Place1
Our top pick in CaliforniaCalifornia Registered Agent.ai
1. California Registered Agent.ai: best for the lowest agent price on this list
Annual price $99; renewal price $99
Our mark9.2out of 10
California Registered Agent.ai is number one here: an in-state agent for $99 a year that scans served papers to you online.
The plan covers an in-state street address for your registered office, with legal documents scanned and sent to you online.
Lower three-year cost is what puts it ahead of Mainstay Filing here.
What you get
- Registered office street address
- Online copies of legal papers served on the company
Why pick it
- Lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
- $99 yearly, same to renew
- Also forms LLCs, with the first agent year included
Less good
- Filing the Statement of Information is not in the price
- Single-state service
Place2
Lower renewal than MainstayCA Registered Agent.org
2. CA Registered Agent.org: best for a California specialist
Annual price $99; renewal price $99
Our mark8.8out of 10
Number 2 is CA Registered Agent.org: an in-state agent for $99 a year that scans served papers to you online.
The plan covers an in-state street address for your registered office, with legal documents scanned and sent to you online.
It mirrors California Registered Agent.ai on price and features; either works.
What you get
- Registered office street address
- Online copies of legal papers served on the company
Why pick it
- Also forms LLCs, with the first agent year included
- Lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
- $99 yearly, same to renew
Less good
- Filing the Statement of Information is not in the price
- Single-state service
Place3
Best all-in coverageMainstay Filing
3. Mainstay Filing: best for companies that may expand
Annual price $149; renewal price $149
Our mark8.6out of 10
Number 3 is Mainstay Filing: $149 a year for an agent that can follow the company into any state at the same price.
For a new company, the $199-a-year package covers formation and the Statement of Information too.
California Registered Agent.ai undercuts it by $150 over three years, and cost is our heaviest criterion.
What you get
- A physical in-state address on the public record
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
- First three government mailings a year scanned free
- Compliance reminders
Why pick it
- Service of process scanned the same business day, no fee
- Flat $149 a year
- First three government mailings a year scanned free
- Works for LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
Less good
- $50 more per year than California Registered Agent.ai
- Annual report filing sits in the formation package, not the agent-only plan
Quick comparison: California
| Rank | Service | Our score | Annual price | Renewal price | Best for | Link |
|---|
| 1 | California Registered Agent.ai | 9.2 | $99 | $99/yr | Lowest yearly price on this list | Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | CA Registered Agent.org | 8.8 | $99 | $99/yr | Lowest yearly price on this list | Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | Mainstay Filing | 8.6 | $149 | $149/yr | Agent plus fifty-state coverage | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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Scores are The Founders Review's own editorial scores out of 10, from the criteria on our How we rank page. They are not customer ratings.
California registered agent pricing (2026): annual price, renewal price and three-year total
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year total | Same price at renewal |
|---|
| California Registered Agent.ai | $99 | $99 | $99 | $297 | Yes |
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| CA Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99 | $99 | $297 | Yes |
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| Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149 | $149 | $447 | Yes |
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Service fees as published on each company's own pages, read November 12, 2026. State fees are identical across these agents.
What decided the ranking
The Founders Review weighs five things, led by three-year cost and what one price covers at 30% each. For California, three-year cost is what separated first place from second.
California Registered Agent.ai's three-year total is $297 ($150 below Mainstay Filing). For a company that only needs an agent here, the lower yearly price scored higher than Mainstay's broader coverage.
Our method page lists all five criteria.
Official California agent for service of process requirements
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. 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. The statute is Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13.
California Statement of Information fee (2026)
The Statement of Information is due every two years (last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially) with a $20 state fee. Miss it and the state adds $250. State notices go to your agent for service of process's address.
Registered agents in California: questions
Does a California LLC need a agent for service of process?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
How much does a registered agent cost in California?
The services we rank charge $99 to $149 a year, and each keeps the same price at renewal.
Can I be my own agent for service of process?
Only if you meet the state's rule. 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.
When is the California Statement of Information due?
It is due last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially and the state fee is $20. Late filings cost $250 more.
Which registered agents do you rank here?
California Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year), CA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), in this order.
Which California registered agent is the best value?
California Registered Agent.ai tops our list: $99 a year with the same price at renewal, the lowest yearly price on this list.
Sources we used
- 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
- Pricing and service pages of California Registered Agent.ai, read November 12, 2026
- Pricing and service pages of CA Registered Agent.org, read November 12, 2026
- California service page of Mainstay Filing, read November 12, 2026