How to form an LLC in California

The recurring column follows the payment cycle in the checked record. An annual charge can appear once in a one-year view and five times in a five-year view. A biennial charge lands only in the years when the cycle calls for payment. That timing is why the calculator counts payments inside the period instead of multiplying every fee by the number of years.

How to read the recurring fee

The label matters as much as the amount. An annual report fee, a statement of information charge, and a minimum entity tax can all recur, but they are not interchangeable filings. Use the exact due rule on this page for your calendar and use the official source to confirm the form name before the first deadline.

If the recurring amount is zero in the checked record, that does not always mean nothing is due. Some states require a report without a filing fee. Keep the report on the calendar even when the payment line is zero.

Formation checklist

1. Choose the legal name. Check the state business-name rules and search the official entity database before printing cards, signing a lease, or opening accounts.
2. Choose the registered agent. The agent needs a qualified California address and must be available to receive official papers. Decide whether that will be you, another eligible person, or a paid service.
3. File the formation document. Submit the form through California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division and pay articles of organization (form llc-1), $70.
4. Write the operating agreement. Record owners, contributions, authority, money rules, and exit terms. Keep it with company records even if the state does not collect it.
5. Get tax and bank accounts in order. Apply for an EIN when required, open business banking, and separate personal money from company money from day one.
6. Calendar the recurring charge. Statement of Information is due within 90 days of formation, then every two years. The $800 FTB tax is due by the 15th day of the 4th month of each tax year. Add a reminder well before the deadline and save the state confirmation after each filing.

What the state total does not include

The five-year figure on this page is a state formation and recurring-fee total. It does not include income tax, franchise tax beyond a charge explicitly named in the source record, sales tax, payroll tax, local business licenses, industry permits, insurance, bookkeeping, or professional fees.

If the business will operate in another state, price foreign registration there as well. A formation in California does not remove duties where employees, property, or sales activity create a second registration obligation.

Before you pay for help

A filing service can be worth paying for when your time is tight or the ownership is not simple. Compare the service quote with the state-only baseline in the LLC True Cost Calculator. If a quote bundles a registered agent, ask for the renewal price. Low first-year promotions can become the largest line in year two.

State notes from the checked record

• The $800 figure is the minimum annual LLC tax paid to the Franchise Tax Board. An additional LLC fee can apply when California-source income reaches the statutory tiers, so the calculator total is a floor for higher-income California LLCs.
• There is no first-year $800 waiver for LLCs formed in 2024 or later.

Next steps

Run the five-year calculator, read the registered agent guide, and keep the recurring report checklist with your formation records.