Registered Agent Compared › California
Registered agents in California, compared (2026)
California requires every LLC to have a registered agent. Of the 8 providers with a published price here, Mainstay Filing is our best overall pick at $149 a year, flat. The state’s own fee to change agents is nothing.
- California rules checked October 20, 2026
- Provider pages read October 2026
The California line-up
| Provider | How it charges | What its page lists | Fine print |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Filing | Same price every year | Registered agent in any state, all year; Mail and legal-document scanning and forwarding; Compliance reminders and stored documents | $149 a year, same at renewal |
| Launch Registered Agent | Introductory price, higher at renewal | Document scanning and upload; client portal; annual report reminders | Annual plan: $34.99 first-year special, then $48.99/yr. |
| Northwest Registered Agent | Same price every year | Its address on public filings; scans of state and legal mail; up to 5 pieces of other business mail scanned free a year; domain, website, email and phone line | Its page says the price has not gone up in 20 years. $100/yr per state for five or more states. |
| FreeRegisteredAgent.com | Free first year, then a renewal price | Compliance alerts, per its Illinois page | First year free, then $129/yr. Its page says the agent is InCorp. |
| InCorp Services | Same price every year | Same-day electronic service of process; compliance calendar; entity monitoring | As low as $87/yr if you prepay five years. |
| ZenBusiness | Introductory price, higher at renewal | Document receipt, scanning and upload to a dashboard; email notifications | $99 plus state fees for the first year, then $199/yr. |
| Bizee | Same price every year | Compliance notifications; its address on the public record | Standalone price. The first year is free when you form your company through Bizee. |
| LegalZoom | Same price every year | Alerts when mail arrives; documents scanned and uploaded; annual report reminders | Price for first-time agent customers. Auto-renews at the purchase rate; LegalZoom says the renewal rate is subject to change. |
California agent rules
- Requirement
- Required. 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.
- 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.
- Change-of-agent fee
- None
- Statute
- Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13
Questions
Which registered agents serve California?
8 providers have a published price for California, including Mainstay Filing (best overall): Mainstay Filing, Launch Registered Agent, Northwest Registered Agent, FreeRegisteredAgent.com, InCorp Services, ZenBusiness, Bizee and LegalZoom.
Do I need a registered agent in California?
Yes. 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.
Where must the agent be located in California?
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 does it cost to change agents in California?
The state charges no fee to file the change (Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13).
Sources
- California registered agent statute (Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13): leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CORP§ionNum=17701.13., checked October 20, 2026
- California Secretary of State: www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/, checked October 20, 2026
- Provider registered agent pages (features and pricing model), checked October 20, 2026