Foreign registration charge
$70
According to bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, as of October 2026
Foreign LLC guide · California
Registering an Out-of-State LLC in California (2026): Fees and the 3 Best Services
Our 2026 recommendation for registering a foreign LLC in California, best first: Mainstay Filing ($199), California Registered Agent.ai ($199) and CA Registered Agent.org ($199). A foreign LLC pays $70 to register in California and $20 for each yearly report after that. Three-year state fees rank 50th of 50.
California: the figures
50th
out of 50 states, measured on foreign LLC charges
First place is the smallest bill. The whole table
Report, per cycle
$20
Statement of Information, Form LLC-12
Home-state certificate
180 days
Maximum age at filing
Minimum tax, per year
$800
According to ftb.ca.gov, as of October 2026
State charges, years one to three
$2,490
Opening filing followed by years two and three, alongside the annual tax
Our California shortlist
The order follows five published criteria. They are set out on the methodology page.
1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies adding a second state
$199 plus fees; $149 yearly later
Mainstay Filing takes the top place, as $199 plus California's own fee, then the agent at $149 a year from year two.
You pay $100 more than at California Registered Agent.ai across three years and, in return, more filings are done for you.
When the free year ends, the agent is $149 a year in any state.
What the price buys
- Your registration is prepared and filed
- Serves all fifty states
In its favor
- $199 above the state fee
- The same price in any state
Against it
- A renewal $50 higher than California Registered Agent.ai's
2. California Registered Agent.ai: best for a low yearly agent fee
$199 plus fees; $99 yearly later
California Registered Agent.ai comes next: $199 over the state fee to register, then $99 yearly.
What the price buys
- The registration is filed for you
- A year of agent service
In its favor
- $199 above the state fee
- First-year agent duty is on the house
- The agent renews at $99
Against it
- Serves California alone
3. CA Registered Agent.org: best for a second California choice
$199 plus fees; $99 yearly later
CA Registered Agent.org comes after that: $199 over the state fee to register, then $99 yearly.
Its published prices match California Registered Agent.ai's exactly, so the two sit side by side.
What the price buys
- The registration is filed for you
- A year of agent service
In its favor
- $199 above the state fee
- First-year agent duty is on the house
- The agent renews at $99
Against it
- Serves California alone
California picks compared
| No. | Service | First-year fee | From year two | Service charges, three years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | California Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | CA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
We took these prices from the companies' sites on November 12, 2026. California charges $70 to register, over and above every service.
Registration cost calculator
The registration fee is $70, with the $20 report from year two; the service's prices are added to it.
California next to the states ranked around it
| Place | State | Three-year foreign LLC fees |
|---|---|---|
| 46th | Tennessee | $900 |
| 47th | Delaware | $1,000 |
| 48th | Rhode Island | $1,450 |
| 49th | Massachusetts | $1,500 |
| 50th | California | $2,490 |
Foreign LLC fees by state lists every state, least expensive first.
California foreign LLC registration fee and form (official)
The California Secretary of State, Business Entities accepts the Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Form LLC-5) from foreign LLCs for $70. Include certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, issued within 180 days.
After that the company files the Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 ($20), within 90 days of registering, then every 2 years. One more thing on the state side: $800 a year minimum LLC tax to the Franchise Tax Board (Form FTB 3522), separate from the Statement of Information.
What to gather first
- Certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, issued within 180 days.
- The exact legal name and formation date from the home state.
- An agent for service of process in California, which every pick below supplies.
- Money for the $70 state charge.
Consequences of staying unregistered
The state's courts turn away a suit from an unregistered foreign LLC (Corp. Code 17708.07(a)).
What decided the order
Mainstay Filing won by scoring higher on paperwork the price takes on, worth 26%, with California Registered Agent.ai close behind.
A foreign LLC already has a home state, so one provider covering both states scored best.
California foreign registration service questions answered
What fee does a foreign LLC pay to register with California?
$70 in state fees. A service adds $199 to the bill.
Which form does California use to register a foreign LLC?
Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Form LLC-5), submitted to the California Secretary of State, Business Entities.
Does the home state have to issue a certificate?
Yes. certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state; it has to be dated within 180 days of the filing.
Does a foreign LLC owe anything every year?
Yes, the Statement of Information, Form LLC-12, at $20.
What are the consequences of operating there without registering?
The state's courts turn away a suit from an unregistered foreign LLC (Corp. Code 17708.07(a)).
Does California require an agent for service of process of a foreign LLC?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who should register my foreign LLC?
Start with Mainstay Filing: registration costs $199 plus state fees, and the agent for service of process is free for the first year. After that, California Registered Agent.ai and CA Registered Agent.org.
Sources for this chapter
- For California Secretary of State, see sos.ca.gov (opened August 2026)
- For California Secretary of State, see bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov (opened August 2026)
- For California yearly filing: Statement of Information, official source, see sos.ca.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Cal, see leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opened August 2026)
- For California registered agent statute, see leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opened October 2026)
- For California Secretary of State, foreign LLC forms, see sos.ca.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Form LLC-5, see bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Corporations Code section 17708.03, see leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Revenue and Taxation Code section 19135, see leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Franchise Tax Board, LLC filing requirements, see ftb.ca.gov (opened October 2026)
- For California Corporations Code 17708.07, see leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opened November 2026)
- For California other cost: Annual LLC tax: amount and, see ftb.ca.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Tennessee Secretary of State, business forms and fees, see sos.tn.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Form SS-4233, Certificate of Authority for a foreign, see sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com (opened October 2026)
- For Tennessee Secretary of State, business FAQs, see sos.tn.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Form SS-4241, withdrawal or cancellation, see sos-prod.tnsosgovfiles.com (opened October 2026)
- For Tennessee Revised LLC Act, Public Chapter 286, see publications.tnsosfiles.com (opened October 2026)
- For Foreign LLC registration form, see corpfiles.delaware.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Delaware Code Title 6, chapter 18, subchapter IX, see delcode.delaware.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Delaware Code Title 6, chapter 18, subchapter XI, see delcode.delaware.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Division of Corporations fee schedule, August 2026, see corpfiles.delaware.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Alternative entity annual tax instructions, see corp.delaware.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Form 450, Application for Registration, see docs.sos.ri.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Business Services fee schedule, see docs.sos.ri.gov (opened October 2026)
- For R.I, see webserver.rilegislature.gov (opened October 2026)
- For R.I, see webserver.rilegislature.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Form 452, Certificate of Cancellation, see docs.sos.ri.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Rhode Island other cost, see tax.ri.gov (opened October 2026)
- For Massachusetts Corporations Division, foreign LLC page, see sec.state.ma.us (opened October 2026)
- For Corporations Division fee schedule, see sec.state.ma.us (opened October 2026)
- For G.L. c. 156C § 48, foreign LLC registration, see malegislature.gov (opened October 2026)
- For G.L. c. 156C § 54, failure to register, see malegislature.gov (opened October 2026)
- For G.L. c. 156D § 15.01, transacting business, see malegislature.gov (opened October 2026)
- For 950 CMR 112.00, limited liability companies, see sec.state.ma.us (opened October 2026)
- The California service page for Mainstay Filing, as published November 12, 2026
- The pricing page for California Registered Agent.ai, as published November 12, 2026
- The pricing page for CA Registered Agent.org, as published November 12, 2026