California LLC: $70 to file, the $800 annual tax from year one and the $20 statement
Estimates only, not financial advice. What you type stays on your device. Checked against sources on 7 Oct 2026.A California LLC costs $890 in state fees in its first year: $70 for the Articles of Organization, $20 for the Statement of Information due within 90 days, and the $800 annual LLC tax, due by the 15th day of the fourth month. The first-year exemption ended with 2023.
| Fee | Amount | When |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) | $70 | Once, when you file |
| Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) | $20 | within 90 days of formation, then every two years during the filing period: the calendar month of the original filing and the five preceding months |
| Annual LLC tax (Franchise Tax Board) | $800 | first year by the 15th day of the 4th month after filing with the SOS; then by the 15th day of the 4th month of each taxable year |
2026 · Rates and rules read from the sources listed on this page (the earliest on 7 Oct 2026); they may have changed since.
California is already chosen in the State list.
Read "First year": the $70 Articles, the $20 Statement of Information and the $800 annual tax.
Enter "Registered agent, a year" if you pay one.
Set "Years" to see the total over the years you plan.
After the first year a California LLC costs $800 a year plus $20 every two years.
A state charges an LLC twice: once to form it, and then to keep it in good standing. Forming costs from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts. Keeping it ranges from nothing in Arizona, Missouri, Ohio and South Carolina to $810 a year in California, where the $800 annual LLC tax is due from the first year.
What is counted. The filing fee for the articles or certificate of organization; each annual or biennial report, statement or renewal; and fixed taxes every LLC pays whatever it earns, such as Delaware's $400 annual tax, Nevada's $200 state business license, Tennessee's $100 minimum franchise tax and Rhode Island's $400 minimum fee. Where newspaper publication is required (New York, Nebraska, Arizona), the state's own filing fee is counted and you enter the newspaper's quote. A registered agent's fee is yours to enter; acting as your own agent costs nothing.
What this does not include: income-based taxes (California's LLC fee from $250,000 of California income, Texas franchise tax above $2,650,000 of revenue, Tennessee excise tax), city and county business licences, federal taxes, an EIN (free from the IRS), name reservations, expedited service and card processing charges. Fees change, often on 1 July: check the state's page before filing.
The rest of the article, and all 6 questions about LLC Cost Calculator by State, are on the LLC Cost Calculator by State page.
State filing fees for a new LLC run from $35 in Montana to $500 in Massachusetts; most states charge $50 to $150. Some add costs in the first year: California's $800 annual tax, Nevada's $150 initial list and $200 business licence, and New York's publication in two newspapers plus a $50 certificate. A registered agent, if you pay one, comes on top.
Yes. The first-year exemption covered only tax years 2021 to 2023, so a California LLC now owes the $800 annual tax from its first year, due by the 15th day of the fourth month after filing with the Secretary of State. An LLC with $250,000 or more of California income also pays an LLC fee of $900 to $11,790.
Every Texas LLC files a franchise tax report by 15 May, but one with total revenue at or below $2,650,000 for report years 2026 and 2027 owes no tax; it files a Public Information Report or Ownership Information Report instead. Texas has no separate annual report fee, so a small Texas LLC pays only the $300 formation fee to the state.
Income-based taxes, such as California's LLC fee and franchise tax above the Texas threshold, are named but not added because they depend on revenue. City and county licences, federal taxes, name reservations, expedited service, card processing charges and any lawyer or filing service are left out. The free EIN from the IRS costs nothing.
Rates and rules change; check the source before you rely on a figure.
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