Cost summary
The California Secretary of State takes $70 at formation[2], and then bills $20 for each Statement of Information[3]. For ongoing state fees, 12 states charge less and 37 charge more.
Mainstay Filing will file it for you for $199 a year plus California's $70 fee, with the California agent for service of process and the Statement of Information included[1].
- Formation fee
- $70
- Statement of Information
- $20, every two years
- Ongoing, per year (avg.)
- $10
- Late fee
- $250
- Change of agent
- $0
- Other states, ongoing fees
- 12 lower, 37 higher
California LLCs also owe the Franchise Tax Board an $800 annual minimum tax (Form FTB 3522), plus a gross-receipts fee once California income reaches $250,000. Neither is included in the Secretary of State fee above. Updated October 29, 2026. Fees from official sources; prices from providers' own pages.
01California fees at a glance
| Filing | Fee | When | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formation (Form LLC-1) | $70 | Once | [2] leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Statement of Information | $20 | Every two years | [3] sos.ca.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Late filing penalty | $250 | If late | [3] sos.ca.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Change of agent for service of process | $0 | When filed | [4] sos.ca.gov, updated October 29, 2026 |
Fees paid to California agencies only; card and portal charges and expedite options are not included.
Add it up for a California LLC's first five calendar years and the formation fee is the one fixed number; report fees depend on when the first Statement of Information falls due. Filing late adds $250.
02Who pays these fees
California had 844,605 employer firms and 3,502,950 nonemployer businesses in the Census Bureau's 2022 counts. Of the business locations that opened in California between April 2019 and March 2020, 53.7% were still open in March 2025.
03Regional comparison
Averaged per year, California's ongoing state cost is $10. Against a 50-state median of $30, 12 states charge less and 37 charge more. Next door, Arizona costs less per year. That comparison counts filing-office fees only; see the separate tax above.
| State | Formation | Report | Per year (avg.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $70 | $20 / 2 yrs | $10 |
| Arizona | $50 | None | $0 |
| Nevada | $425 | $350 / yr | $350 |
| Oregon | $100 | $100 / yr | $100 |
"Per year" halves biennial fees; revenue-department taxes are not included. Sources: each state's statute or fee schedule (August 12, 2026).
04When the California report is due
Every California LLC files the Statement of Information every two years. The details, as the state sets them:
- Filing: Statement of Information
- Filed with: California Secretary of State
- Fee: $20, every two years[3]
- Deadline: Last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially[3]
- How to file: online or on paper
- Late fee: $250
Filing after the deadline adds $250. Skip it long enough and the California Secretary of State can dissolve the company[3].
05Agent for Service of Process and filing service costs
The state does not charge for naming an agent for service of process, but a commercial agent charges every year. Owners who live in California qualify as individuals and can take the agent for service of process role themselves. What California does not allow is the company listing itself.
Agent-only service from Mainstay Filing costs $149 a year in California[1]. Its $199-a-year package adds the formation filing, the EIN application and each Statement of Information. Neither price rises at renewal.
7 other agent services published California prices on October 20, 2026. They started at $0 and went up to $249 for year one, with renewals of $48.99 to $249.
06Questions
How much is the California LLC Statement of Information?
$20, every two years[3]. It is due last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially.
What happens if a California LLC misses the deadline?
California charges a $250 late fee. The LLC loses good standing with the California Secretary of State, and continued non-filing can end in administrative dissolution or revocation.
Can a service handle these California filings?
Mainstay Filing does: $199 a year covers forming the California LLC, the agent for service of process and the EIN application[1]. The $20 Statement of Information fee is passed through when it is filed.
Is California an expensive state for an LLC?
On the $70 it charges to form an LLC, 12 states charge less and 37 charge more. For ongoing fees ($10 a year on average), 12 states charge less and 37 charge more. California LLCs also owe the Franchise Tax Board an $800 annual minimum tax (Form FTB 3522), plus a gross-receipts fee once California income reaches $250,000. Neither is included in the Secretary of State fee above.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01 (California Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act). leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CORP§ionNum=17702.. Updated October 29, 2026.
- California Secretary of State: Statement of Information rules and fee. www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/statements. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Statement of Information fee. www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/forms/limited-liability-companies-state. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Statistics of U.S. Businesses 2022 and Nonemployer Statistics 2022. www.census.gov/programs-surveys/susb.html. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Business Employment Dynamics, Establishment Age and Survival, Table 7 (data through March 2025). www.bls.gov/bdm/bdmage.htm. Updated October 29, 2026.