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LLC formation fee schedules | California

3 Best LLC Services in California (2026): Fee Schedule

For LLC formation services in California, the 2026 schedules rank California Registered Agent.ai ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and CA Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. Service charges alone reach $397 to $597 by year three; California separately collects $70 to file.

Prepared by the Agent Fee Tables editorial team ·

Schedules ordered by: Best value first, using our five-part order

The main charges

Formation charge$70leginfo.legislature.ca.gov {fee list dated August 2026}
First-year range$199Provider charges alone
Charges, three years$397 to $597Three years of service fees
State side through year 3$2,490The same for every service
Break-evenCharges stay apartStable for a decade

The California schedules

Ordered by how we order. The $70 state fee is not folded into any schedule.
1

1. California Registered Agent.ai: best for companies that stay in one state

Ranked first

$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 ranks first. Three years add up to $397 since the renewal charge is just $99.

Its three-year charges are below Mainstay Filing's, and charges carry 39% of the order.

Filing the Statement of Information stays with you.

Duties the charge covers

  • Articles of organization, filed
  • Agent service in the first year

Charges in its favor

  • $199 plus the state fee
  • Agent renews at $99
  • Year-one agent covered

Charges against it

  • Nothing in the fee pays for the Statement of Information
  • It bills $99 for the EIN application
Check California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2

2. Mainstay Filing: best for a yearly charge that holds

Any state

Opening $199; renewal $199; state fee billed separately

Opening charge
$199
Charge from year two
$199/yr
Charges, three years
$597

Schedule 2 is Mainstay Filing. One charge of $199 a year bundles formation, agent for service of process service and each Statement of Information.

By year three it sits $200 behind California Registered Agent.ai.

You skip the Statement of Information; the one addition is the state's $20.

Duties the charge covers

  • Formation delivered to the state office
  • Agent for service of process for the whole year
  • Statement of Information, filed on time
  • EIN application prepared
  • Nothing added to state charges

Charges in its favor

  • It prepares the EIN application
  • $199 a year covers filing and agent and report
  • No increase at renewal ($199)

Charges against it

  • From year two, $100 above California Registered Agent.ai
Check Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3

3. CA Registered Agent.org: best for a second in-state filer

One-state service

$199 plus the state's fee, then $99 yearly

Opening charge
$199
Charge from year two
$99/yr
Charges, three years
$397

CA Registered Agent.org holds position 3 because three years add up to $397 since the renewal charge is just $99.

Filing the Statement of Information stays with you.

No difference in charges from California Registered Agent.ai.

Duties the charge covers

  • Articles of organization, filed
  • Agent service in the first year

Charges in its favor

  • Year-one agent covered
  • $199 plus the state fee
  • Agent renews at $99

Charges against it

  • Nothing in the fee pays for the Statement of Information
  • It bills $99 for the EIN application
Check CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

What each schedule adds up to

OrderServiceCharges, year 1Charges, year 2Charges, year 3Charges, year 5
1California Registered Agent.ai$199$298$397$595Check California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$398$597$995Check Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3CA Registered Agent.org$199$298$397$595Check CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Charges as published November 13, 2026; year one first, then each renewal added. Ranked by running total, the order is stable for ten years.

Charges calculator

How many years do you plan to run the company? Enter them below and compare, with the EIN application as a choice.
Over 3 years, the totals are California Registered Agent.ai $397, Mainstay Filing $597, CA Registered Agent.org $397. Least billed: California Registered Agent.ai.

State fees with sources

LineChargeSource
Articles filing$70leginfo.legislature.ca.gov {fee list dated August 2026}
Statement of Information$20 every two yearssos.ca.gov {fee list dated October 2026}
Late fee$250sos.ca.gov {fee list dated October 2026}
Yearly minimum tax$800 yearlyftb.ca.gov {fee list dated October 2026}
Three-year state total$2,490Calculated from the lines above
We total only what the state prices: the filing fee, two further reports and any minimum tax. Publication and similar costs are noted separately.

Why schedule one is first

California Registered Agent.ai wins charges over three years, worth 39%, with Mainstay Filing right behind.

California Registered Agent.ai takes the cost measure at $397 over three years, and Mainstay Filing would need $200 more.

Add the EIN application and Mainstay Filing's running charges pass California Registered Agent.ai's in year 2.

The California LLC filing fee and what the state requires, in its own words

$70 and the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1), filed with the California Secretary of State, bring the company into existence. 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.

Official text: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov {fee list dated August 2026}

State fees only

$2,490 is the floor for three years, all of it state fees. Above that floor, services add $397 to $597.

About these fees

What do LLC formation services charge in California?

The schedules charge $199 up front, and the state adds $70.

What do these schedules add up to over three years?

Year one plus two renewals comes to $397 to $597.

How much does California bill to file an LLC?

Filing costs $70 on the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1).

What does California bill each year after formation?

The line that repeats is the Statement of Information, at $20 every other year (last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially). Add the minimum tax.

Does the charge include the EIN application?

Service by service: California Registered Agent.ai ($99), Mainstay Filing (included) and CA Registered Agent.org ($99).

When does one schedule pass another in total charges?

No point of equal cost inside ten years.

Which LLC formation service is the best value in California?

Best value to least: California Registered Agent.ai, Mainstay Filing and CA Registered Agent.org.

Related schedules

Fee sources

  1. The California Secretary of State charge was taken from sos.ca.gov (August 2026).
  2. The California Secretary of State charge was taken from bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov (August 2026).
  3. The California yearly filing: Statement of charge was taken from sos.ca.gov (October 2026).
  4. The Cal charge was taken from leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (August 2026).
  5. The California registered agent statute charge was taken from leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (October 2026).
  6. The California other cost: Annual LLC charge was taken from ftb.ca.gov (October 2026).
  7. The California other cost: Annual LLC charge was taken from ftb.ca.gov (October 2026).
  8. Charges from California Registered Agent.ai pricing page, retrieved November 13, 2026
  9. Charges from Mainstay Filing California service page, retrieved November 13, 2026
  10. Charges from CA Registered Agent.org pricing page, retrieved November 13, 2026