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How to start an LLC in California: checklist (2026)
To start an LLC in California, file the Articles of Organization (LLC-1) with the California Secretary of State for $70, name a registered agent, get a free EIN and check your local licenses. Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, does the filing, the agent, the EIN application and the report for $199 a year.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
California checklist
- File the formation document. Articles of Organization (LLC-1), California Secretary of State, $70.
- Name a registered agent. Required. 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.
- Get an EIN. Free from the IRS online.
- Check licenses. California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) says: “obtain business licenses and other permits from appropriate cities or counties” (general licenses are issued locally).
- Keep it current. Statement of Information, every 2 years: $20, due last day of the llc's registration-anniversary month, biennially. Also: $800 a year minimum LLC tax to the Franchise Tax Board (Form FTB 3522), separate from the Statement of Information.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, same at renewal
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in California?
The state filing fee is $70 for the Articles of Organization (LLC-1). The first Statement of Information later costs $20.
Do I need a registered agent in California?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Do I need a business license in California?
California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) says: “obtain business licenses and other permits from appropriate cities or counties” (general licenses are issued locally).
Sources
- Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01 (California Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act) (multira state research spine): leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CORP§ionNum=17702.01., checked August 12, 2026
- California Secretary of State (multira state research spine): www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/statements, checked August 12, 2026
- California Secretary of State (multira state research spine): bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/llc/forms/llc-12-112021.pdf, checked August 12, 2026
- California yearly filing: Statement of Information, official source read 2026-10-01: www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/forms/limited-liability-companies-statement-information, checked October 1, 2026
- California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and timing, official source read 2026-10-01: www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.html, checked October 1, 2026
- California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and timing, official source read 2026-10-01: www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2026/2026-3522.pdf, checked October 1, 2026
- California registered agent statute (Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13): leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CORP§ionNum=17701.13., checked October 20, 2026
- California Secretary of State: www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/, checked October 20, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number: www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number, checked October 21, 2026
- California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz) (business license statement): business.ca.gov/resources/permit-and-regulatory-assistance/, checked October 21, 2026