From an idea to a formed California LLC — without missing anything.
Most formation services stop at the filing. That is the easy part. The costly parts are the Statement of Information due 90 days later, the $800 franchise tax that no longer has a first-year exemption, and the local licences nobody mentions. We handle the filing and put every one of those dates on a calendar you can see.
How it works
Five stages. You do the first one; we do most of the rest.
What it actually costs
Government fees, stated plainly. These are the agency’s charges, not ours.
| Item | Who charges it | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) Paid to the California Secretary of State when the LLC is created. |
Secretary of State | $70 |
| Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) Due within 90 days of formation, then every 2 years. |
Secretary of State | $20 |
| FTB annual franchise tax (Form 3522) Owed every year the LLC exists, including the first year. |
Franchise Tax Board | $800 |
| Federal EIN from the IRS Always free directly from IRS.gov. Never pay a third party a fee to "get" an EIN. |
IRS | Free |
| Name reservation (60 days) Optional. Holds a name for 60 days; cannot be renewed back-to-back. |
Secretary of State | $10 |
| 24-hour expedited filing (Class C) Optional. Available online or by drop-off. |
Secretary of State | $350 |
| Certified copy of a filed document Often required by banks. |
Secretary of State | $5 |
Everything we track for you
The full list, so you can see nothing is left out. Each one links to the official source in the guide.
Get everything ready
Decisions and information we need before anything is filed.
- Confirm an LLC is legally available for this business
- Choose the LLC name (give us three options)
- Reserve the name (optional) $10
- Principal office address and mailing address
- Choose member-managed or manager-managed
- Name an agent for service of process
- List every member, ownership split, and the IRS responsible party
- Upload the documents we request
- Review everything and sign off
Form the LLC
We check the name and file the Articles of Organization.
- Run the name check and prepare Form LLC-1
- File the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) $70
Immediately after filing
The steps that make the LLC actually usable — and the 90-day deadline.
- Put an operating agreement in place
- Get the federal EIN from the IRS
- File the initial Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) within 90 days $20
- Open a dedicated business bank account
Tax and registrations
What applies depends on what your business does.
- Pay the $800 annual franchise tax (Form 3522) $800
- Estimated LLC fee (Form 3536) — only if California income will reach $250,000
- File Form 568, the California LLC return
- Confirm federal tax classification with your CPA
- CDTFA seller’s permit — if you sell physical goods
- EDD payroll tax registration — if you will have employees
- Workers’ compensation insurance — required from your first employee
- City and county business licence, plus any industry permits
- Fictitious Business Name (DBA) — if you trade under a different name
Staying compliant
The recurring obligations for as long as the LLC exists.
- FinCEN beneficial ownership (BOI) — currently no filing required
- Biennial Statement of Information, every two years $20
- Annual tax cycle: $800 tax, LLC fee, Form 568 $800
- Keep the LLC and yourself genuinely separate
- If you ever close: cancel properly
Start your California LLC
Tell us a little about the business. We will confirm the details, then open a secure portal where you complete the intake.
Already have a portal link?
Your formation portal opens from the private link we emailed you — there is no password. If you cannot find it, email info@webrandca.com and we will send a fresh one.