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Your checklist · California

3 Best LLC Services in California (2026) and What to Check

For LLC formation services in California, we recommend Mainstay Filing ($199), CA Registered Agent.org ($199) and California Registered Agent.ai ($199) in 2026, ranked from first to last. Every option pays the same $70 filing fee, and three years of service cost $397 to $597.
Written by the Simple Filing Guide editorial team

Do this first

Formation fee
$70, one time
Every year after
$20 biennially + $800 yearly minimum tax
Agent for service of process
Required
Recommended
Mainstay Filing, CA Registered Agent.org then California Registered Agent.ai

Recommended in California

The order follows our five checks: three-year cost first, then what the price covers.

#1 First recommendation

1. Mainstay Filing: best for knowing next year's bill early

$199 yearly ($269 at signup, state fee included)

Start with Mainstay Filing in California: the Statement of Information sits inside the $199 annual price, alongside formation and the agent for service of process.

$200 more over three years than CA Registered Agent.org, with more of the paperwork covered.

It takes care of each Statement of Information, adding only the $20 the state sets.

Checklist: what is included
  • State filing handled
  • Agent for service of process for the whole year
  • Statement of Information filed for you
  • EIN application submitted
  • State fees billed as charged
What works
  • You pay $199 again next year
  • Covers filing, agent and report for $199 a year
  • No extra fee to get your EIN
Gaps
  • From year two you pay $100 more than at CA Registered Agent.org
Open Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
#2 For California filers

2. CA Registered Agent.org: best for holding three-year cost down

Formation $199, agent renewal $99, state fee extra

CA Registered Agent.org follows since the opening price is $199 with the first agent year included, then $99 annually.

Leave time for the Statement of Information, since it is not included.

Checklist: what is included
  • The LLC, filed for you
  • Year-one agent service
What works
  • Year two onward: $99
  • Formation fee of $199
  • A free agent year at the start
Gaps
  • Remember to file the Statement of Information yourself
  • The EIN application costs $99 more
Open CA Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
#3 For California filers

3. California Registered Agent.ai: best for a low agent renewal

Formation $199, agent renewal $99, state fee extra

California Registered Agent.ai follows since the opening price is $199 with the first agent year included, then $99 annually.

Leave time for the Statement of Information, since it is not included.

Price for price it ties with CA Registered Agent.org.

Checklist: what is included
  • The LLC, filed for you
  • Year-one agent service
What works
  • Formation fee of $199
  • Year two onward: $99
  • A free agent year at the start
Gaps
  • Remember to file the Statement of Information yourself
  • The EIN application costs $99 more
Open California Registered Agent.ai Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Compare the picks

#PickFirst-year priceYearly after3-year totalWhat is covered
1 Mainstay Filing $199$199/yr$597state filing handled; agent for service of process for the whole year; Statement of Information filed for you Open Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 CA Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397The LLC, filed for you; Year-one agent service Open CA Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 California Registered Agent.ai $199$99/yr$397The LLC, filed for you; Year-one agent service Open California Registered Agent.ai Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices as of November 13, 2026; the state's own fees are listed in the checklist below.

Step by step

What does the state charge, and what does a service add?

On your own it is $70. With a service, it is $199 more.

Total the state's fees from filing through year three: $2,490. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, confirmed August 2026, official source

  • $800 a year minimum LLC tax to the Franchise Tax Board (Form FTB 3522), separate from the Statement of Information.

Who receives the filing?

When the California Secretary of State approves the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1), your LLC exists.

Legal basis: Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, confirmed August 2026, official source

Can the LLC go without an agent for service of process?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

A California resident, or a corporation registered with the Secretary of State as a corporate agent under Corporations Code § 1505. A business cannot act as its own agent for service of process.

leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, confirmed October 2026, official source

What do I owe in later years?

Keep the Statement of Information current: you file it every two years for $20. The due date, per the state, is last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially; do not miss it. The minimum tax is billed separately.

A late report costs $250 more.

sos.ca.gov, confirmed October 2026, official source

Can I file it myself instead of hiring a service?

Nothing stops you from filing yourself. Then your three-year cost is $2,490 in state fees.

Hiring a service adds $397 to $597 over three years, and Mainstay Filing includes the reports in that price, in return for doing the filings.

What decided the ranking?

Mainstay Filing wins on filing jobs included, a 27% check.

Five checks set the order: total for three years (37%), filing jobs included (27%), clear price information (13%), year-two price (12%) and state coverage (11%).

The Statement of Information is due every two years in California, and only the first pick files it for you.

See the scoring

What California requires to form an LLC

ItemAmount or ruleWhere it is from
Fee to file the LLC $70leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, confirmed August 2026, official source
Agent for service of process Requiredleginfo.legislature.ca.gov, confirmed October 2026, official source
Statement of Information $20 every two yearssos.ca.gov, confirmed October 2026, official source
Annual minimum tax $800 a yearftb.ca.gov, confirmed October 2026, official source
Three-year state total $2,490Rows above, added up

Last row = filing fee + report in year two + report in year three + minimum tax, if any. Variable costs are described in the text, not added.

Also asked

Who handles the EIN?

With Mainstay Filing there is nothing extra. CA Registered Agent.org charges $99, California Registered Agent.ai charges $99.

What does filing late cost?

$250 is added to the report fee.

What is the three-year cost of each?

Three-year costs: Mainstay Filing, $597; CA Registered Agent.org, $397; California Registered Agent.ai, $397 for the services alone.

Where do you get the fees?

Official California documents supply the state fees, and the companies' own pricing pages supply the service fees. Both carry dates on this page.

Is a service required by law?

Hiring is optional. The law requires a filing, not a filer.

What is the best LLC service for California?

Mainstay Filing, because its $199 yearly price pays for forming the LLC, serving as the agent for service of process and filing the Statement of Information, and renews at $199. Then CA Registered Agent.org and California Registered Agent.ai.

Where each fact comes from

  1. August 2026 check of California Secretary of State, via sos.ca.gov
  2. August 2026 check of California Secretary of State, via bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov
  3. October 2026 check of California yearly filing: Statement of, via sos.ca.gov
  4. August 2026 check of Cal, via leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  5. October 2026 check of California registered agent statute, via leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  6. October 2026 check of California other cost: Annual LLC, via ftb.ca.gov
  7. October 2026 check of California other cost: Annual LLC, via ftb.ca.gov
  8. Prices read November 13, 2026 from the Mainstay Filing California service page
  9. Prices read November 13, 2026 from the CA Registered Agent.org pricing page
  10. Prices read November 13, 2026 from the California Registered Agent.ai pricing page