3 Best Foreign Registration Services in California (2026): Fee Schedule
We rank California foreign registration services for 2026 as California Registered Agent.ai ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and CA Registered Agent.org ($199), best value first. The state's $70 registration fee is the same for all; service charges total $397 to $497 across three years.
Prepared by the Agent Fee Tables editorial team ·
Schedules ordered by: Charges count 39% and duties 31% (the full order)
California: the fee summary
State charge to register$70bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov {fee list dated October 2026}
Charged in year one$199Provider charges alone
Three-year range$397 to $497First year with two more
What the state bills in 3 years$2,490Independent of the company
Cost lines cross inCharges stay apartNo schedule overtakes another
The California schedules
Every charge is copied from the company's own pricing page. The $70 state fee has to be added separately.
#Opening chargeRenewal chargeCharges, three years
1
1. California Registered Agent.ai: best for a basic registration
Top schedule
$199 plus the state's fee, then $99 yearly
Opening charge
$199
Charge from year two
$99/yr
Charges, three years
$397
California Registered Agent.ai has the best schedule in California: a California registration through this service starts at $199, and the agent renews at $99.
On the biggest measure, three-year charges, it beats Mainstay Filing.
Duties the charge covers
Registration completed for you
Agent service in the first year
Charges in its favor
No agent charge in year one
Agent renews at $99
$199 plus the state fee
Charges against it
California only, so the home state needs its own agent
We total only what the state prices: the filing fee, two further reports and any minimum tax. Publication and similar costs are noted separately.
What settled it
Charges over three years put California Registered Agent.ai first. That measure is 39% of the order, and duties inside the charge, charge at renewal, point of equal cost and fee disclosure make up the rest.
Three years with California Registered Agent.ai bill $397, against a Mainstay Filing bill that runs $100 higher.
The California foreign LLC registration fee and rules, in the state's own words
Out-of-state LLCs hand the Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Form LLC-5) to the California Secretary of State, Business Entities and pay $70. Add certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state at most 180 days.
An LLC that never registers can face no standing to bring claims in California courts (Corp. Code 17708.07(a)).
Source wording: ftb.ca.gov {fee list dated October 2026}
If you skip the service
The do-it-yourself bill is $2,490 to the state across three years. Paying $397 to $497 to a service buys your time back.
About these fees
What does California charge a foreign LLC to register?
$70 as the official fee, and a service adds $199 in year one.
What do these schedules add up to over three years?
$397 to $497 across the schedules, not counting state fees.
Which form completes the registration?
Complete Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Form LLC-5) and send it to the California Secretary of State, Business Entities.
Does California require a document from the home state?
Yes, and it cannot be older than 180 days: certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state.
Which recurring filing comes after registration?
The Statement of Information, Form LLC-12, which bills $20.
When does one schedule pass another in total charges?
The schedules do not cross in the first ten years.
Which foreign registration service is the best value for California?
California Registered Agent.ai, which wins on charges over three years. Mainstay Filing and CA Registered Agent.org follow.