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Biz Formation Report

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

LLC formation report · California

3 Best LLC Services in California (2026)

By the Biz Formation Report editorial team

Biz Formation Report ranks LLC services in California for 2026 as Mainstay Filing ($199), CA Registered Agent.org ($199) and California Registered Agent.ai ($199), in that order. Mainstay Filing earns the top grade: $199 a year buys the California formation, a year as your agent for service of process and the Statement of Information filing, then renews at $199.

No.1

Our top pick in California

1. Mainstay Filing: best for formation, agent and Statement of Information on one invoice

Score9.1out of 10
$199 a year plus the state fee, $269 due at checkout

Top grade, Mainstay Filing: the formation filing, the agent for service of process and the Statement of Information come to $199 a year, renewing at $199.

The renewal covers the Statement of Information, which Mainstay files for you. California collects $20 every two years, with a deadline of last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially, and a late filing adds $250; Mainstay passes the state's fee through at cost.

Over three years Mainstay costs $200 more than CA Registered Agent.org; our grading treats the broader coverage as worth that.

What you get

  • Formation prepared and filed on your behalf
  • Your agent for service of process for twelve months
  • The Statement of Information prepared and filed
  • The EIN application

Good

  • Renewal is $199 with no add-ons
  • California's state fee is passed through at cost
  • Includes the EIN application
  • A single $199 yearly price, including the Statement of Information

Weak spots

  • Its agent renews at $100 a year more than CA Registered Agent.org's
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the Mainstay Filing review
No.2

Best local option

2. CA Registered Agent.org: best for a California LLC that expects to stay put

Score8.7out of 10
$199 for formation, then $99 a year for the agent, plus the state fee

Second grade, CA Registered Agent.org: $199 for formation on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan seats the company at an in-state street address and posts scans of papers served there to your online account.

The Statement of Information is outside its published prices, so you submit it to California yourself every two years.

What you get

  • Articles prepared and filed
  • A first year of agent for service of process service

Good

  • Includes a year of agent for service of process service
  • Agent at $99 a year after year one
  • Forms the LLC at $199 plus filing fees

Weak spots

  • Does not handle the Statement of Information
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the CA Registered Agent.org review
No.3

Best local option

3. California Registered Agent.ai: best for local California formation

Score8.4out of 10
$199 for formation, then $99 a year for the agent, plus the state fee

Third grade, California Registered Agent.ai: $199 for formation on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

The plan seats the company at an in-state street address and posts scans of papers served there to your online account.

The Statement of Information is outside its published prices, so you submit it to California yourself every two years.

Prices and features do not separate CA Registered Agent.org from California Registered Agent.ai; either works.

What you get

  • Articles prepared and filed
  • The first year as your agent for service of process

Good

  • Forms the LLC at $199 plus filing fees
  • Includes a year of agent for service of process service
  • Then $99 per year for the agent

Weak spots

  • Does not handle the Statement of Information
  • The EIN application costs $99 extra
Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read the California Registered Agent.ai review

Summary of the 3 grades

RankProviderGradeService feeYear twoBest fitSite
1Mainstay Filing9.1$199$199/yrFormation, agent and Statement of Information on one invoiceVisit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2CA Registered Agent.org8.7$199$99/yrA California-only LLC keeping costs downVisit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3California Registered Agent.ai8.4$199$99/yrA California-only LLC keeping costs downVisit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The grades are editorial: Biz Formation Report assigns every mark out of 10 using the criteria on How we rank, not customer ratings.

California LLC service prices, 2026: year one, renewal and three-year outlay

ProviderYear 1Year 2Year 3Three-year outlayStatement of Information done for you
Mainstay Filing$199$199$199$597Yes
CA Registered Agent.org$199$99$99$397No
California Registered Agent.ai$199$99$99$397No

All prices were taken from the companies' own websites on November 12, 2026. California's $70 filing fee is payable on top of each row and is not part of these totals.

What decided the order

Of the grade, 32% rests on three-year bill and 32% on what the money buys; renewal handling, local rules match and pricing openness share the remaining 36%. What the money buys decided California.

California requires a report every two years, charging $20, plus $250 if it is late. Mainstay's price includes the filing and CA Registered Agent.org's does not, which outweighed CA Registered Agent.org's lower three-year cost in the coverage grade.

Every criterion and weight is listed on How we rank.

California LLC filing fee and form, from official sources

The California Secretary of State charges $70 for the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1). Each provider here adds that fee at cost on top of its own.

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

What a California LLC owes after formation

Expect the Statement of Information every two years, with a deadline of last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially. It costs $20. Late filing adds $250. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

California LLC service: common questions

What does California charge to start an LLC, all in?

$70 goes to the state and $199 to the service.

Which document starts the LLC?

the California Secretary of State accepts the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1).

Is a agent for service of process mandatory for a California LLC?

Yes. California requires one, with a physical street address in the state, from the day the LLC exists.

What recurring paperwork follows an LLC in California?

A single item: the Statement of Information, filed every two years (last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially) for $20.

Does the service price cover the EIN?

The Mainstay Filing yearly price covers it. CA Registered Agent.org and California Registered Agent.ai list it at $99. The IRS does not charge for issuing an EIN.

What is the best LLC service in California, by our report?

Mainstay Filing: a flat $199 yearly fee takes in the California formation, your agent for service of process and the Statement of Information.

See also

Source notes

  1. California Secretary of State (verified August 2026)
  2. California Secretary of State (verified August 2026)
  3. California yearly filing: Statement of Information, official source (verified October 2026)
  4. Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01 (verified August 2026)
  5. California registered agent statute (verified October 2026)
  6. California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and timing, official source (verified October 2026)
  7. California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and timing, official source (verified October 2026)
  8. Pulled November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing, California service page
  9. Pulled November 12, 2026: CA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages
  10. Pulled November 12, 2026: California Registered Agent.ai, pricing and service pages