No.1
Top pick on this page
1. CA Registered Agent.org: best for companies that only add California
$199 for the service, state fee on top; from year two the agent bills $99 annually
Score9.4out of 10
First place: CA Registered Agent.org. $199 over the state fee registers the company in California, and the agent renews at $99.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
Its three-year total is below Mainstay Filing's, which carries considerable weight in our scoring.
In the price
- Filing with the state
- A first year as your agent for service of process
Why pick it
- $199 for the registration, before state fees
- Includes your agent for service of process for the first year
- The agent renews at $99 annually
Weak spots
- Serves California only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
No.2
Same price in every state
2. Mainstay Filing: best for businesses active in several states
Service charge $199, with the state fee separate ($269 due at checkout in all); the agent costs $149 a year from the second year
Score8.9out of 10
Second place: Mainstay Filing. $199 is added to the state fee in any state, and the first year as agent for service of process is included.
After the free first year, the agent is $149 annually, whichever state the company chooses.
CA Registered Agent.org costs $100 less over three years, and Mainstay Filing trails it on that criterion.
In the price
- The foreign registration, filed for you
- Service of process scanned and uploaded within the same business day, at no charge
Why pick it
- A $199 service charge, with the state's fee added
- One price in each of the fifty states
- Service of process on the company scanned within the same business day, no charge
Weak spots
- The agent is $149 a year after year one, $50 more than CA Registered Agent.org
No.3
Best local option
3. California Registered Agent.ai: best for California registrations only
$199 for the registration work and the state's fee besides; the agent is $99 yearly after year one
Score8.7out of 10
Third place: California Registered Agent.ai. $199 over the state fee registers the company in California, and the agent renews at $99.
An in-state street address serves as the registered office, and papers served on the company are scanned into your online account.
The published prices and features of CA Registered Agent.org and California Registered Agent.ai are identical, which makes the order between them close.
In the price
- Filing with the state
- The first year of agent for service of process service
Why pick it
- Registers the company for $199 and the state's fee
- Covers the first year of agent for service of process service
- The agent renews at $99 annually
Weak spots
- Serves California only; the home state needs its own agent
- The EIN application carries a separate fee ($99)
The 3 rulings in brief
| Rank | Provider | Ruling score | Service charge | Year two | Suited to | Link |
|---|
| 1 | CA Registered Agent.org | 9.4 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 2 | Mainstay Filing | 8.9 | $199 | $149/yr | Businesses spread over several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
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| 3 | California Registered Agent.ai | 8.7 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal on this list | Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
|---|
The Startup Judge assigns each score out of 10 itself, applying the criteria on
How we rank; no customer ratings are used.
California foreign registration service charges in 2026: year one, renewals and the three-year total
| Provider | Year one | Year two | Year three | Total over three years | Agent covered in year one |
|---|
| CA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Not stated |
|---|
| California Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
|---|
Each charge was taken from the provider's own pages on November 12, 2026. California's $70 registration fee is payable in addition to every row below and is not in the totals.
The reasoning for the order
The Startup Judge weighs charge over three years at 31% and work taken off the founder at 31%; renewal conduct, fit with local rules and pricing in plain sight divide the remaining 38%. In California, charge over three years was the criterion that tipped it.
Over three years CA Registered Agent.org totals $397, $100 less than Mainstay Filing. Both providers include the first year, so the renewal charge carried the ruling.
Each criterion and its weight appear on How we rank.
Foreign LLC registration in California: the form, the office and the fee
Registration is lodged with the California Secretary of State, Business Entities using the Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Form LLC-5). The state fee is $70. California also requires certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, issued no more than 180 days before the filing.
Once registered, the company's recurring filing is the Statement of Information, Form LLC-12, priced at $20, with a due date of within 90 days of registering, then every 2 years.
Items to gather before filing
- Certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, no older than 180 days at filing.
- The exact legal name registered in the home state, along with the date it was formed.
- A agent for service of process whose street address is in the state. Any provider on this page can fill the role.
- The $70 state fee, remitted with the application.
- A date in your calendar for the Statement of Information, Form LLC-12, which carries a $20 fee.
Consequences of operating in California unregistered
Until it registers, an out-of-state LLC may not sue in California courts (Corp. Code 17708.07(a)).
Questions on California foreign registration services
Is an out-of-state LLC required to register in California?
Yes, as soon as it conducts business there. Until it registers, it has no standing to sue in that state's courts.
What will foreign registration in California run in total?
The state fee is $70; service charges run $199.
What does California call its foreign registration form?
The Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Form LLC-5), lodged with the California Secretary of State, Business Entities.
Must the home state vouch for the company before California accepts it?
It must. Certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, issued no more than 180 days before filing accompanies the application.
Is a agent for service of process still needed after the company is registered?
Yes. A agent for service of process with a street address in the state stays on file for as long as the registration lasts.
Which foreign registration service does the record favor in California?
CA Registered Agent.org, since it charges $199 beyond the state fee, including year-one agent for service of process service, then $99 a year for the agent.
The record
- California Secretary of State, on the record as of August 2026
- California Secretary of State, on the record as of August 2026
- California yearly filing: Statement of Information, official source, on the record as of October 2026
- Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01, on the record as of August 2026
- California registered agent statute, on the record as of October 2026
- California Secretary of State, foreign LLC forms, on the record as of October 2026
- Form LLC-5, on the record as of October 2026
- Corporations Code section 17708.03, on the record as of October 2026
- Revenue and Taxation Code section 19135, on the record as of October 2026
- Franchise Tax Board, LLC filing requirements, on the record as of October 2026
- California Corporations Code 17708.07, on the record as of November 2026
- Exhibit: CA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: Mainstay Filing, California service page, November 12, 2026
- Exhibit: California Registered Agent.ai, pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026