Foreign registration price index · California
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in California (2026): Price Index
Index basis: Weighted index: cost over three years counts 38%, coverage per dollar 32%
Figures at a glance
California ledger, best value first
1. Mainstay Filing: best for a second state or a fifth
Index leaderMainstay Filing holds the first line: $199 to file, a free first agent year, and one price in every state.
Spend $100 more than CA Registered Agent.org over three years and the recurring paperwork leaves your desk.
Year two brings $149 for the agent, in every state.
Line includes
- Registration filed on your behalf
- One fee in every state
Credits
- All fifty states covered
- $199 plus the state's fee
Debits
- Agent renews at $149, $50 above CA Registered Agent.org
2. CA Registered Agent.org: best for the smallest yearly agent bill
California onlyNext on the ledger: CA Registered Agent.org, with a $199 filing line plus a $99 yearly agent renewal in California.
Line includes
- Foreign registration handled
- Agent service in year one
Credits
- $199 for the registration
- Year-one agent covered in the price
- Agent renews at $99
Debits
- The home state still needs a separate agent
3. California Registered Agent.ai: best for a single added state
California onlyNext on the ledger: California Registered Agent.ai, with a $199 filing line plus a $99 yearly agent renewal in California.
On price alone it is a tie with CA Registered Agent.org.
Line includes
- Foreign registration handled
- Agent service in year one
Credits
- Year-one agent covered in the price
- $199 for the registration
- Agent renews at $99
Debits
- The home state still needs a separate agent
Running subtotals
| Line | Provider | Total, year 1 | Total, year 2 | Total, year 3 | Total, year 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $348 | $497 | $795 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | CA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $298 | $397 | $595 | Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | California Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $298 | $397 | $595 | Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Compute your subtotal
The California fee schedule
| Entry | Amount | Cited from |
|---|---|---|
| Registration filing charge | $70 | bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov (read October 2026) per the state |
| Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 | $20 | ftb.ca.gov (read October 2026) per the state |
| Minimum yearly tax | $800 each year | ftb.ca.gov (read October 2026) per the state |
| 3-year state cost | $2,490 | Total of the above |
Index notes
Coverage per dollar settled line one. That column is 32% of the index; three-year cost index, renewal step, crossover year and price transparency make up the rest.
With the LLC in two states, coverage decided it.
Official California foreign LLC registration fee and rules
To do business in California with an LLC formed elsewhere, file the Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Form LLC-5) with the California Secretary of State, Business Entities for $70. Add certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state obtained within 180 days.
The penalties for staying unregistered: its own claims cannot be brought (Corp. Code 17708.07(a)).
Official wording: ftb.ca.gov (read October 2026) per the state
Going without a service
Government fees alone total $2,490 for three years, which is the floor. The ledger shows what each service adds ($397 to $497).
Questions about California prices
What does California charge an out-of-state LLC to register?
$70 in state fees, before $199 in service fees.
What is the three-year subtotal for these services?
$397 to $497 across the lines, before state fees.
Which document does the registering?
The registering document is Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Form LLC-5), and the California Secretary of State, Business Entities is the office that takes it.
Does California want a paper from the LLC's home state?
Yes, no more than 180 days old: certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state.
What recurring filing comes after registration?
Next comes the Statement of Information, Form LLC-12, billed at $20.
When does one line pass another in total cost?
The lines do not cross in the first ten years.
Which foreign registration service indexes best in California?
Top to bottom, the California ledger reads Mainstay Filing, CA Registered Agent.org and California Registered Agent.ai.
Source lines
- California Secretary of State is backed by sos.ca.gov, read August 2026.
- California Secretary of State is backed by bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, read August 2026.
- California yearly filing: Statement of is backed by sos.ca.gov, read October 2026.
- Cal is backed by leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, read August 2026.
- California registered agent statute is backed by leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, read October 2026.
- California Secretary of State, foreign is backed by sos.ca.gov, read October 2026.
- Form LLC-5 is backed by bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov, read October 2026.
- Corporations Code section 17708.03 is backed by leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, read October 2026.
- Revenue and Taxation Code section is backed by leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, read October 2026.
- Franchise Tax Board, LLC filing is backed by ftb.ca.gov, read October 2026.
- California Corporations Code 17708.07 is backed by leginfo.legislature.ca.gov, read November 2026.
- California other cost: Annual LLC is backed by ftb.ca.gov, read October 2026.
- Ledger input from the Mainstay Filing California service page, November 13, 2026
- Ledger input from the CA Registered Agent.org pricing page, November 13, 2026
- Ledger input from the California Registered Agent.ai pricing page, November 13, 2026