LLC Review Desk's 2026 picks for registered agents in California, favorite first, are Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), California Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year) and CA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year). Mainstay Filing is our favorite, because one plan, $149 a year, follows the company to any state and renews at $149.
By the LLC Review Desk editorial team
Position 1
Our top pick
1. Mainstay Filing: best for all fifty states
$149 a year, the same each year
Our score
9.6out of 10
9.6 out of 10
Our favorite is Mainstay Filing, because you pay $149 a year whether you stay in one state or grow, and your first three government letters each year are scanned free.
Starting from scratch? The $199 yearly package adds the California filing and the Statement of Information.
Over three years it costs $150 more than California Registered Agent.ai, and for us the extra things it handles are worth that.
In the price
A street address on the public record in your state
Free scans of served papers, same business day
The first three government mailings you receive each year are scanned for free
Compliance reminders
What we like
Fine for LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
$149 a year and it stays flat
Same-business-day scans of papers served on the company, no charge
Your first three government letters each year, scanned for free
Trade-offs
The agent plan alone is $50 a year more than California Registered Agent.ai
Unless you buy the formation package, you file the annual report yourself
2. California Registered Agent.ai: best for the smallest yearly price on this list
$99 a year, the same each year
Our score
9.2out of 10
9.2 out of 10
Coming in second is California Registered Agent.ai, because it focuses on California at $99 a year and gives you an in-state street address for the registered office.
California Registered Agent.ai lists its own in-state street address as your company's registered office and scans served legal papers for you.
In the price
The in-state street address the state requires
Every legal paper served on the company is scanned and stored in your account
What we like
You pay $99 a year, renewals included
LLC formation with year-one agent service included
Costs less a year than Mainstay Filing
Trade-offs
The Statement of Information is a job that stays with you
Built for California; other states need another agent
3. CA Registered Agent.org: best for California specialists
$99 a year, the same each year
Our score
8.9out of 10
8.9 out of 10
In third place is CA Registered Agent.org, because it focuses on California at $99 a year and gives you an in-state street address for the registered office.
CA Registered Agent.org takes care of the registered office with a street address in the state and scans everything served there.
California Registered Agent.ai and CA Registered Agent.org share a price and a feature list, so you can't go wrong with either.
In the price
A street address in the state for your registered office
You open served legal papers online as scans
What we like
A lower yearly price than Mainstay Filing
$99 annually with no renewal bump
LLC formation with year-one agent service included
Trade-offs
The Statement of Information is a job that stays with you
Built for California; other states need another agent
Our scores out of 10 are editorial: LLC Review Desk sets them using the criteria on How we rank. They aren't customer ratings.
What California registered agents cost in 2026: year one, renewals and three years
Service
First year
Second year
Third year
Three-year total
Same price when you renew
Mainstay Filing
$149
$149
$149
$447
Yes
California Registered Agent.ai
$99
$99
$99
$297
Yes
CA Registered Agent.org
$99
$99
$99
$297
Yes
We took each price from the company's own pages on November 12, 2026. California's own fees stay the same no matter which agent you choose.
How the order came together
Two things count most to us, three-year cost and filings in the price, at 29% each. Renewal price, state fit and up-front totals share 42%, and California came down to filings in the price.
Mainstay's plan does more: it scans papers served on the company the same business day, free, and the price is the same in all fifty states, with three government letters a year scanned at no charge. California Registered Agent.ai costs less, so it's a close race.
You can read every criterion and weight on How we rank.
What California says about the agent for service of process (via California Secretary of State)
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. The law: Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13.
The California Statement of Information: when and how much
Here's the schedule: the Statement of Information is due every two years in California, by last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially. It costs $20. If you're late, add $250. Reminders from the state go to your agent for service of process.
Your questions about California registered agents
Do I really need a agent for service of process for a California LLC?
You do. California won't accept an LLC without a agent for service of process who has a street address in the state, and that name goes on the public record.
What do California registered agents usually cost per year?
Plan on $99 to $149 a year, and each service keeps its price when you renew.
Can I be my own agent for service of process?
Sometimes, if you meet the state's rules. 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.
When do I have to send in the California Statement of Information?
Mark last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially on your calendar. The state's charge is $20, and sending it late tacks on $250.
Which registered agents did we review here?
Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), California Registered Agent.ai ($99 a year) and CA Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), with our favorite first.
Who is the best registered agent for California?
Mainstay Filing, because it's $149 a year and the price doesn't climb at renewal, plus papers served on the company get scanned the same business day for free.