Foreign registration ratings · California
3 Best Foreign Registration Services in California (2026)
1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies registered in more than one state
$199 plus the state fee ($269 due at checkout), then the agent at $149 a year after year one
Mainstay Filing is rated first: the California registration costs $199, and the agent for service of process is free for year one and $149 a year after.
Year one of agent service costs nothing, and afterward the agent is $149 a year in whichever state.
On three-year sums Mainstay is $100 above California Registered Agent.ai; the wider coverage justifies that gap in the rating.
What you get
- Foreign registration filed on your behalf
- Free scan-and-upload of papers served, the day they arrive
Pros
- $199 service fee, state fee separate
- The same amount in all fifty states
- Same-business-day scans of service of process, no fee
Trade-offs
- Agent renewal of $149 is $50 over California Registered Agent.ai
2. California Registered Agent.ai: best for adding California and nothing else
Service fee $199, state fee on top; agent $99 a year after that
California Registered Agent.ai is rated second: the California registration at $199, first agent year included, then $99 yearly.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
What you get
- California registration filed for you
- First-year agent for service of process service
Pros
- Registers the company for $199 plus state fees
- Includes year one as your agent for service of process
- Then $99 yearly for the agent
Trade-offs
- California only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
3. CA Registered Agent.org: best for California registrations only
$199 for the service, plus state fees, then $99 a year for the agent
CA Registered Agent.org is rated third: the California registration at $199, first agent year included, then $99 yearly.
The plan lists an in-state street address as the registered office and scans papers served there into your account.
CA Registered Agent.org copies California Registered Agent.ai on amounts and plan features, so there is little between them.
What you get
- California registration filed for you
- The first year as your agent for service of process
Pros
- The first agent for service of process year is covered
- A $199 registration amount before the state fee
- Then $99 yearly for the agent
Trade-offs
- California only; your home state needs its own agent
- EIN application billed at $99
The 3 ratings summarized
| Line | Service | Rating | Service fee | Year two | Best for | Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | 9.1 | $199 | $149/yr | Companies that register in several states | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | California Registered Agent.ai | 8.9 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit California Registered Agent.aiPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | CA Registered Agent.org | 8.6 | $199 | $99/yr | The lowest agent renewal we rank here | Visit CA Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
California foreign registration service amounts for 2026: year one, renewal and three-year sum
| Service | Year one | Year two | Year three | Three-year sum | Agent paid for year one |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149 | $149 | $497 | Not stated |
| California Registered Agent.ai | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
| CA Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99 | $99 | $397 | Included |
Reasoning behind the order
The rating method counts cost over years one to three and inclusions per price at 27% each and splits 46% among renewal price and terms, fit with state rules and price clarity. For California, inclusions per price was the deciding line.
A foreign registration involves two states, and one provider with one amount in both rated highest on coverage, ahead of California Registered Agent.ai.
Each criterion and its weight is listed on How we rank.
California foreign LLC registration: amount, form and office
A company from another state registers by lodging the Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC) (Form LLC-5) with the California Secretary of State, Business Entities; the state amount is $70. California also needs certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, issued inside 180 days of the filing.
Registration adds one recurring line: the Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 ($20), due within 90 days of registering, then every 2 years.
Have these ready
- Certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, issued within 180 days before the filing.
- Home-state legal name, spelled exactly, and the formation date.
- An in-state agent for service of process; every service rated here can fill the role.
- $70 to the state, paid with the filing.
- The date of the Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 and its $20 fee on your calendar.
What skipping California registration costs
An unregistered outside LLC may not sue in California courts until it registers (Corp. Code 17708.07(a)).
California foreign registration service: your questions
Is registration compulsory for an outside LLC doing business in California?
Yes, once it does business there. An unregistered company cannot bring suit in the state's courts.
What are the costs of foreign registration in California?
$70 to the state plus $199 to the service.
What form does California use to register a foreign LLC?
the California Secretary of State, Business Entities handles it; the form's exact title is on the facts line above.
Must the filing include a home-state certificate for California?
Yes: certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, with an issue date within 180 days.
Must a agent for service of process stay on file after registering?
Yes. A agent for service of process with a street address in the state stays on record.
Which foreign registration service holds the top rating in California?
Mainstay Filing, as $199 plus state fees in any state, first-year agent for service of process service included.
Source lines
- California Secretary of State (ledger date August 2026)
- California Secretary of State (ledger date August 2026)
- California yearly filing: Statement of Information, official source (ledger date October 2026)
- Cal. Corp. Code § 17702.01 (ledger date August 2026)
- California registered agent statute (ledger date October 2026)
- California Secretary of State, foreign LLC forms (ledger date October 2026)
- Form LLC-5 (ledger date October 2026)
- Corporations Code section 17708.03 (ledger date October 2026)
- Revenue and Taxation Code section 19135 (ledger date October 2026)
- Franchise Tax Board, LLC filing requirements (ledger date October 2026)
- California Corporations Code 17708.07 (ledger date November 2026)
- Mainstay Filing, California service page: amounts read November 12, 2026
- California Registered Agent.ai, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026
- CA Registered Agent.org, pricing and service pages: amounts read November 12, 2026