California forms an LLC at the Secretary of State, with the Articles of Organization on Form LLC-1. The filing fee is modest at $70. The part that catches new owners is the separate $800 yearly tax, paid to the Franchise Tax Board and not to the Secretary of State.
This page describes the filing and is not advice. For search and contacts, see the California office guide. The national overview is in our articles of organization guide.
How much does the California LLC-1 cost?
The filing fee for Articles of Organization is $70. A stock corporation's Articles of Incorporation are $100, and a nonprofit corporation that provides no shares pays $30. Our articles of incorporation guide covers the corporation side.
| LLC form | Articles of Organization, Form LLC-1 (sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| State filing fee for an LLC | $70 (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| State filing fee for a corporation | $100 (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| Filing online | File online through bizfile Online (sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| Faster processing | Class B expedite, same day response, costs $750.00 (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| Processing time | Processing dates are posted by request type and method (sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| Worth knowing | Operating agreements are not filed with the Secretary of State (sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| Faster processing (all filings) | Expedited filing, not available for mailed documents: 24-hour response $350 (Class C), same day by 4:00 p.m. if received by 9:30 a.m. $750 (Class B). Preclearance 24-hour response $500 (Class I). Other tiers exist in the schedule. Fees are in addition to filing fees. (bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
| Where to file online | bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov (sos.ca.gov, checked ) |
Fees in the table come from the Secretary of State's published schedule. Check it on the filing day, since the office can change it.
Where do you file California Articles of Organization?
The office says an LLC can be formed online through bizfile Online, and that the online form is drafted to meet the minimum statutory requirements. You may add more provisions as an attachment.
- Choose a name that ends with Limited Liability Company, LLC or L.L.C. The abbreviations Ltd. and Co. are also allowed.
- Name a California agent for service of process. This is a California resident individual, or a registered corporate agent.
- Sign in to the portal and open the LLC formation form.
- Pay $70 and submit.
- Save the filed copy. Operating agreements stay with you.
A business entity cannot be its own agent. The individual agent's name and street address become public on the record.
Name reservation and timing
You can hold a name before you file. A name reservation costs $10 and lasts 60 days, and it cannot be renewed back to back. Reserve one if you need time to set up the registered agent.
For timing, the Secretary of State publishes current processing dates by request type and method. It notes that processing takes longer at the end of the fiscal and calendar years.
Can you expedite the filing?
Only in person at the Sacramento office. The fee schedule lists preclearance and expedited filing services, with a guaranteed response time for each fee. One example is Class B, a same day response by 4:00 p.m. for $750.00, if the office receives the document by 9:30 a.m. Hand delivered filings also carry a $15 special handling fee. Mailed documents get none of these.
What comes after the filing?
Pay the first $800 LLC tax by the 15th day of the fourth month after filing. It is due every year until the LLC is cancelled. An extra LLC fee applies if California income is over $250,000, and the Franchise Tax Board explains it.
The Secretary of State also requires a Statement of Information. LLCs file it every two years in the month of registration. The fee is $20, and the Franchise Tax Board assesses a penalty if it is late.
If you want a hand with the paperwork, you can ask our private filing service. State fees are separate, and you can file with the Secretary of State yourself.
Sources
- bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/pdf/be-fee-schedule-062018.pdf: LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, expedite fees. Checked .
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities: online filing. Checked .
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/faqs/: llc form, filing online, worth knowing. Checked .
- bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/pdf/be-fee-schedule-062018.pdf: faster processing. Checked .
- www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/processing-dates/: processing time. Checked .