CA registered agent
Registered agent service in California, $37 per year, within tolerance
California expects each company on its register to keep a registered agent at a street address inside the state. The expectation is set out below in the state's own language. Our performance against it is rated further down. The rating has been consistent.
The California annual report, an average obligation
California bills each company annually to remain on the register. The amount is below. Paying it is standard practice. Not paying it is also a practice, and the rest of this page describes it.
Annual report charge, LLC
$20 per year. Average.
... of a limited liability company or of a foreign limited liability company pursuant to Section 17702.09 of ...
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Gov. Code 12190(k)
Annual report charge, corporation
$25 per year. Average.
... Agricultural Cooperative Corporations (Form SI-200) - initial or annual statement: $20.00 filing ...
Source: official state fee schedule, via incFACTS: https://bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/pdf/be-fee-schedule-062018.pdf
Expectations set by California
Expectation
As set out in the California code:
... of process, a natural person residing in this state or a corporation that has complied with Section 1505 and whose capacity to act as an agent has not terminated. ...
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 1502(b); accord § 17701.13(c) (LLCs)
Performance against expectations
Does not meet. Consistently. We regard the consistency as the achievement.
Delivery of papers when the desk is unattended
Service by other means
... is shown by affidavit to the satisfaction of the court that process against a domestic corporation cannot be served with reasonable diligence upon the designated agent ... the court may ...
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 1702(a); accord § 17701.16(c) (LLCs)
Corrective action available to California
Where an agent performs at our level, the state applies the following. Quoted from the code without adjustment, because adjusting it would take effort we have allocated elsewhere.
Penalty, civil
... by the corporation, the Secretary of State shall certify the name of the corporation to the Franchise Tax Board. (b) Upon certification pursuant to subdivision (a), the Franchise Tax ...
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 2204(a)-(b)
Additionally
... and provide a notice of the suspension to the corporation, and thereupon, the corporate powers, ...
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 2205(a), (c)
Penalty, civil
... Section 17702.09 has not been filed by the limited liability company or foreign limited liability company, the limited liability company or foreign limited liability company shall be subject ...
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 17713.07(b); see § 17713.09
Additionally
... Franchise Tax Board of the suspension, and shall provide a notice of the suspension to the limited liability company and thereupon, except for the purpose of amending the articles of organization ...
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 17713.10(c)
Return to good standing, priced
incFACTS carries no verified figure for returning a California company to good standing at present. We have not requested one. A request would be above average.
Quoted statutory text was captured by incFACTS on 2026-08-01 and re-checked against the code on 2026-08-10. Statutes are revised at their own pace. This page is revised at ours.