Form an LLC in California (Done by a CPA & EA Firm)

US company formation in California means filing with the state's Secretary of State, appointing a registered agent, and keeping the company compliant year after year. California imposes an $800 minimum franchise tax every year on virtually every LLC, the costliest in the nation. Below is exactly what company formation costs, whether an LLC, S-corp or C-corp structure fits your situation, how the process works, and what you'll owe, including any franchise tax, to keep your company in good standing, prepared and reviewed by a licensed CPA and Enrolled Agent.

How much does an LLC cost in California?

The state filing fee to form an LLC in California is around $70. After that, the main ongoing cost is the $800 franchise tax + statement, which runs about $800 for most LLCs, plus a registered agent (typically $100–$150 a year). California has a state personal income tax of 1%–13.3%, and a base state sales-tax rate of 7.25%. Pricing the full picture, formation, agent, annual filing and the first tax return, upfront is how you avoid the surprise costs that catch new owners out.

Steps to form your California LLC

The process is straightforward when it's done in the right order:

• Name check. Confirm your desired name is available with the Secretary of State and meets naming rules.
• Registered agent. Appoint an agent with a physical in-state address to receive legal and state mail, required if you don't live in the state.
• Articles of Organization. File the formation document and pay the ~$70 state fee.
• EIN. Obtain a federal Employer Identification Number from the IRS, doable even without a US Social Security number.
• Operating agreement & banking. Put an operating agreement in place and open a US business bank account.

Keeping your California LLC compliant

Formation is one day; compliance is every year. In practice that means filing the $800 franchise tax + statement on time, maintaining your registered agent, filing your federal return, and, for foreign owners of single-member LLCs, filing Form 5472 (penalty starts at $25,000). We handle all of it as routine work so nothing lapses. You can compare California against other states with our LLC cost estimator, then let our team file it correctly.

Why use a CPA & EA firm to form in California?

Plenty of low-cost mills will file your paperwork and disappear. The problem shows up later, a missed annual filing, a botched EIN, an overlooked 5472, or an entity formed in the wrong state for how you actually operate. Because we're a licensed CPA and Enrolled Agent firm, we handle the company formation end to end, secure the EIN, set up the books, and keep the state and federal filings running, one team, flat fee, for the life of the company.