Starting an LLC or corporation in California means visiting several state, federal and local offices. This page lists each one, in the order most people need them, with a link to the official site. Corpgate, Inc. is a California registered agent. We don't form companies, but every California company needs a registered agent, and that's what we do.
1. Before you file
- Check your name: search the Secretary of State's business records on bizfile Online to see whether your name is available.
- Check trademarks: a name approved by the state is not a trademark. Search the federal trademark office's database before you invest in a name. California also registers state trademarks through the Secretary of State.
2. Form your company
- File with the Secretary of State on bizfile Online. The filing fee is $70 for an LLC's Articles of Organization and $100 for a corporation's Articles of Incorporation. To file online, you need a bizfile Online account. You can also file by mail or in person. The Secretary of State's starting a business page explains each choice.
- Name a registered agent: every California LLC and corporation must name an agent to receive legal papers. The agent can be a California resident or a company registered with the state as a 1505 corporate agent. More on this below.
3. Right after you file
- Statement of Information: due within 90 days of forming, then every year for stock corporations ($25) and every two years for LLCs ($20). See our Statement of Information guide.
- Employer identification number: get one free from the Internal Revenue Service. Never pay a website for it. A one-owner LLC with no employees may not need one, but banks usually ask for it.
- Operating agreement or bylaws: your company's internal rules. They are not filed with the state, but you should have them. An attorney can help.
- Business bank account: keep company money separate from your own.
4. Taxes
- Franchise Tax Board: every LLC pays an $800 annual tax, first due by the 15th day of the 4th month after you file. LLCs with $250,000 or more of California income also pay a yearly fee. Corporations pay an $800 minimum franchise tax, but not in their first tax year. For an LLC whose first tax year begins in 2027, 2028 or 2029, the first year's tax is $400 (Senate Bill 122; see the Franchise Tax Board's what's new page).
- Seller's permit: if you sell goods that are normally taxed, register with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. The permit is free.
5. Licenses and permits
- CalGold: the state's free tool at calgold.ca.gov shows which permits and licenses your type of business needs in your city or county.
- City business license: most cities require a business license or business tax certificate. CalGold shows yours.
- Fictitious business name (doing business as): if you use a name other than your company's legal name, file with your county clerk within 40 days of starting business, then publish it in a local newspaper.
- Professional licenses: contractors, cosmetologists and many other trades need a license from the Department of Consumer Affairs or another state board.
6. If you hire employees
- Employment Development Department: register within 15 days after you pay more than $100 in wages in a calendar quarter.
- Workers' compensation insurance: required as soon as you have one employee.
- Cal/OSHA: employers need a written injury and illness prevention program.
7. Federal ownership reporting
- In 2026 the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network permanently ended beneficial ownership reporting for companies formed in the United States. A company formed in another country and registered in California may still need to report. Check FinCEN's site.
8. Free help
- Small Business Development Centers: free advising at over 50 centers across California.
- SCORE: free mentoring from experienced business owners.
- California Office of the Small Business Advocate: the state's guides for new businesses.
9. Your registered agent
Every California LLC and corporation needs a registered agent: a person or company with a California address that receives lawsuits and other legal papers for you. Corpgate, Inc. has been a California registered agent since 2008, registered with the Secretary of State as a 1505 corporate agent. We scan and email your documents promptly. $49 a year when you prepay three years ($147), or $79 a year. See plans.
General information only, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules checked on the official sites on October 31, 2026. Check the official site before you file.
Related pages: Registered agent for California LLCs · Registered agent for California corporations · California agent for service of process · How to change your registered agent
More guides: What does an agent do? · What happens without one? · What does an agent cost? · Statement of Information guide · Out-of-state companies in CA · The 1505 corporate agent · Statutory agent vs registered agent · How service of process works
Need a California registered agent?
18 years serving California LLCs and corporations. Documents are scanned and emailed promptly, with hard copies forwarded.
3-Year Plan
$49 a year when you prepay three years ($147)
Pay with CardAnnual Plan
$79 a year, renews yearly until you cancel
Pay with Card- Service of process and other legal documents received for you
- Documents scanned and emailed promptly; originals forwarded
- No hidden fees, ever. Each plan covers one company.
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Checkout requires a US mailing address. Don't have one? Email support@corpgate.com and we'll set you up. After checkout, you get an email with simple instructions to name Corpgate, Inc. as your agent. Questions first? Call (888) 49-2-CORP or see how it works on our home page. Refund and cancellation policy.