Keep it simple · California
Costs $99 a year, then $99 yearly
Why CA Registered Agent.org? Honestly, $99 a year gets you an agent right in the state.
Over three years it costs less than Mainstay Filing, which counts most with us.
Your money buys
The good
Trade-offs
Costs $149 a year, then $149 yearly
Second place goes to Mainstay Filing, where its price doesn't change by state: $149 a year, $149 at renewal.
CA Registered Agent.org is $150 less across three years, which is enough to rank higher.
Your money buys
The good
Trade-offs
Costs $99 a year, then $99 yearly
California Registered Agent.ai comes next since $99 a year gets you an agent right in the state.
The same published prices as CA Registered Agent.org, so go with whichever you like.
Your money buys
The good
Trade-offs
| # | Company | First year | Renews at | Three-year total | Covers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CA Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | A local address on file; your legal mail, scanned | Visit the CA Registered Agent.org sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149/yr | $447 | A real in-state address; free scans of three government mailings a year; Works for LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits too | Visit the Mainstay Filing sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | California Registered Agent.ai | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | A local address on file; your legal mail, scanned | Visit the California Registered Agent.ai sitePartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Cited law: Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13. official: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, October 2026
A California resident, or a corporation registered with the Secretary of State as a corporate agent under Corporations Code § 1505. A business cannot act as its own agent for service of process.
If you qualify, you can do it yourself at no cost.
Budget $99 to $149 a year, or $297 to $447 for three.
No state fee depends on which agent you pick.
It's the address in California where court papers and state letters get delivered for your LLC.
What matters is that nothing important goes unnoticed while you're out. What being served means
Keep the Statement of Information current. You file it every two years for $20. The state lists the due date as last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially, so don't let it slide. The minimum tax is billed on its own.
official: sos.ca.gov, October 2026
CA Registered Agent.org is strongest on cost across three years, which counts for 33% of our score.
Together, cost across three years and work taken off your hands make up 64% of the score.
On cost, CA Registered Agent.org takes it at $297, a saving of $150 against Mainstay Filing.
| The rule | Amount or rule | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay to file | $70 | official: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, August 2026 |
| Agent for service of process | Required | official: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, October 2026 |
| Statement of Information | $20 every two years | official: sos.ca.gov, October 2026 |
| State minimum tax | $800 a year | official: ftb.ca.gov, October 2026 |
| State cost over three years | $2,490 | Sum of the figures above |
You can once you meet the rule on who can serve and where.
An individual agent's California street address goes on the public record. A registered corporate agent's address is already on file with the state and is not repeated in the company's filing.
CA Registered Agent.org: $297 / Mainstay Filing: $447 / California Registered Agent.ai: $297
What the state charges comes from official California publications; what services charge comes from what they publish.
It's your call. You can file on your own if you meet the rules on this page.
CA Registered Agent.org comes first: its agent service costs $99 a year and puts a street address on file for you. Then come Mainstay Filing and California Registered Agent.ai.