required fields on Form 990. The registered agent serves a state-law function — receiving service of process and official state notices — and is not part of the federal tax-reporting framework. If the nonprofit’s principal officer’s address changes, the organization should file IRS Form 8822-B to update the IRS.

What happens to your nonprofit’s 501(с)(3) status if the corporation is administratively dissolved?

State-level administrative dissolution under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 33-1181 does not automatically revoke federal 501(с)(3) status. The IRS and the Connecticut Secretary of the State are separate authorities, and an administrative dissolution at the state level does not trigger an automatic change in IRS records. However, the practical consequences can be significant: the nonprofit loses its legal authority to operate as a corporation in Connecticut, may be unable to enter contracts or conduct business in the state, and may eventually lose tax-exempt status if it fails to file required Form 990 returns for three consecutive years. The IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool allows organizations and donors to verify current tax-exempt status. Prompt reinstatement through the Secretary of the State — using the combined reinstatement and annual report filing — is strongly advisable to avoid compounding state and federal consequences.

Can an unincorporated nonprofit association designate a registered agent?

Connecticut does not provide a general statutory mechanism for unincorporated nonprofit associations to file an appointment of a registered agent with the Secretary of the State. The Connecticut Revised Nonstock Corporation Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 33-1000 through 33-1290) applies to incorporated nonstock corporations. The Secretary of State’s paper filings page does list an Appointment of Statutory Agent for Unincorporated Homeowners’ Associations at a fee of $90, but this filing is specific to homeowners’ associations governed by the common-interest-community statutes — not a broadly available option for all unincorporated nonprofit associations. An unincorporated nonprofit association that wants the protections of a registered agent designation would typically need to incorporate as a nonstock corporation under Chapter 602.

Can I change my nonprofit’s registered agent online?

Yes. The Secretary of the State strongly encourages online filing. Nonstock corporations can submit a Change of Agent filing online through a Business.CT.gov account. The online system guides the user through the form, accepts credit card payment of the $20 fee, and provides faster processing than paper submissions. A Business.CT.gov account is required; the Secretary of the State provides instructions for creating an account. The registered agent information can also be updated when filing the nonprofit’s annual report online. Paper filings are accepted by mail but cannot be expedited, and in that case, the Change of Agent form (PDF) should be downloaded, completed, and mailed with a check or money order.