3 Best Registered Agents in California (2026) and What California Really Requires
California, 2026: Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), CA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and California Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year) are our picks for registered agents, in that order. An agent runs $99 to $149 for year one and $297 to $447 for three years.
Straight from the LLC Straight Talk editorial team
The short of it
The short of it
Is it required?
Yes, it's the law
What the law calls it
Agent for service of process
What agents charge
$99 to $149 per year
Our pick
Mainstay Filing, CA Registered Agent.org then California Registered Agent.ai
A California resident, or a corporation registered with the Secretary of State as a corporate agent under Corporations Code § 1505. A business cannot act as its own agent for service of process.
A qualifying owner can serve for free.
What's the going rate for an agent?
Agent prices on this page start at $99 to $149 a year, and three years of service come to $297 to $447.
The state's fees stay the same whoever you name.
What does an agent actually do?
It takes delivery of lawsuits and official state mail for the LLC at an address in California.
Ask how fast the agent tells you when something shows up, so you don't blow a deadline. Service of process, decoded
What else does the state bill every year?
The Statement of Information is the one you can't forget. It's biennial and runs $20. Per the state, it's due last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially. The minimum tax comes on top.
On jobs the price actually covers (30% of the score), Mainstay Filing wins.
We run five tests: money out the door in three years (35%), jobs the price actually covers (30%), no hunting for the price (14%), no surprise at renewal (11%) and where it works (10%).
CA Registered Agent.org has the smaller bill, but it only serves California.
The last row is our math, not the state's: filing fee, plus the reports in years two and three, plus any minimum tax. If a cost has no fixed amount, like a newspaper notice, it's explained above and left out.
More questions
Can I name myself?
Usually. If you fit the state's rule on who qualifies and which address counts, go ahead.
What address does an agent need?
An individual agent's California street address goes on the public record. A registered corporate agent's address is already on file with the state and is not repeated in the company's filing.
What do the picks cost over three years?
Mainstay Filing will set you back $447, and CA Registered Agent.org will set you back $297, and California Registered Agent.ai will set you back $297
Where do these numbers come from?
Official California sources back the state side, and posted prices back the service side.
Do I have to use a service?
No. You can file with the state yourself. A service saves you time and can be your agent, but nothing makes you hire one.
Who should I use for a registered agent in California?
Mainstay Filing is first: $149 a year goes with you when the company adds a state. Then comes CA Registered Agent.org and California Registered Agent.ai.