Foreign LLC Services › California
Foreign LLC services in California, compared
In California a filing service costs $199 on top of the $70 state fee. Mainstay Filing is our first pick.
Best 3 Foreign Registration Services in California (2026)
Ranked for California.
| # | Service | Service fee | California fee | Agent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $70 | Year one included, then $149/yr |
| 2 | CA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $70 | Year one included, then $99/yr |
| 3 | California Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $70 | Year one included, then $99/yr |
Service prices read from each provider’s California page on October 28, 2026. The state fee is the official figure below and is paid to the California Secretary of State, Business Entities.
Side by side with doing it yourself
| Route | Service fee | Agent, year one | Agent after | Year one, before any agent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | Included | $149 a year | $269 |
| CA Registered Agent.org | $199 | Included | $99 a year | $269 |
| California Registered Agent.ai | $199 | Included | $99 a year | $269 |
| Do it yourself | $0 | You arrange one | Your cost | $70 |
$70 for Form LLC-5, Application to Register.
A agent for service of process must have a street address in California. Doing it yourself means you arrange and pay for one.
What the state requires either way
- Application
- Form LLC-5, Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC)
- Good-standing certificate
- Certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, no older than 180 days
- Yearly filing
- Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 (California Secretary of State), $20 (due: within 90 days of registering, then every 2 years)
California service questions
Which service is best for a foreign LLC in California?
We rank Mainstay Filing first for California: $199 plus the $70 state fee, with the agent free for the first year.
What does a California service include?
The application, the filing with the California Secretary of State, Business Entities, payment of the state fee and a agent for service of process for the first year.
Is it cheaper to file in California myself?
On paper, yes by $199: the state fee is $70. You would also need to find a agent for service of process and prepare Form LLC-5, Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC).
Sources
- California Secretary of State, foreign LLC forms and fees (Form LLC-5 $70.00): www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/forms/limited-liability-companies-foreign-out-state-or-out-country, checked October 28, 2026
- California Form LLC-5 (PDF): bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/llc/forms/llc-5.pdf, checked October 28, 2026
- Corporations Code section 17708.03: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CORP§ionNum=17708.03, checked October 8, 2026
- Revenue and Taxation Code section 19135: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=RTC§ionNum=19135, checked October 8, 2026
- Franchise Tax Board, LLC filing requirements: www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.html, checked October 8, 2026