The essentials · California
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in California (2026), Kept Simple
The short version
- State fee to register
- $70
- Home certificate?
- Yes (180 days old, at most)
- Next
- $20, Statement of Information, Form LLC-12
- Our pick
- CA Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing then California Registered Agent.ai
Ranked in California
Prices come from each company's own page. Method.1. CA Registered Agent.org: best for adding only this state
$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year
CA Registered Agent.org ranks first in California. $199 files the registration, and the agent renews at $99.
Its three-year total is under Mainstay Filing's, which puts it first for a company that stays put.
Includes
- Registration, filed
- Year-one agent
Good
- $99 a year from year two
- $199 plus the state fee
- Year one of the agent comes with it
Against
- The home state needs its own agent
2. Mainstay Filing: best for adding more states
$199 plus the state fee, then $149 a year
Mainstay Filing takes second place because California's fee plus $199 gets you registered, with no agent for service of process bill until year two.
CA Registered Agent.org is $100 less over three years. That decides the order.
The agent for service of process is free in year one. After that it is $149 a year, in any state.
Includes
- The registration filing
- One fee for all fifty states
Good
- The same fee in every state
- $199 over the state fee
Against
- Agent renews at $149, $50 above CA Registered Agent.org
3. California Registered Agent.ai: best for one more state only
$199 plus the state fee, then $99 a year
Third place: California Registered Agent.ai, since $199 files the registration, and the agent renews at $99.
It charges what CA Registered Agent.org charges.
Includes
- Registration, filed
- Year-one agent
Good
- $199 plus the state fee
- Year one of the agent comes with it
- $99 a year from year two
Against
- The home state needs its own agent
Side by side
| # | Company | Year one | After year one | Three years | Includes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Registration, filed; Year-one agent | Go to CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | the registration filing; one fee for all fifty states | Go to Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | California Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Registration, filed; Year-one agent | Go to California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
The facts
When must an out-of-state LLC register?
Registration comes first. Business in California comes second.
Without registration, an LLC may face California courts will not hear its claims (Corp. Code 17708.07(a)).
from ftb.ca.gov, October 2026, kept short
How much to register?
$70 to the state. $199 more if someone files for you.
Over three years state fees reach $2,490, counting any recurring report and the minimum tax. from bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, October 2026, kept short
What registers the LLC?
The Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Form LLC-5) goes to the California Secretary of State, Business Entities. One filing registers the LLC.
Include certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state issued within the last 180 days.
What is due after registering?
A Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 follows. Cost: $20.
Date set by the state: Within 90 days of registering, then every 2 years.
Why this order?
CA Registered Agent.org wins on three-year cost. That check carries 38%.
Five checks: three-year cost (38%), work included (27%), readable pricing (13%), renewal steadiness (11%) and state coverage (11%).
Mainstay Filing runs $100 higher over three years than CA Registered Agent.org's $397.
California: registering a foreign LLC
| Requirement | Rule or amount | Confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Fee to register | $70 | from bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, October 2026, kept short |
| Good standing certificate | Yes, 180 days | from ftb.ca.gov, October 2026, kept short |
| Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 | $20 | from ftb.ca.gov, October 2026, kept short |
| Minimum tax | $800 a year | from ftb.ca.gov, October 2026, kept short |
| Three-year state total | $2,490 | Sum of the rows above |
Questions
Do I still need an agent at home?
Yes. Each state has its own rule. Mainstay Filing can serve both from one account.
What do the picks cost over three years?
CA Registered Agent.org costs $397 and Mainstay Filing costs $497 and California Registered Agent.ai costs $397, with state fees on top.
Where do the figures come from?
Official California sources for the state side. Published prices for the service side.
Must I use a service?
No law requires a service. It is a paid convenience.
Does a service file it for me?
Yes. Every pick files it, and the state fee is the same for all.
What is the best foreign registration service in California?
CA Registered Agent.org, because it charges $199 with first-year agent service included, then $99 a year. Then Mainstay Filing and California Registered Agent.ai.
Sources
- Entry for California Secretary of State: read at sos.ca.gov, dated August 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for California Secretary of State: read at bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, dated August 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for California yearly filing: Statement of: read at sos.ca.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for Cal: read at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, dated August 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for California registered agent statute: read at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for California Secretary of State, foreign: read at sos.ca.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for Form LLC-5: read at bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for Corporations Code section 17708.03: read at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for Revenue and Taxation Code section: read at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for Franchise Tax Board, LLC filing: read at ftb.ca.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for California Corporations Code 17708.07: read at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, dated November 2026, kept short on purpose
- Entry for California other cost: Annual LLC: read at ftb.ca.gov, dated October 2026, kept short on purpose
- CA Registered Agent.org pricing page, read November 13, 2026
- Mainstay Filing California service page, read November 13, 2026
- California Registered Agent.ai pricing page, read November 13, 2026