The short answer
A professional registered agent in California costs about $50 to $300 per year. Corpgate, Inc., owner-operated and a registered 1505 corporate agent serving California companies since 2008, is $49 a year when you prepay three years ($147), or $79 a year. Independent agents charge toward the low end and national brands toward the high end, for the same core legal job. See our plans.
The typical price range
That $50 to $300 spread covers the same job everywhere: a California street address on file with the state, receipt of service of process (court papers), and delivery of those papers to you.
| Option | Typical cost | Over 3 years | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corpgate, Inc. | $49–$79/yr | $147 on the 3-year plan, or $237 year to year | $49/yr with a 3-year plan ($147 one payment) or $79 year to year, flat |
| Independent local agents | $50–$125/yr | About $150–$375 | Varies widely in service quality and longevity |
| National brands | $100–$300/yr | About $300–$900 | Same core service, often bundled with extras and add-on offers |
| Formation-company bundles | "Free" first year | About $250–$500 (two paid years) | Renewal typically jumps to about $125–$250/yr |
What you're actually paying for
At any price, the job is the same: be reliably present at a California street address, receive service of process, and get it to you quickly. Extras that inflate the price, like "compliance dashboards" and document storage portals, don't change the legal function. What matters is whether documents reach you promptly and whether the company will still exist at renewal time.
The pricing traps
- The free-first-year renewal jump. Formation companies bundle a free agent year, then renew at about $125 to $250. Check the renewal rate before accepting any bundle.
- Per-document fees. Some services charge extra to forward or scan documents. Receiving and delivering documents is the entire job; it shouldn't cost extra.
- Quiet annual increases. A low sign-up rate that creeps up each year. Flat, published pricing avoids the drift.
Is $49 a year on a 3-year plan too cheap for a registered agent?
Not if the agent does the job well. Corpgate, Inc. is $49 a year when you prepay three years ($147). The legal job is the same at every price: keep a California street address on file with the state, accept service of process there, and get the papers to you promptly. A low price is a problem only if a company cuts corners on that job or is gone by renewal time.
Whatever you pay, check four things:
- Is the company registered with the Secretary of State as a 1505 corporate agent?
- Is the renewal price published, and when can it change?
- Are there extra fees per document, or to scan or forward papers?
- How long has the company been in business?
Corpgate, Inc. is a registered 1505 corporate agent and has served California companies since 2008. Our prices are published, there is no extra fee per document, and documents are scanned and emailed promptly, with hard copies forwarded.
Why Corpgate, Inc. can charge $49 a year on a 3-year plan
We do one thing: registered agent service for California businesses, owner-operated since 2008. No call center, no sales team, no add-ons to advertise. The price shown in our plans below is the whole price: $49 per year when you prepay 3 years ($147 in one payment), or $79 year to year. Service of process is scanned and emailed to you promptly, with the hard copy forwarded.
Switching from a pricier agent is one online filing: here's exactly how.
Cost questions
Why do registered agent prices vary so much?
The core legal job is the same everywhere: keep a California address on file, receive documents, pass them along. Packages differ in what else they include, such as business-address use, document storage, online accounts, filing help and reminders. Compare the features you actually need and the renewal price, not just the first-year price.
Do multi-year plans actually save money?
Usually, yes. Prepaying locks the rate and avoids renewal increases. Corpgate, Inc.'s 3-year plan works out to $49 per year (one $147 payment) versus $79 year to year.
How much is a registered agent for an LLC in California?
About $50 to $300 a year, the same as for a corporation. California does not price the requirement differently by entity type, so an LLC pays the ordinary market rate of roughly $50 to $300 per year. With Corpgate, Inc. an LLC pays $49 per year when you prepay three years ($147 in one payment), or $79 year to year. Details on the California LLC page.
What are process agent fees?
"Process agent" is another name for the agent for service of process, which in California is the same role as the registered agent. The fees are the same annual registered agent fees, generally $50 to $300 per year. Be careful of services that charge a separate per-document fee on top; receiving and delivering documents is the entire job.
Is a registered agent fee tax deductible?
For most businesses it's an ordinary operating expense. Confirm how to treat it with your tax professional; we don't give tax advice.
Can the price change at renewal?
With many services, yes, and “free first year” offers from formation companies are the classic example: the renewal often lands at about $125 to $250. Check the renewal rate before you sign up anywhere. Corpgate, Inc.'s prices are published on our pricing page: $49 a year when you prepay three years ($147 in total), or $79 a year. The annual rate changes only if we email you 30 days before your renewal date, as our Terms say.
What should be included at any price?
A California street address on file with the state, prompt delivery of anything received, and no surcharges for individual documents. If a service charges extra to forward a document, that's a red flag.
Can one registered agent cover all my companies?
Yes. Each company names Corpgate, Inc. as its agent and needs its own order, at the same flat price per company: $49 a year on the 3-year plan ($147) or $79 a year.
What does a registered agent cost over 3 years?
At typical California prices of about $50 to $300 a year, three years of service costs about $150 to $900. Corpgate, Inc. is $49 a year when you prepay three years ($147 in total), or $237 over three years at $79 year to year. With a "free first year" bundle you pay for two years at the renewal rate, often about $250 to $500.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed attorney.
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? · 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.