Business formation

Form your business in California

Start your LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp, or Nonprofit in California with a guided, step-by-step workflow tailored to your entity type - and know the state filing fee before you begin.

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Forming an LLC in California costs $70 in state filing fees, which is below the national median: 12 of the 51 U.S. jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. A corporation files for $100 and a nonprofit for $30. Below: the fee table, what else you pay in year one, and the questions founders ask before filing here.

California state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the California Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$70
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$100
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$30

Estimated state filing fees, separate from EazeAccounts service fees. Some states set a minimum that can rise with authorized shares, and expedited or online filing may differ. Fees last verified May 2026; confirm the current amount with the California Secretary of State before filing.

What an LLC costs every year in California

Statement of Information

$20

Within 90 days of forming, then every two years Late filing adds a $250 penalty.

State tax on the LLC

Every California LLC owes the $800 annual franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board, due by the 15th day of the fourth month after formation and every year after, whether or not the business made money. LLCs with California gross receipts of $250,000 or more also pay an LLC fee that starts at $900.

How long California takes

Online filings through bizfile usually process in about a week; paper filings take longer. Counter and 24-hour expedite options cost extra.

What is different about California

• The $800 franchise tax is the real cost of a California LLC, not the $70 filing fee.
• California taxes LLCs on gross receipts, not profit, once they pass $250,000.
• A California LLC that does business in another state, or the reverse, usually needs to register in both.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the California Secretary of State and tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a California street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.
EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.
Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by California. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.
Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about California

How much does an LLC cost per year in California?: Budget $800 a year for the franchise tax, $20 every two years for the Statement of Information, and more if gross receipts pass $250,000, when the LLC fee starts at $900. The $70 filing fee is a one-time cost.
Is the first year of the $800 franchise tax waived in California?: Not any more. The first-year exemption applied to LLCs formed in 2021 through 2023 and has expired. An LLC formed now owes the $800 in its first year.
How long does it take to form an LLC in California?: Online filings usually process in about a week. Expedited processing is available at extra cost if you need the entity for a bank account or a contract.
How much does it cost to start an LLC in California?: The California state filing fee for an LLC is $70, paid once when you file the formation document. That is below the national median: 12 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.
Do I need a registered agent in California?: Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in California who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.
What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?: The state fee goes to the California Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.
Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?: Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.

Next step

Start your California formation What the formation service includes See the books set up live

Comparing states? Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, or see filing fees in every state.

Ready to form in California? Begin the step-by-step formation workflow.

California state filing fees

These are the one-time fees paid to the California Secretary of State to file your formation document. They are separate from any EazeAccounts service or package fee.

Entity type	State filing fee
LLCArticles of Organization - flexible, pass-through, simple to run.	$70
Corporation (C-Corp / S-Corp)Articles of Incorporation - shares, board, officers. S-Corp is a federal tax election on the same state filing.	$100
NonprofitNonprofit Articles of Incorporation - mission-driven; optional 501(c)(3).	$30

What an LLC costs every year in California

Statement of Information

$20

Within 90 days of forming, then every two years Late filing adds a $250 penalty.

State tax on the LLC

How long California takes

Online filings through bizfile usually process in about a week; paper filings take longer. Counter and 24-hour expedite options cost extra.

What is different about California

• The $800 franchise tax is the real cost of a California LLC, not the $70 filing fee.

• California taxes LLCs on gross receipts, not profit, once they pass $250,000.

• A California LLC that does business in another state, or the reverse, usually needs to register in both.

Guide reviewed September 2026 against the California Secretary of State and tax authority. Confirm current figures before filing.

What else you pay in year one

Registered agent. Free if you serve as your own agent at a California street address; a service charges an annual fee if you would rather keep your address off the public record.

EIN. Free from the IRS. Anyone charging for an EIN alone is charging for the form.

Annual report or franchise tax. Most states ask for a yearly report and some charge a fee or tax with it; the amount and deadline are set by California. Check the Secretary of State page before you file so the first renewal is not a surprise.

Licences and permits. City and county rules depend on what the business does, not on the entity type.

Not sure whether an LLC or a corporation fits? The entity cost calculator compares the two over three years, and the guide to LLC vs C-Corp covers the tax and investor side.

Questions founders ask about California

How much does an LLC cost per year in California?

Budget $800 a year for the franchise tax, $20 every two years for the Statement of Information, and more if gross receipts pass $250,000, when the LLC fee starts at $900. The $70 filing fee is a one-time cost.

Is the first year of the $800 franchise tax waived in California?

Not any more. The first-year exemption applied to LLCs formed in 2021 through 2023 and has expired. An LLC formed now owes the $800 in its first year.

How long does it take to form an LLC in California?

Online filings usually process in about a week. Expedited processing is available at extra cost if you need the entity for a bank account or a contract.

How much does it cost to start an LLC in California?

The California state filing fee for an LLC is $70, paid once when you file the formation document. That is below the national median: 12 of 51 jurisdictions charge less, and the national median is $100. Registered agent service, expedited processing and any EazeAccounts package are separate.

Do I need a registered agent in California?

Yes. Every state requires an LLC or corporation to name a registered agent with a physical street address in California who is available during business hours to receive legal and official mail. You can be your own agent if you live in the state, or use a service.

What is the difference between the state fee and the EazeAccounts fee?

The state fee goes to the California Secretary of State and is the same whoever files for you. The EazeAccounts formation package covers preparing and filing the documents, the EIN, the operating agreement or bylaws, and setting your books up from day one. You always see both amounts before you pay.

Is the state filing fee refundable if my filing is rejected?

Generally no. States keep the fee even when a filing is rejected for a name conflict or a missing detail, which is why the name check and document review happen before anything is submitted.