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Formation Scorecard

LLC service scorecard · California

3 Best LLC Services in California (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for LLC services in California the order reads California Registered Agent.ai ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and CA Registered Agent.org ($199). California Registered Agent.ai posts the top score: $199 plus the California filing fee, first-year agent for service of process service included, then $99 yearly.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Number one here

1. California Registered Agent.ai: best for a California LLC that stays small

9.1 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

California Registered Agent.ai leads the card: California formation for $199 beyond the state's fee, with a free first agent year, and $99 a year to keep the agent.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

Its prices leave out the Statement of Information, so you send that filing to California yourself every two years.

Across three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, and cost is one of our two heaviest criteria.

What you get

  • Articles prepared and filed
  • First-year agent for service of process service

Strengths

  • $99 per year for the agent after the first
  • Formation at $199, with the state fee added
  • Includes the first agent for service of process year

Watch for

  • Leaves the Statement of Information with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. California Registered Agent.ai: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best bundle

2. Mainstay Filing: best for a bundle of formation, agent and Statement of Information

8.8 Editor score out of 10
$199 a year plus the state's fee, $269 due at checkout

Mainstay Filing takes second spot: a $199 yearly price pays for the California formation, a year of agent for service of process service and the Statement of Information, then renews at $199.

Each renewal includes Mainstay's filing of the Statement of Information. California bills $20 every two years for it, due last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially, and missing the date costs $250; Mainstay passes the state's fee along at cost.

California Registered Agent.ai undercuts Mainstay Filing by $200 over three years, and that gap costs Mainstay points on cost.

What you get

  • The LLC formation, handled for you
  • Agent for service of process service for the full year
  • The Statement of Information, filed for you each time
  • EIN application included

Strengths

  • One $199 yearly price that also files the Statement of Information
  • California's state fee is added at cost
  • Renews at $199 with nothing added
  • EIN application bundled in

Watch for

  • Its agent renews $100 a year above California Registered Agent.ai
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #3 Lower renewal than Mainstay

3. CA Registered Agent.org: best for staying local in California

8.7 Editor score out of 10
$199 to form, then $99 a year for the agent, state fee extra

CA Registered Agent.org takes third spot: California formation for $199 beyond the state's fee, with a free first agent year, and $99 a year to keep the agent.

The plan puts the company at an in-state street address and scans papers served on it to your online account.

Its prices leave out the Statement of Information, so you send that filing to California yourself every two years.

California Registered Agent.ai and CA Registered Agent.org post identical prices and plan features, so the points between them are close and either is a sound pick.

What you get

  • Articles prepared and filed
  • A year as your agent for service of process, up front

Strengths

  • Agent at $99 a year from year two
  • Formation at $199, with the state fee added
  • Includes the first agent for service of process year

Watch for

  • Leaves the Statement of Information with you
  • $99 extra for the EIN application
Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. CA Registered Agent.org: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Service fee Year two Best for Go
1 California Registered Agent.ai 9.1 $199 $99/yr A California-only LLC on a tight budget Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Mainstay Filing 8.8 $199 $199/yr Formation, agent and Statement of Information together Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 CA Registered Agent.org 8.7 $199 $99/yr A California-only LLC on a tight budget Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Scores are Formation Scorecard's own marks out of 10, based on the criteria explained on How we rank. Customers do not rate anything here.

California LLC service cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Statement of Information included
California Registered Agent.ai $199 $99 $99 $397 No
Mainstay Filing $199 $199 $199 $597 Yes
CA Registered Agent.org $199 $99 $99 $397 No

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Add California's $70 filing fee to each row; the tally above leaves it out.

What broke the tie

The marking scheme gives 25% to cost across three years and 25% to coverage of the price, with renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity sharing 50%. For California, cost across three years made the difference.

California Registered Agent.ai tallies $397 across three years, $200 below Mainstay Filing. Mainstay would add the Statement of Information filing, but an owner can file it alone for just the state fee, so the lower price took the points.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

California LLC formation: the official fee and form

The Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) carries a $70 fee at the California Secretary of State. Every service here passes that fee through at cost, on top of its own price.

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

Keeping the California LLC current

The Statement of Information arrives every two years and is due last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially. It carries a $20 fee. Late filings add $250. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

California LLC service: quick questions

How much will an LLC in California cost to set up?

Expect $70 for the state plus $199 for the service.

What is the name of the formation form?

It is the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1), and the California Secretary of State receives it.

Must a California LLC appoint a agent for service of process when it forms?

Yes. A agent for service of process with a street address in California has to be on file from the start.

What does a California LLC have to file after formation?

One item, the Statement of Information, due every two years (last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially) with a $20 fee.

Is the EIN application part of the price?

Mainstay Filing folds it into the yearly price. California Registered Agent.ai and CA Registered Agent.org add $99 for it. Applying for an EIN costs nothing at the IRS itself.

Which LLC service tops the card for California?

California Registered Agent.ai, since $199 to form on top of the state fee, then $99 a year for the agent.

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Where the figures come from

  1. California Secretary of State, as of August 2026
  2. California Secretary of State, as of August 2026
  3. California yearly filing: Statement of Information, official source, as of October 2026
  4. Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01, as of August 2026
  5. California registered agent statute, as of October 2026
  6. California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and timing, official source, as of October 2026
  7. California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and timing, official source, as of October 2026
  8. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for California Registered Agent.ai
  9. Read on November 12, 2026: California service page for Mainstay Filing
  10. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for CA Registered Agent.org