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State reply · California

3 Best LLC Services in California (2026) and the Facts Behind Them

In California for 2026, rank LLC formation services California Registered Agent.ai ($199), CA Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199). Any pick pays the same $70 state filing fee; service fees come to $397 to $597 in three years.

LLC Q and A editorial team ·

At a glance

Fee to the state
$70, one time
After that
$20 biennially + $800 yearly minimum tax
Agent for service of process
Yes, by statute
Pick
California Registered Agent.ai, CA Registered Agent.org then Mainstay Filing

Best in California, in order

Order set by our five criteria, three-year cost first.
1#1 pick

1. California Registered Agent.ai: best for staying local

Form for $199; renew at $99 a year

#1 in California: California Registered Agent.ai, because three years total $397 with its $99 renewal.

It undercuts Mainstay Filing on three-year cost, which puts it first for a company that stays put.

The Statement of Information is excluded, so you file it.

Price covers

  • California formation filing
  • Agent for year one

For

  • Agent renews at $99
  • First agent year comes with it
  • $199 plus state fee to form

Against

  • Statement of Information is on your list
  • EIN help: $99 more
California Registered Agent.ai sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2California only

2. CA Registered Agent.org: best for another local option

Form for $199; renew at $99 a year

Second: CA Registered Agent.org, because three years total $397 with its $99 renewal.

The Statement of Information is excluded, so you file it.

Same published prices as California Registered Agent.ai, so the order between them is close.

Price covers

  • California formation filing
  • Agent for year one

For

  • $199 plus state fee to form
  • First agent year comes with it
  • Agent renews at $99

Against

  • Statement of Information is on your list
  • EIN help: $99 more
CA Registered Agent.org sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3All fifty states

3. Mainstay Filing: best for skipping the Statement of Information

$199 a year, $70 to the state

Why Mainstay Filing is third: the yearly $199 bundles formation, the agent for service of process and the Statement of Information filing.

Ranked lower because three years cost $200 more than California Registered Agent.ai, and cost has the biggest weight.

The Statement of Information is filed for you; California's $20 is billed at cost.

Price covers

  • Formation filed with the state
  • Agent for service of process for a year
  • Statement of Information prepared and filed
  • EIN application
  • State fees at cost

For

  • Same $199 next year
  • $199 a year, all-in
  • Takes care of the EIN

Against

  • California Registered Agent.ai renews $100 lower
Mainstay Filing sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Side by side

#CompanyYear 1Per year after3-year costCovers
1California Registered Agent.ai$199$99/yr$397california formation filing; agent for year oneCalifornia Registered Agent.ai sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2CA Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397california formation filing; agent for year oneCA Registered Agent.org sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Mainstay Filing$199$199/yr$597formation filed with the state; agent for service of process for a year; Statement of Information prepared and filedMainstay Filing sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Read November 13, 2026; three years = year one + two renewals.

Questions and replies

Cost to form an LLC here?

State fee $70; add $199 for first-year service.

Three-year state total: $2,490. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (August 2026) is the source of record

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

Which form, filed where?

Approval of one filing creates the LLC: the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1), lodged at the California Secretary of State.

Statute: Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (August 2026) is the source of record

Must the LLC name an agent for service of process?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

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.

leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (October 2026) is the source of record

Later-year obligations?

Statement of Information: every two years, $20. For timing, the state's own calendar reads: last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially, so plan ahead of it. Plus the yearly minimum tax.

Miss the date and pay $250 more.

sos.ca.gov (October 2026) is the source of record

Can I do it myself?

Yes; your three-year bill would be the state's $2,490.

A service adds $397 to $597 over three years; with Mainstay Filing the reports are in that price.

What decided #1?

Three-year price (36%) goes to California Registered Agent.ai.

Five criteria: three-year price (36%), chores removed from your list (26%), price shown up front (15%), year-two bill (12%) and states served (11%).

California Registered Agent.ai: $397 for three years, $200 below Mainstay Filing.

Method

California LLC requirements

ItemDetailOfficial page
LLC filing fee$70leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (August 2026) is the source of record
Agent for service of processYes, by statuteleginfo.legislature.ca.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
Statement of Information$20 every two yearssos.ca.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
Minimum tax$800 a yearftb.ca.gov (October 2026) is the source of record
State fees, 3 years$2,490Sum of the rows above
The last row adds the filing, two reports and any minimum tax. Variable costs are explained in the text and left out of the sum.

Also asked

Who files the EIN application?

Mainstay Filing includes it. Others charge: California Registered Agent.ai $99; CA Registered Agent.org $99.

Late fee for the report?

A late report costs $250 more.

What do the picks cost over three years?

California Registered Agent.ai will run $397, CA Registered Agent.org will run $397, Mainstay Filing will run $597, before state fees.

Are the fees official?

State fees cite their official page; service prices come from the company's own site.

Do I have to hire one?

No law requires a service; it is a paid convenience.

Best LLC service in California?

Rank California Registered Agent.ai ahead of CA Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing.

Sources

  1. Reference line for California Secretary of State, drawn from sos.ca.gov and confirmed August 2026, as noted by our editors
  2. Reference line for California Secretary of State, drawn from bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov and confirmed August 2026, as noted by our editors
  3. Reference line for California yearly filing: Statement of, drawn from sos.ca.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
  4. Reference line for Cal, drawn from leginfo.legislature.ca.gov and confirmed August 2026, as noted by our editors
  5. Reference line for California registered agent statute, drawn from leginfo.legislature.ca.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
  6. Reference line for California other cost: Annual LLC, drawn from ftb.ca.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
  7. Reference line for California other cost: Annual LLC, drawn from ftb.ca.gov and confirmed October 2026, as noted by our editors
  8. Price page: California Registered Agent.ai pricing page, accessed November 13, 2026
  9. Price page: CA Registered Agent.org pricing page, accessed November 13, 2026
  10. Price page: Mainstay Filing California service page, accessed November 13, 2026