California Resident Agent Service

Why California requires a resident agent

California law never uses the words resident agent; its term is agent for service of process. A corporation's agent must be a natural person living in California or a corporation holding a certificate filed under Corp. Code § 1505, and that corporate agent needs authority to do business in CA plus good standing. LLCs follow the identical rule under Corp. Code § 17701.13(c), allowing a resident individual or a § 1505 corporation, and because California has no registered office, an individual agent supplies a full street address, business or residence. Cal. Corp. Code § 1502(b); accord § 17701.13(c) (LLCs)

What happens if you lapse

• For a corporation, skipping the Statement of Information, the filing that names its agent for service of process, brings a delinquency notice, and after 60 days without a cure the corporation is certified by the Secretary of State to the Franchise Tax Board, and that board imposes the penalty fixed in Rev. & Tax. Code § 19141. Cal. Corp. Code § 2204(a)-(b)
• A corporation can have its powers, rights, and privileges suspended after a 60-day notice period when it has not filed the Statement of Information, has filed none during the preceding 24 months, and has previously been certified for the penalty. Cal. Corp. Code § 2205(a), (c)
• An LLC that does not file its Statement of Information, which designates the agent, owes a $250 penalty unless it cures within 60 days after the delinquency notice, and § 17713.09 separately routes the § 19141 penalty under the Rev. & Tax. Code to the Franchise Tax Board. Cal. Corp. Code § 17713.07(b); see § 17713.09
• An LLC's powers, rights, and privileges can be suspended after a 60-day notice period when it repeatedly fails to file its Statement of Information, that is, it has made no filing over the preceding 24 months and was previously certified for a penalty. Cal. Corp. Code § 17713.10(c)

Switching to us

We prepare and file the change of resident agent for you. California charges no fee for an LLC Cal. Gov. Code § 12190(l) and no fee for a corporation Cal. Gov. Code § 12186(i).

Official California links

• California Secretary of State - 916.657.5448
• Business entity search
• Statutes
• Annual report filing

Frequently asked

Do I need a resident agent in California?

Almost every state does, and the California rule is set out above with its citation. Where the law leaves a choice, a resident agent is still the practical way to make sure service of process reaches you.

How much does California resident agent service cost?

$129 a year, with no setup fee, the same price in all 50 states plus DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Service of process is received and scanned the same business day.

Can I switch my California resident agent to ResidentAgents.com?

Yes. Order online and we prepare the change of agent filing for you; the state's filing fee is shown on this page.