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Filing Verdict

Rankings of registered agents, LLC formation and foreign registration services in all 50 states.

Registered agent verdict · California

3 Best Registered Agents in California (2026)

Filing Verdict's 2026 verdict on registered agents in California: CA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and California Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year), in that order. CA Registered Agent.org takes first place: $99 a year, unchanged at renewal, and the lowest yearly price on this list.
The Filing Verdict editorial team
Top pick on this page
Spot 1

1. CA Registered Agent.org: best for the lowest yearly fee on this list

$99 per year, flat

9.1Editorial score
out of 10

CA Registered Agent.org wins here: a California specialist at $99 a year, with an in-state street address for the registered office.

CA Registered Agent.org supplies the registered office street address and scans served legal papers into your account.

It costs less than Mainstay Filing across three years, one of our two heaviest criteria.

What you get

  • A physical in-state address for the registered office
  • Served documents are scanned and uploaded for you to read online

What we like

  • Beats Mainstay Filing on yearly price
  • LLC formation available, first agent year free
  • $99 annually, flat at renewal

Cons

  • The Statement of Information filing is yours to handle
  • Built for California; other states need a separate agent
Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full CA Registered Agent.org verdict
Best all-in coverage
Spot 2

2. Mainstay Filing: best for all fifty states

$149 per year, flat

8.8Editorial score
out of 10

Second place goes to Mainstay Filing: one $149 agent plan that follows the company into every state, renewing at $149.

New company? Mainstay's formation package at $199 a year adds the California filing and the Statement of Information.

Over three years CA Registered Agent.org is $150 cheaper, which puts Mainstay Filing behind it on cost.

What you get

  • An in-state street address for the registered office
  • Any legal papers served on the company are scanned the same business day for free
  • Free scans of your first three government mailings each year
  • Compliance reminders

What we like

  • Same-business-day scans of served papers, free
  • Three government mailings a year scanned free
  • Serves LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
  • $149 a year, unchanged at renewal

Cons

  • The agent alone runs $50 a year above CA Registered Agent.org
  • You file your own annual report unless you buy the formation package
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full Mainstay Filing verdict
Local California agent
Spot 3

3. California Registered Agent.ai: best for California specialists

$99 per year, flat

8.7Editorial score
out of 10

Third place goes to California Registered Agent.ai: a California specialist at $99 a year, with an in-state street address for the registered office.

Your registered office address comes from California Registered Agent.ai, and legal papers served there are scanned to your online account.

Nothing in the published prices or features divides CA Registered Agent.org from California Registered Agent.ai; pick either.

What you get

  • The in-state street address the state requires
  • Scans of any served legal papers, available in your online account

What we like

  • Cheaper per year than Mainstay Filing
  • LLC formation available, first agent year free
  • Yearly cost of $99, unchanged when it renews

Cons

  • The Statement of Information filing is yours to handle
  • Built for California; other states need a separate agent
Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Our full California Registered Agent.ai verdict

The 3 verdicts at a glance

No.ServiceVerdict scoreYearly priceRenewalBest forVisit
1CA Registered Agent.org9.1$99$99/yrThe lowest yearly price we rank here Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing8.8$149$149/yrAn agent that works in all fifty states Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3California Registered Agent.ai8.7$99$99/yrThe lowest yearly price we rank here Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Scores come from Filing Verdict's editors, out of 10, using the criteria explained on How we rank; they are not customer ratings.

California registered agent prices for 2026: year one, renewals and three years

ServiceYear 1Year 2Year 3Total, 3 yearsRenewal price unchanged
CA Registered Agent.org$99$99$99$297Yes
Mainstay Filing$149$149$149$447Yes
California Registered Agent.ai$99$99$99$297Yes
Prices were read from each company's own pages on November 12, 2026. California's fees do not depend on which agent you choose.

Why this order

Two criteria lead Filing Verdict's method at 35% apiece: total over three years and paperwork the price handles. Renewal behavior, match to the state and up-front pricing share the other 30%, and California came down to total over three years.

CA Registered Agent.org totals $297 over three years, $150 under Mainstay Filing. A company that needs an agent in California only gains little from fifty-state coverage, so the lower yearly price decided it.

The full list of criteria and weights is on How we rank.

California agent for service of process requirements, from California Secretary of State (official)

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. 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. Citation: Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13.

California Statement of Information: what it costs and when it is due

Every California LLC owes the Statement of Information every two years. The state fee is $20, due last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially. A late filing adds $250. Notices about it go to your agent for service of process.

California registered agent: questions answered

Must a California LLC have a agent for service of process?

Yes. California requires every LLC to keep a agent for service of process on file, and the agent needs a street address in the state.

What do California registered agents charge each year?

The prices run $99 to $149 a year, and every service keeps its price at renewal.

May I act as my own agent for service of process?

Only if you meet the state's conditions. 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.

What is the due date for the California Statement of Information?

Due last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially; the state fee is $20. Filing late adds $250.

Which registered agents are ranked on this page?

CA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Mainstay Filing ($149 a year) and California Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year), from first place to last.

Which registered agent is the best value in California?

CA Registered Agent.org, because $99 a year, flat, with served legal papers scanned and sent to you online.

Related pages

Sources and dates

  1. California Secretary of State, confirmed August 2026
  2. California Secretary of State, confirmed August 2026
  3. California yearly filing: Statement of Information, official source, confirmed October 2026
  4. Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01, confirmed August 2026
  5. California registered agent statute, confirmed October 2026
  6. Checked November 12, 2026: CA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages
  7. Checked November 12, 2026: Mainstay Filing, California service page
  8. Checked November 12, 2026: California Registered Agent.ai, pricing and service pages