3 Best Registered Agents in California (2026), Step by Step
In California for 2026, compare California Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and CA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), ranked best first. Year one costs $99 to $149, and three years cost $297 to $447.
Written by the Simple Filing Guide editorial team
Start here
Do you have to name one?
Required
Name used by the state
Agent for service of process
What services charge
$99 to $149 per year
Our ranking
California Registered Agent.ai, Mainstay Filing then CA Registered Agent.org
These are service fees only, taken from each company's prices on November 13, 2026. State fees stay the same with every pick.
Questions to settle
Must I name an agent for service of process?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Check the law: Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13. official source leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (October 2026) to check
What does the state require of an agent?
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.
An owner who fits the rule may be the agent, and the state adds no fee.
What will I pay an agent?
Budget $99 to $149 a year with the services we recommend, which is $297 to $447 over three years.
The state bills the same amount with any agent.
What is the agent's job?
It acts as the LLC's contact in California for court papers and state letters.
If papers arrive and no one accepts them, a case can move ahead without the LLC. What is service of process?
What recurs besides the agent?
Set aside $20 every other year for the Statement of Information. Write down the state's date, last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially. Then budget for the yearly minimum tax.
official source sos.ca.gov (October 2026) to check
Why is number one first?
Total for three years (37% of the score) is where California Registered Agent.ai does best.
64% of the score comes from total for three years and filing jobs included.
Choose California Registered Agent.ai over Mainstay Filing and keep $150 across three years.
official source sos.ca.gov (October 2026) to check
State minimum tax
$800 a year
official source ftb.ca.gov (October 2026) to check
State total, years one to three
$2,490
Total of the lines above
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
Do I have to pay an agent?
Yes, when you qualify under the state rule; many owners still pay for a service to keep their address private.
Where does the agent have to be located?
An individual agent's California street address goes on the public record. A registered corporate agent's address is already on file with the state and is not repeated in the company's filing.
Three years in, what has each cost?
Three-year costs: California Registered Agent.ai, $297; Mainstay Filing, $447; CA Registered Agent.org, $297
Are the fees official?
State-set fees come from California's publications; what services charge comes from the prices they post.
Does the state require a service?
If you meet the rules on this page, you can file on your own, and the state charges the same either way.
What is the best registered agent for California?
Choose California Registered Agent.ai first, then compare Mainstay Filing and CA Registered Agent.org.
Where each fact comes from
California Secretary of State [sos.ca.gov] last confirmed August 2026
California Secretary of State [bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov] last confirmed August 2026
California yearly filing: Statement of [sos.ca.gov] last confirmed October 2026