Foreign LLC by State › California
California foreign LLC requirements
California asks a foreign LLC for Form LLC-5, Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) and a $70 fee; it also requires a good-standing certificate from the home state.
Requirements at a glance
| Requirement | California |
|---|---|
| Application | Form LLC-5, Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) |
| Filed with | California Secretary of State, Business Entities |
| Fee | $70 |
| Good-standing certificate | Required |
| Certificate age limit | 180 days |
| Registered agent | A agent for service of process with a California street address |
| Yearly filing | Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 (California Secretary of State), $20 (due: within 90 days of registering, then every 2 years) |
$70 for Form LLC-5, Application to Register.
Good standing
Certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, no older than 180 days. Order it from the state where the LLC was formed, then file it with the California application. 36 states require one.
Best 3 Foreign Registration Services in California (2026)
| # | Service | Service fee | California fee | Agent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $70 | Year one included, then $149/yr |
| 2 | CA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $70 | Year one included, then $99/yr |
| 3 | California Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $70 | Year one included, then $99/yr |
Service prices read from each provider’s California page on October 28, 2026. The state fee is the official figure below and is paid to the California Secretary of State, Business Entities.
Every year after
Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 (California Secretary of State), $20 (due: within 90 days of registering, then every 2 years). Keep the agent for service of process current as well; each service above includes the first year.
California questions
Does California require a good-standing certificate?
Yes. Certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, no older than 180 days.
What does a foreign LLC file every year in California?
Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 (California Secretary of State), $20 (due: within 90 days of registering, then every 2 years).
What is the fee to register a foreign LLC in California?
$70. $70 for Form LLC-5, Application to Register. A $199 filing service adds to that.
Sources
- California Secretary of State, foreign LLC forms and fees (Form LLC-5 $70.00): www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/forms/limited-liability-companies-foreign-out-state-or-out-country, checked October 28, 2026
- California Form LLC-5 (PDF): bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/llc/forms/llc-5.pdf, checked October 28, 2026
- Corporations Code section 17708.03: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CORP§ionNum=17708.03, checked October 8, 2026
- Revenue and Taxation Code section 19135: leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=RTC§ionNum=19135, checked October 8, 2026
- Franchise Tax Board, LLC filing requirements: www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.html, checked October 8, 2026