Forming an LLC in California

An LLC in California takes one online filing to create and two recurring obligations to keep. The Secretary of State collects $70 for the Articles of Organization; the Franchise Tax Board collects a minimum of $800 a year after that. Here is the whole sequence: fees first, then the form, then the steps, then what we take off your plate for $199.

Build Your California LLC — $199

We package the documents and file them at the California Secretary of State for $199, with the $70 state fee listed on its own line.

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What an LLC Does for You in California

The LLC exists to give owners personal asset protection without corporate formalities. If the company is sued or defaults, the claim stops at company assets rather than reaching your house or savings. Small operations across California default to the structure for exactly that reason.

California LLC Fees, Line by Line

Item	Amount
Our formation service	$199 one-time
California Secretary of State filing fee (Form LLC-1)	$70 one-time
Registered agent, required continuously	$99/year
Statement of Information, biennial	$20 every 2 years
FTB minimum franchise tax	$800 every year

$199 is the filing service. The state fee goes to the Secretary of State. Agent service bills separately at $99/year, and the last two rows never stop while the LLC exists.

California LLC Filing Fee: $70, Online Only

$70 is the official filing fee for the Articles of Organization, and the filing now happens exclusively through bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov; the Secretary of State no longer posts the paper LLC-1 for download. Rush options exist at the state level: 24-hour expedite for $350, same-day for $750. Standard timing depends on the state's queue, so treat any specific-day promise from a formation company with suspicion.

One number that is not part of the filing fee: the $800. That is the FTB's minimum franchise tax, billed every year once the LLC exists, income or no income.

Articles of Organization: Form LLC-1

Form LLC-1 is California's formation document, prescribed under Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01, which lets one or more organizers create an LLC by delivering articles of organization to the Secretary of State. The form collects:

• The LLC's legal name
• The principal business address
• The registered agent's name and California street address (the form uses California's statutory term, agent for service of process)
• Management structure: member-managed or manager-managed
• The organizer's signature

How California LLC Formation Works

1. Clear the name. Confirm it carries an LLC designator and does not collide with an existing entity, using the Secretary of State's free online search. Skip terms suggesting banking, insurance, or government ties unless you hold the approvals.
2. Line up the registered agent. California demands an agent with an in-state street address, present during business hours, from day one. Agent details are public. Our $99/year service keeps your own address out of that record.
3. Submit Form LLC-1 at bizfileOnline. Attach the $70 official fee and file. This step is what brings the LLC into legal existence.
4. Write the operating agreement. No agency asks for it, but it governs ownership percentages, distributions, authority, and exits. Skip it and California's default LLC statute fills in the blanks its own way.
5. Take the free EIN. Apply at IRS.gov, pay nothing, receive the number immediately. Every bank will ask for it before opening a business account.
6. Run the compliance calendar. First Statement of Information within 90 days, then biennially at $20; the FTB's $800 minimum every year; clean separation between company and personal money; an agent on file at all times. Fall behind and the state can suspend the entity, which suspends your liability protection with it.

Outsource it for $199. We prepare and file the California Articles on your behalf.

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The Registered Agent Rule for California LLCs

Statutory, continuous, and public: every California LLC must list an agent (California's term: agent for service of process) with a real street address in the state, reachable during business hours, who relays legal mail fast enough that no deadline slips. Owners who list themselves put a home address into a searchable state database from day one. Our $99/year plan puts us on that record instead.

Questions People Ask

How much does it cost to form an LLC in California?

$70 to the Secretary of State for the Articles of Organization. Ongoing: $20 for the biennial Statement of Information, plus the FTB's $800-per-year minimum franchise tax.

How long does it take to form an LLC in California?

No fixed answer; the queue at the Secretary of State sets the pace. Filing online through bizfileOnline is the fast lane, and paid expedite ($350 for 24-hour, $750 for same-day) exists when a date truly matters.

Does California require an annual report?

For LLCs, no annual report exists. The recurring Secretary of State filing is the biennial Statement of Information at $20. The yearly $800 is the FTB's minimum franchise tax, a tax obligation rather than a report.

Do I need a registered agent for my California LLC?

Yes. The requirement is unconditional and continuous, and only an individual Californian or a § 1505 corporation can hold the role.

Can I form an LLC in California if I live in another state?

Yes. Residency is not required of owners. You still need a California registered agent, and that is precisely the $99/year piece we cover.

Launch Your California LLC

Direct filing through bizfileOnline is open to anyone; the $70 goes to the state either way, and the agent rule applies no matter who files. Put us on the filing as your registered agent and $99/year buys the in-state address, same-day scanning of legal notices to your dashboard, and a reminder before each compliance date.

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Only need the California registered agent? The standalone California agent plan runs $99 a year.

Need help with California LLC formation or how the agent service works? See the FAQ or contact us throughout the business day.