Where California stands on fees
50th
out of 50, yearly state charges
Providers for California, ranked
Five weighted criteria set the order; three-year provider charges and filings covered carry the most (see the
method).
Rank 1
1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies with more than one state
Year one $149, year two $149
Mainstay Filing leads the chart because one agent price of $149 across all fifty states keeps a multi-state company to one bill.
California Registered Agent.ai is $150 lower over three years, and coverage is the criterion that pulls the other way.
Price covers
- The registered office address is supplied
- Court papers or notices served on the company are scanned the same business day, with no fee
- Mail from government offices is scanned free, up to three pieces each year
- Not just for LLCs: corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits can use it
Upside
- Valid in every state
- $149 per year, level at renewal
Downside
- $50 per year above California Registered Agent.ai
- The agent role only; you send in the reports
Regional pick
2. California Registered Agent.ai: best for a tight agent budget
Year one $99, year two $99
Spot 2 is California Registered Agent.ai: a local agent at $99 per year whose street address goes on the public record.
Price covers
- Street address the state can reach
- Scanned copies of legal notices appear online
Upside
- $99 per year, unchanged at renewal
- Beneath Mainstay Filing on yearly price
Downside
- One-state service
- You send in the Statement of Information yourself
Regional pick
3. CA Registered Agent.org: best for an office address in the state
Year one $99, year two $99
Spot 3 is CA Registered Agent.org: a local agent at $99 per year whose street address goes on the public record.
California Registered Agent.ai and this provider publish the same prices.
Price covers
- Street address the state can reach
- Scanned copies of legal notices appear online
Upside
- Beneath Mainstay Filing on yearly price
- $99 per year, unchanged at renewal
Downside
- One-state service
- You send in the Statement of Information yourself
The 3 providers compared
Prices as shown on November 12, 2026. Naming a different agent does not change what California charges.
Agent budget calculator
Each agent's price is added to the state charges that repeat (the Statement of Information from year two) and the minimum tax. The formation fee is not part of the total.
California and the states beside it on the chart
California agent for service of process requirements (official, Secretary of State)
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.
People and entities that can serve: 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. Authority: Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13.
California's repeating fees
The state writes to your agent for service of process about the Statement of Information, which costs $20 every two years and is due last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially. $800 a year minimum LLC tax to the Franchise Tax Board (Form FTB 3522), separate from the Statement of Information.
How the California ranking was drawn
Requirements handled (24%) is the criterion on which Mainstay Filing outscored California Registered Agent.ai here.
One agent for the whole map beat the one-state option.
Questions answered
Is an agent for service of process required for every California LLC?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who qualifies as the agent for service of process for a California LLC?
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.
How much does California registered agent service run each year?
The agents ranked here charge $99 to $149 per year.
What does the state bill an LLC every year?
$810 per year by our yearly measure, which is the Statement of Information ($20 every two years) plus the minimum tax.
Which registered agents does this chart rank?
Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), California Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year) and CA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), starting with our top pick.
Which registered agent should I use?
Our route runs through Mainstay Filing: $149 yearly, flat, from a provider that operates across the whole country. After it, California Registered Agent.ai and CA Registered Agent.org.
Where each number comes from
- Check sos.ca.gov for California Secretary of State; last seen August 2026.
- Check bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov for California Secretary of State; last seen August 2026.
- Check sos.ca.gov for California yearly filing: Statement of Information, official source; last seen October 2026.
- Check leginfo.legislature.ca.gov for Cal; last seen August 2026.
- Check leginfo.legislature.ca.gov for California registered agent statute; last seen October 2026.
- Check ftb.ca.gov for California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and; last seen October 2026.
- Check ftb.ca.gov for California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and; last seen October 2026.
- Check nvsos.gov for Nevada yearly filing: Annual list + license: fees; last seen October 2026.
- Check corp.delaware.gov for Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source; last seen October 2026.
- Check corp.delaware.gov for Delaware yearly filing: Recurring obligation, official source; last seen October 2026.
- Check legis.delaware.gov for Delaware yearly filing: HB 400, official source; last seen October 2026.
- Check docs.sos.ri.gov for Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division; last seen August 2026.
- Check sos.ri.gov for Rhode Island Department of State, Business Services Division; last seen August 2026.
- Check tax.ri.gov for Rhode Island other cost; last seen October 2026.
- Check sec.state.ma.us for Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth; last seen August 2026.
- Check malegislature.gov for Massachusetts Secretary of the Commonwealth; last seen August 2026.
- Mainstay Filing, California service page; company page seen November 12, 2026
- California Registered Agent.ai, pricing page; company page seen November 12, 2026
- CA Registered Agent.org, pricing page; company page seen November 12, 2026