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What forming an LLC costs by state / California

3 Best LLC Services in California (2026): What You Pay

For 2026, we would price out CA Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and California Registered Agent.ai ($199), in that order, before any other California LLC formation services. Whoever you hire, California still collects $70; the services themselves cost $397 to $597 over three years.
Written by the Price Your LLC editorial team

↓ Ranked for you by: What you spend over three years counts 38%, and how much work the price takes off you counts 31%. Renewal change, break-even and price visibility make up the rest. How we rank

Your California budget

Formation fee paid to the state $70 leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (we looked on August 2026, so you can too)
First-year prices $199 The state fee is extra
Three-year range $397 to $597 Opening year plus two more
State fees by year three $2,490 Does not depend on the service
Bills cross in Not within ten years Order holds for ten years

Ranked for you

Service prices only. Every option comes with the same $70 state fee.

1
Ranks first

1. CA Registered Agent.org: best for plain formation

$199 to form, $99 yearly after
You pay in year 1 $199
You pay after year 1 $99/yr
You pay over 3 years $397

CA Registered Agent.org comes first because $199 to start, first agent year included, then $99 a year.

Three years here cost less than three years with Mainstay Filing, and three-year cost is 38% of the ranking.

Expect to handle the Statement of Information on your own.

Your price covers

  • Formation delivered to the state office
  • Agent service for your first year

What you get

  • A modest $99 renewal
  • $199 on top of the state fee
  • Year-one agent covered

What to watch

  • Your price excludes the Statement of Information
  • It bills $99 for the EIN application
2
Takes the most off your plate

2. Mainstay Filing: best for never filing the Statement of Information yourself

$199 annually, renewing at $199
You pay in year 1 $199
You pay after year 1 $199/yr
You pay over 3 years $597

Mainstay Filing ranks second. $199 a year covers the Statement of Information too and does not climb at renewal.

Its three-year price is $200 above CA Registered Agent.org's, and cost is 38% of the ranking.

Preparing the Statement of Information is off your list; you pay just the $20 state fee.

Your price covers

  • The LLC formation filing
  • Agent for service of process for the whole year
  • Statement of Information, filed on time
  • EIN application prepared for you
  • No markup on government fees

What you get

  • No extra fee for the EIN application
  • The same $199 after year one
  • Holds at $199

What to watch

  • CA Registered Agent.org renews for $100 less
3
California only

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

$199 to form, $99 yearly after
You pay in year 1 $199
You pay after year 1 $99/yr
You pay over 3 years $397

Option 3 is California Registered Agent.ai. $199 to start, first agent year included, then $99 a year.

Expect to handle the Statement of Information on your own.

CA Registered Agent.org lists identical prices.

Your price covers

  • Formation delivered to the state office
  • Agent service for your first year

What you get

  • $199 on top of the state fee
  • Year-one agent covered
  • A modest $99 renewal

What to watch

  • Your price excludes the Statement of Information
  • It bills $99 for the EIN application

Year-by-year totals

Pick Service You pay in year 1 You pay by year 2 You pay by year 3 You pay by year 5
1 CA Registered Agent.org $199 $298 $397 $595 Price out CA Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing $199 $398 $597 $995 Price out Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 California Registered Agent.ai $199 $298 $397 $595 Price out California Registered Agent.ai Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices as published November 13, 2026; you pay year one first, then each renewal is added. No service overtakes another within ten years.

Break-even check

Not sure how long you will keep the company? Try a few timelines below, with the EIN application as an extra.

Your spend for 3 years: CA Registered Agent.org $397, Mainstay Filing $597, California Registered Agent.ai $397. Lowest of the totals: CA Registered Agent.org.

The government side of your California budget

What you pay for Amount Source
Formation charge $70 leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (we looked on August 2026, so you can too)
Statement of Information $20 every two years sos.ca.gov (we looked on October 2026, so you can too)
Late fee $250 sos.ca.gov (we looked on October 2026, so you can too)
Minimum tax $800 a year ftb.ca.gov (we looked on October 2026, so you can too)
What the state collects by year 3 $2,490 Lines added together

To find what you owe the state across three years, add the filing fee, two later reports and any minimum tax. We mention open-ended costs without putting a number on them.

What settled it

CA Registered Agent.org wins your three-year spend, worth 38%, with Mainstay Filing close behind.

CA Registered Agent.org costs you $397 by year three, $200 less than Mainstay Filing.

Include the EIN application and Mainstay Filing passes CA Registered Agent.org in year 2.

What California charges you to form an LLC and what it requires

The California Secretary of State takes $70 plus the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1), under Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

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

As written: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (we looked on August 2026, so you can too)

State fees only

$2,490 in state fees is the least three years can cost you. Services add $397 to $597 above that.

Common questions

How much will an LLC formation service cost me in California?

Budget $199 plus $70 in state fees.

What will these services cost me over three years?

Anywhere from $397 to $597 for three years of service.

How much will California charge me to file an LLC?

California bills $70 for the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1).

What will California charge me each year after formation?

Once your LLC exists, California will bill you for the Statement of Information every two years at $20, last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially. A minimum tax is due as well.

Will the EIN application be part of the price?

CA Registered Agent.org asks $99 for it, Mainstay Filing handles it for you and California Registered Agent.ai asks $99 for it.

When does one service end up costing more than another?

Not within ten years: the order of the totals stays the same.

Which LLC formation service is the best value for me in California?

CA Registered Agent.org is first for you, with Mainstay Filing and California Registered Agent.ai after it.

Where to go next

What forming an LLC costs by state for all 50 states Best LLC services for anyone How we rank your options

Where we looked

  1. Want to double-check California Secretary of State? Try sos.ca.gov, last read August 2026.
  2. Want to double-check California Secretary of State? Try bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, last read August 2026.
  3. Want to double-check California yearly filing: Statement of? Try sos.ca.gov, last read October 2026.
  4. Want to double-check Cal? Try leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, last read August 2026.
  5. Want to double-check California registered agent statute? Try leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, last read October 2026.
  6. Want to double-check California other cost: Annual LLC? Try ftb.ca.gov, last read October 2026.
  7. Want to double-check California other cost: Annual LLC? Try ftb.ca.gov, last read October 2026.
  8. We read CA Registered Agent.org's pricing page on November 13, 2026
  9. We read Mainstay Filing's California service page on November 13, 2026
  10. We read California Registered Agent.ai's pricing page on November 13, 2026