Place1
Our top pickCA Registered Agent.org
1. CA Registered Agent.org: best for California LLCs that file their own reports
Formation $199 plus state fee; renewal $99
Our mark9.6out of 10
Top of our list: CA Registered Agent.org, for the California filing for $199 and a free first year of agent for service of process service, then $99 a year.
It provides the in-state registered office address and posts scans of served legal papers online.
Budget time to file the Statement of Information yourself every two years.
On our method the lower three-year cost outweighs what Mainstay adds to its price.
What you get
- Articles prepared and filed
- First year of agent for service of process service
Why pick it
- First year of agent for service of process service included
- $199 to form
- Low $99 renewal
Less good
- No Statement of Information filing
- Charges $99 for the EIN application
Place2
Report filing includedMainstay Filing
2. Mainstay Filing: best for formation, agent and Statement of Information in one price
$199 yearly plus California's fee, $269 at checkout
Our mark9.4out of 10
In second place, Mainstay Filing: one $199-a-year price that covers the California filing, your agent for service of process and your Statement of Information, renewing at $199.
Statement of Information filing is part of the yearly price: the state fee of $20 passes through at cost; the report is due last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially.
CA Registered Agent.org undercuts it by $200 over three years, and cost is our heaviest criterion.
What you get
- Formation prepared and filed
- Your agent for service of process, all year
- Your Statement of Information prepared and filed
- EIN application
Why pick it
- EIN application included
- California's fee charged at cost
- Renewal stays $199
- All-in at $199 a year
Less good
- $100 more per year than CA Registered Agent.org from year two
Place3
Best value hereCalifornia Registered Agent.ai
3. California Registered Agent.ai: best for California-only LLCs
Formation $199 plus state fee; renewal $99
Our mark9.1out of 10
Third: California Registered Agent.ai, for the California filing for $199 and a free first year of agent for service of process service, then $99 a year.
It provides the in-state registered office address and posts scans of served legal papers online.
Budget time to file the Statement of Information yourself every two years.
CA Registered Agent.org and California Registered Agent.ai publish the same prices and the same plan features, so the gap between them is small and either is a sound choice.
What you get
- Articles prepared and filed
- First year of agent for service of process service
Why pick it
- First year of agent for service of process service included
- $199 to form
- Low $99 renewal
Less good
- No Statement of Information filing
- Charges $99 for the EIN application
Our top 3 at a glance
| Rank | Service | Our score | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | CA Registered Agent.org | 9.6 | $199 | $99/yr | A California-only LLC on a budget | Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Mainstay Filing | 9.4 | $199 | $199/yr | Formation, agent and Statement of Information in one price | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | California Registered Agent.ai | 9.1 | $199 | $99/yr | A California-only LLC on a budget | Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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Each score is our editorial judgment out of 10 (see How we rank), not an average of customer ratings.
California LLC service cost over three years (2026)
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Statement of Information filed for you |
|---|
| CA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
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| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $199 | $199 | $597 | Yes |
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| California Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | No |
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Published prices, read November 12, 2026 on each company's site. Add California's $70 filing fee to every row; it is not in these totals.
Why this order
Our method scores three-year cost (30%) and what one price covers (30%) most heavily, then renewal terms, fit for the state and price clarity. Here the order came down to three-year cost.
Over three years CA Registered Agent.org comes to $397, $200 under Mainstay Filing. Doing the Statement of Information yourself saves money, and cost carries the most weight.
The full method is on How we rank.
What forming an LLC in California costs (2026)
Filing the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) costs $70 at the California Secretary of State, per Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01; the services pass that through on top.
$800 a year minimum LLC tax to the Franchise Tax Board (Form FTB 3522), separate from the Statement of Information.
After the filing: yearly upkeep
A $20 Statement of Information is due every two years by last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially. Late filings cost $250. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Common California questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in California?
The state charges $70; our picks add $199.
What form creates the LLC?
The Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1), filed with the California Secretary of State.
Do I need a agent for service of process for a California LLC?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
What yearly filings does a California LLC have?
The Statement of Information, every two years, due last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially, with a $20 state fee.
Is the EIN application included?
Mainstay Filing's yearly price includes it. CA Registered Agent.org and California Registered Agent.ai charge $99 for it. The IRS itself charges no fee for an EIN.
Which LLC service is best in California?
We rank CA Registered Agent.org first for $199 to form the LLC in California, with the agent at $99 a year from year two.
Sources
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/statements (California Secretary of State), last confirmed August 2026
- bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/llc/forms/llc-12-112021.pdf (California Secretary of State), last confirmed August 2026
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/forms/limited-liabi (California yearly filing: Statement of Information, official source), last confirmed October 2026
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CO (Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01), last confirmed August 2026
- leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CO (California registered agent statute), last confirmed October 2026
- www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.htm (California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and timing, official source), last confirmed October 2026
- www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2026/2026-3522.pdf (California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and timing, official source), last confirmed October 2026
- CA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages (read November 12, 2026)
- Mainstay Filing, California service page (read November 12, 2026)
- California Registered Agent.ai, pricing and service pages (read November 12, 2026)