3 Best Registered Agents in California (2026): Prices Tracked
The best-value registered agents for California in 2026 are California Registered Agent.ai ($99/yr), Mainstay Filing ($149/yr) and CA Registered Agent.org ($99/yr), ranked in that order. A first year of agent service runs $99 to $149; by year three the total is $297 to $447.
Tracked by the Filing Price Watch editorial team
Ordered by:
Ordered by five tracked measures, led by cost at 37% and filings covered at 29%
Prices on the watchlist
Must you have an agent for service of process?Yesleginfo.legislature.ca.gov (pulled October 2026, noted here)
Year-one prices$99 to $149Charged each year
Three-year spread$297 to $447Three years of provider charges
Statement of Information$20 every other yearsos.ca.gov (pulled October 2026, noted here)
Switch pointNo crossoverRanking does not flip
California: best value first
Prices come from each company's own pricing. Naming a different agent does not change what the state collects.
#Ordered byPrice in year 1Price at renewalThree-year spend
1
Top pick
1. California Registered Agent.ai: best for the lowest three-year spend
$99 first year, $99 every year following
Price in year 1$99
Price at renewal$99/yr
Three-year spend$297
First on the watchlist is California Registered Agent.ai. $99 a year and $99 at renewal for an LLC that stays in one state.
Cost decides this one: three years here total less than three years with Mainstay Filing.
Price covers
An office address in the state
Papers served on the LLC scanned to your account
Holds up
Costs less per year than Mainstay Filing
$99 a year, unchanged at renewal
Weak spots
No help outside the state
Does not cover the Statement of Information
2
Works in every state
2. Mainstay Filing: best for the same price in every state
$149 first year, $149 every year following
Price in year 1$149
Price at renewal$149/yr
Three-year spend$447
Entry 2 is Mainstay Filing. The price stays $149 a year across all fifty states.
Its three-year total is $150 above California Registered Agent.ai, and cost is 37% of the order.
Price covers
The registered office address
Up to three government mailings a year scanned for you at no charge
Covers LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
Holds up
$149 every year
Moves with the company
Weak spots
A yearly difference of $50
Covers the agent role only
3
Built for California
3. CA Registered Agent.org: best for staying local
$99 first year, $99 every year following
Price in year 1$99
Price at renewal$99/yr
Three-year spend$297
Entry 3 is CA Registered Agent.org. $99 a year and $99 at renewal for an LLC that stays in one state.
Its prices are identical to California Registered Agent.ai's.
Three years of state charges means one filing, two reports and any minimum tax. We list open-ended costs such as publication but keep them out of the total.
The reasoning behind the order
California Registered Agent.ai wins on tracked three-year cost, a 37% measure, with Mainstay Filing close behind.
For California Registered Agent.ai, three years add up to $297, a saving of $150 against Mainstay Filing.
California agent for service of process requirements, as written by the state (California Secretary of State)
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
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. The statute is Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13.
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.
Without a service the agent line is zero, provided you qualify, and the state charges the same. Services run $99 to $149 a year.
About these prices
How much does a California registered agent cost per year?
Budget $99 to $149 a year.
What do three years of agent service cost?
Three years of service run $297 to $447.
Is an agent for service of process required for a California LLC?
Yes, it does. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Can the owner serve as the agent for service of process?
Yes, once both rules above are met.
What does the state charge the LLC each year?
$20 every two years for the Statement of Information, with the deadline given as last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially. The minimum tax comes with it.
In what year does one service become pricier than another?
There is no crossover inside ten years.
Which registered agent is the best value in California?
Best to least: California Registered Agent.ai, Mainstay Filing and CA Registered Agent.org.