CA registered agent
Registered agent service in California. $24 a year. Yes.
Every California company must appoint a registered agent at a street address in the state. What follows is the statute, quoted where it matters, and our position on it, which is brief.
The statutory requirement in California
Requirement
The California code provides:
The statement required by subdivision (a) shall also designate, as the agent of the corporation for the purpose of service of process, a natural person residing in this state or a corporation that has complied with Section 1505 and whose capacity to act as an agent has not terminated. ...
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 1502(b); accord § 17701.13(c) (LLCs)
Service of process in our absence
Substituted service
... be made upon the corporation by delivering by hand to the Secretary of State ... Service in this manner is deemed complete on the 10th day after delivery of the process to the Secretary of State.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 1702(a); accord § 17701.16(c) (LLCs)
Enforcement in California
The state's remedies against a company whose agent does not perform. Quoted without paraphrase.
Pecuniary penalty
If, within 60 days of providing notice of the delinquency, a statement pursuant to Section 1502 has not been filed by the corporation, the Secretary of State shall certify the name of the corporation to the Franchise Tax Board. ...
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 2204(a)-(b)
Further
... are suspended, except for the purpose of filing an application for exempt status or amending the articles of incorporation as necessary either to perfect that application or to set forth a new name.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 2205(a), (c)
Pecuniary penalty
... limited liability company or foreign limited liability company, the limited liability company or foreign limited liability company shall be subject to a penalty of two hundred fifty dollars ($250).
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 17713.07(b); see § 17713.09
Further
... company and thereupon, except for the purpose of amending the articles of organization to set forth a new name, the powers, rights, and privileges of the limited liability company are suspended.
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Corp. Code § 17713.10(c)
Restoration
incFACTS has not yet verified the California restoration fee. We have not enquired.
The California annual report, which you may also decline
California levies an annual charge to keep a company in good standing. The amount is below. Declining it is consistent with everything else on this page.
Annual report, limited liability company
$20 per annum.
... or of a foreign limited liability company pursuant to Section 17702.09 of the Corporations Code: Twenty dollars ($20).
Source: state statute, via incFACTS: Cal. Gov. Code 12190(k)
Annual report, corporation
$25 per annum.
... (Form SI-200) - initial or annual statement: $20.00 filing fee and a $5.00 disclosure fee ... $25.00
Source: official state fee schedule, via incFACTS: https://bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/pdf/be-fee-schedule-062018.pdf
Our position
We decline. At this price you may have expected otherwise.
Statutory text captured by incFACTS on 2026-08-01, verified against the code on 2026-08-10. Statutes are amended. This page is not.