California LLC Cost (2026): Real Filing Fees, Annual Reports & Year-1 Totals
The real cost of forming an LLC in California in 2026, with each dollar figure linked to an authoritative source. This page is the cost-table-only variant of our full California LLC formation guide; if you also need the 6-step walkthrough, FAQ, and tool comparisons, start there.
Year-1 cost table
| Item | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (LLC-1) | $70 | cite |
| Statement of Information (initial) | $20 | cite |
| Annual franchise tax (FTB 3522) | $800/yr | cite |
| Registered agent (Northwest) | $125/yr | cite |
| Year-1 total (no expedite) | $1,015 | cite |
Two cost drivers underneath the table: (a one-time fee per filing) and (an ongoing yearly service). Both are line-itemed above.
Annual filing deadline
Statement of Information due within 90 days of formation, then every 2 years
Authoritative sources
- https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/forms
- https://www.ftb.ca.gov/forms/2024/2024-3522.pdf
- https://www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/statements
Affiliate disclosure: some links below earn AthenAI a commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we use ourselves; see our methodology.
Want the full picture?
- Full California LLC formation guide — 6 steps, FAQ, tool comparisons
- Northwest Registered Agent — $125/yr for California
- Mercury — free business checking
Other state costs
Skip the research — let AthenAI form your California LLCUpdated 2026-05-11. Source quality: human_reviewed. AthenAI is not a law firm; this page is informational.