Documents went to old agent.
You need to recover them.
You need emergency procedures.
You need a recovery plan.
Disaster scenarios. Document recovery. Emergency procedures. Your recovery.
This guide shows you how.
Recovery plan. Emergency procedures. Document retrieval. Your solution.
Read this. Act quickly. Recover documents.
Key Takeaways
- Contact old agent immediately—reach out to old registered agent to retrieve misrouted documents
- Check forwarding arrangements—verify if old agent is still forwarding documents during transition period
- Notify new agent—inform new registered agent about misrouted documents and coordinate recovery
- Document the issue—keep records of misrouted documents, recovery efforts, and resolutions
- Prevent future issues—update all records, verify routing, and establish better forwarding procedures
Table of Contents
Why Recovery Matters
Recovery prevents legal problems.
What happens without recovery:
- Documents are lost
- Deadlines are missed
- Compliance fails
- Legal problems develop
What happens with recovery:
- Documents are retrieved
- Deadlines are met
- Compliance is maintained
- Legal issues are prevented
The reality: Recovery enables protection.
Immediate Actions
Take immediate action:
Assess Situation
What to assess:
- What documents were misrouted
- When they were sent
- Urgency of documents
- Potential impact
Why it matters: Assessment guides action.
Determine Urgency
What urgency to determine:
- Legal deadlines
- Response requirements
- Compliance obligations
- Risk level
Why it matters: Urgency prioritizes action.
Act Quickly
What to do quickly:
- Contact old agent
- Notify new agent
- Coordinate recovery
- Document everything
Why it matters: Speed prevents escalation.
Pro tip: Take immediate action. Assess situation, determine urgency, act quickly. See our RA change guide for procedures.
Contact Old Agent
Contact old agent immediately:
How to Contact
What methods to use:
- Phone call for urgent items
- Email for documentation
- Written request for formal items
- In-person visit if needed
Why it matters: Methods ensure contact.
What to Request
What to request:
- Copies of misrouted documents
- Forwarding of documents
- Confirmation of receipt
- Timeline for forwarding
Why it matters: Requests enable recovery.
Follow Up
What to follow up on:
- Document receipt
- Forwarding confirmation
- Timeline compliance
- Any issues
Why it matters: Follow-up ensures completion.
Pro tip: Contact old agent. How to contact, what to request, follow up. See our transition coordination guide for communication.
Coordinate Recovery
Coordinate recovery efforts:
Notify New Agent
What to notify:
- Misrouted documents
- Recovery efforts
- Expected forwarding
- Coordination needs
Why it matters: Notification enables coordination.
Establish Forwarding
What forwarding to establish:
- Immediate forwarding from old agent
- Direct forwarding to you
- Priority handling
- Confirmation procedures
Why it matters: Forwarding enables recovery.
Monitor Progress
What to monitor:
- Document retrieval
- Forwarding progress
- Delivery confirmation
- Issue resolution
Why it matters: Monitoring ensures completion.
Pro tip: Coordinate recovery. Notify new agent, establish forwarding, monitor progress. See our no-gap transition guide for coordination.
Prevent Future Issues
Prevent future misrouting:
Update All Records
What to update:
- State records
- Bank records
- Vendor records
- Platform records
Why it matters: Updates prevent misrouting.
Verify Routing
What to verify:
- New agent on all records
- Old agent removed
- Addresses updated
- Routing confirmed
Why it matters: Verification prevents issues.
Establish Procedures
What procedures to establish:
- Regular routing checks
- Forwarding verification
- Monitoring systems
- Emergency contacts
Why it matters: Procedures prevent problems.
Pro tip: Prevent future issues. Update all records, verify routing, establish procedures. See our document routing guide for routing procedures.
Documentation
Document recovery process:
Recovery Records
What to document:
- Misrouted documents
- Recovery efforts
- Contacts made
- Actions taken
Why it matters: Records provide proof.
Resolution Records
What to document:
- Documents recovered
- Issues resolved
- Procedures improved
- Lessons learned
Why it matters: Records enable improvement.
Prevention Records
What to document:
- Updates made
- Verifications completed
- Procedures established
- Monitoring systems
Why it matters: Records prevent recurrence.
Pro tip: Document recovery. Recovery records, resolution records, prevention records. See our RA change guide for documentation.
Your Next Steps
Act quickly. Coordinate recovery. Prevent future issues.
This Week:
- Review this guide
- Assess misrouted documents
- Contact old agent immediately
- Coordinate recovery
This Month:
- Recover all documents
- Update all records
- Verify routing
- Establish prevention procedures
Going Forward:
- Monitor routing
- Verify regularly
- Update as needed
- Maintain procedures
Need help? Check out our RA change guide for switch procedures, our no-gap transition guide for transition planning, and our registered agent guide for registered agent services.
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Sources & Additional Information
This guide provides general information about recovering misrouted documents from old registered agents. Your specific situation may require different considerations.
For RA change procedures, see our RA Change Guide.
For no-gap transitions, see our No-Gap Transition Guide.
For registered agent services, see our Registered Agent Guide.
Consult with professionals for advice specific to your situation.
