Form a limited liability company in California

File Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) with the California Secretary of State. The filing fee is $70.00; a Statement of Information is due within 90 days; and the Franchise Tax Board may charge a minimum annual tax.

At a glance

Where this sits

Level 2. Business formation › LLC formation › Form a limited liability company in California

Can lead to: File a California LLC’s Statement of Information, Pay a California LLC’s annual tax, Get an employer identification number (EIN)

Related: File a California LLC’s Statement of Information, Pay a California LLC’s annual tax, Get an employer identification number (EIN)

Everything below is drawn from one JSON object. Each rule, fee and deadline carries the exact words of the Secretary of State’s page, the form itself or the statute, with the hash of the text that was read; the form’s fields are listed with the reusable fact each one maps to, so a person’s answers fill this form and every other form that asks the same thing.

Rules

Requirement: Name an agent for service of process: either an individual (items 3a and 3b) or a corporation (item 3c). (checked as: whether the agent for service of process is an individual or a corporation is one of individual, corporation)

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Articles of Organization, Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1)

“3. Service of Process (Must provide either Individual OR Corporation.) INDIVIDUAL - Complete Items 3a and 3b only. Must include agent's full name and California street address. a. California Agent's First Name (if agent is not a corporation) Middle Name Last Name Suffix b. Street Address (if agent is not a corporation) - Do not enter a P.O. Box City (no abbreviations) State Zip Code CA CORPORATION - Complete Item 3c. Only include the name of the registered agent Corporation. c. California Registered Corporate Agent's Name (if agent is a corporation) - Do not complete Item 3a or 3b”

Oct 4, 2026 · bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05llc1-item3 · #e3aa0385c618

Requirement: An individual agent is named with a California street address, not a P.O. Box. (checked as: (whether the agent for service of process is an individual or a corporation = corporation or Registered agent address: state = CA))

Requirement: The name must contain an LLC identifier such as LLC or L.L.C.; “LLC” is added if it is not included.

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Articles of Organization, Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1)

“1. Limited Liability Company Name (Must contain an LLC identifier such as LLC or L.L.C. "LLC" will be added, if not included.) 2. Business Addresses a. Initial Street Address of Principal Office - Do not enter a P.O. Box City (no abbreviations) State Zip Code b. Initial Mailing Address of LLC, if different than item 2a”

Oct 4, 2026 · bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05llc1-item1-2 · #c9b87e3cda23

Requirement: The purpose statement is printed on the form and must not be altered.

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Articles of Organization, Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1)

“4. Management (Select only one box) The LLC will be managed by: One Manager More than One Manager All LLC Member(s) 5. Purpose Statement (Do not alter Purpose Statement) The purpose of the limited liability company is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which a limited liability company may be organized under the California Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act.”

Oct 4, 2026 · bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05llc1-item4-5 · #a2c3a66f49bc

Fees

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Limited Liability Companies - California (Domestic) :: California Secretary of State

“1. Formation - Articles of Organization Form LLC-1 (PDF) $70.00”

Oct 4, 2026 · sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05sos-llc1-fee · #ef39eb6c4eab

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Articles of Organization, Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1)

“Filing Fee - $70.00 Certified Copy Fee (Optional) - $5.00 Note: LLCs may have to pay minimum $800 tax to the California Franchise Tax Board each year.”

Oct 4, 2026 · bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05llc1-fees · #12c6d00f360d

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Articles of Organization, Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1)

“For fastest service, file online at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov. Instructions: • Complete and include this form with your paper submission. This form will not be made part of the filed document. • Make all checks or money orders payable to the Secretary of State. • In-person submissions (excluding Statements of Information): $15 special handling fee. Do not include a $15 special handling fee when submitting documents by mail.”

Oct 4, 2026 · bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05llc1-cover · #8903df89ec6c

California Legislative Information

Official disclosure

California Revenue and Taxation Code section 17941

“(2) For taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2027, and before January 1, 2030, every limited liability company required to file a return under Section 18633.5 shall, instead of the amount specified in Section 23153, pay the annual tax to this state in the amount of four hundred dollars ($400) for its first taxable year. (Amended by Stats. 2026, Ch. 85, Sec. 7. (SB 180) Effective July 13, 2026.)”

Oct 4, 2026 · leginfo.legislature.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05rtc-17941-g2 · #aea443c1140a

Deadlines

File the Statement of Information (Form LLC-12): Due within 90 days of initial registration and every two years thereafter.

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Limited Liability Companies - California (Domestic) :: California Secretary of State

“2. Statement of Information : Due within 90 days of initial registration and every two years thereafter. Form LLC-12 (PDF) $20.00”

Oct 4, 2026 · sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05sos-soi-due · #51877e1d1157

Form: Articles of Organization, Limited Liability Company (LLC-1)

Version: REV 11/2023. Source: https://bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/llc/forms/llc-1.pdf. Kept copy: sha256:beca1ceae4817db7…

• Item 5, the purpose statement, is printed on the form and is not altered.
• A paper submission includes the Business Entities Submission Cover Sheet, which is not made part of the filed document.
• Checks and money orders are payable to the Secretary of State.

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Articles of Organization, Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1)

“LLC-1 (REV 11/2023)”

Oct 4, 2026 · bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05llc1-rev · #5caa81cfaf36

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Articles of Organization, Limited Liability Company (Form LLC-1)

“6. By signing, I affirm under penalty of perjury that the information herein is true and correct and that I am authorized by California law to sign.”

Oct 4, 2026 · bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05llc1-item6 · #df948b675fb8

How it is filed

• File online (bizfile Online): https://bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov/
• File by mail: California Secretary of State, Limited Liability Company Filings, P.O. Box 944260, Sacramento, CA 94244-2600
• File in person, with a $15 special handling fee: 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814; Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding state holidays

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Limited Liability Companies - California (Domestic) :: California Secretary of State

“File Online for faster response”

Oct 4, 2026 · sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05sos-file-online · #4ca45bb48398

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Contact Information - Business Entities :: California Secretary of State

“2. Limited Liability Company Filings Limited Liability Company Filings P.O. Box 944260 Sacramento, CA 94244-2600”

Oct 4, 2026 · sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05sos-llc-mail · #2c95f4cf00a2

California Secretary of State

Official disclosure

Contact Information - Business Entities :: California Secretary of State

“Office Hours Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (excluding state holidays ) Office Location 1500 11th Street Sacramento, CA 95814”

Oct 4, 2026 · sos.ca.gov

2026-10-04 21:05sos-office · #266874f9c611

What an agent may do: not stated by any source yet (UNKNOWN); nothing is submitted without the person’s authorization.

What this page does not know

• Whether someone other than the organizer may submit through bizfile Online is not stated by the pages read.
• Processing times, and the fees for special handling, preclearance and expedited filing, are on other Secretary of State pages that have not been read.
• Checking whether a name is available, and reserving it, are not modeled yet.