When creating a new California LLC or updating your registered agent for an existing business, selecting a good registered agent in California is an important decision.

List of Registered Agents in California (My Top Picks)

Back in 2007, when I owned a business in state that I didn’t visit often, I decided to use LegalZoom as my first registered agent service. It was a solid three-year partnership, with no major gripes to speak of.

Yet, I couldn’t help but notice they were a bit steep in pricing compared to other providers on the scene.

Fast forward to 2010, and I found myself entrusting my business needs to Northwest Registered Agent.

The very first time I called them up, I was greeted not by an automated machine, but by a real human. The voice on the other end belonged to a friendly Northwest representative, and that initial positive interaction laid the foundation for the satisfaction I’ve felt with their service ever since.

I have researched and tested 16 California registered agent services and picked the top 6 services to review and feature.

Many business owners use registered agent services to help make the California LLC formation process more simple and less demanding.

Learn about the top 16 registered agent services in California that we hand-picked based on independent research.

Best Registered Agent Service in California

If you want someone who is knowledgeable about the legal process and can help you comply when choosing a registered agent.

Northwest Registered Agent is our top pick in California. Their success is achieved through best-in-class privacy, pricing and customer support.

Northwest R.A. has been helping small businesses start and grow for over 20 years.

Other registered agents

There are many registered agent services available in California. The top 6 that I just mentioned above are the most popular options. However, I want to highlight a few other services available in California.

7. Rocket Lawyer Review

Rocket Lawyer is a cheaper option than LegalZoom. Registered agent service is a small part of their product offerings. They also offer online legal services, including talking to an attorney, documents, and ongoing legal services.

You can get a physical address in California for $149 to ensure state mail forwarding. Rocket Lawyer also accepts service of process on your behalf, but they offer fewer services and lower customer support than Northwest Registered Agent.

8. SunDoc Filings Review

SunDoc Filings offers basic California registered agent services at $159. This includes service of process and forwarding legal documents from the California Secretary of State.

There is also no dedicated customer support system such as ‘Corporate Guides’ offered by Northwest Registered Agent.

9. Swyft Filings Review

Swyft Filings provides registered agent services for your California LLC or business for $149. Not nearly as good as Northwest’s best-rated customer service.

10. CSC Review

CSC, aka Corporation Service Company, is a premium California registered agent service that costs $299 per year. They don’t have any premium features, except that you must pay the state fees to change your California registered agent.

You could easily switch to Northwest Register Agent and save money. CSC has a long history; they are just another option to consider when shopping for a California registered agent.

11. Registered Agents Inc. Review

Registered Agents Inc. costs $200 and includes the same features as Northwest Registered Agent at $125: online account access and compliance alerts that keep you in good standing with the California Secretary of State.

Additional Registered Agents to Consider

Legalinc

URS Agents

Cogency Global

First Corporate Solutions

LegalCorp Solutions

What does a registered agent do?

A California registered agent is an individual/business entity that has been appointed by a California LLC/corporation to receive tax and legal documentation such as service or process of process and compliance documents.

A registered agent does a variety of small tasks, but they have a greater role that is more important. They act as the link between your company and the state in which you do business.

Service of Process

First, the registered agent must be designated as the recipient of any tax documents or legal documents that are sent by California.

For legal matters, the registered agent must be present in order to receive the hand-delivered service of process (SOP) paperwork about legal proceedings against your company.

The registered agent must then effectively report the delivery to your company and forward the documents.

They should agree on a set of procedures for receiving and delivering these documents. They should decide whether documents will be sent by the registered agent to the business via email, mail, or fax.

California Business Compliance

A registered agent can also help ensure your business is current and compliant with all state-required continuing maintenance filings.

Each state has its own laws about maintenance filings, usually annual reports or franchise tax payments.

These rules can change at any moment, so your registered agent must keep up-to-date in order for your business to remain in good standing with the state and avoid fines or dissolution.

How to choose a California registered agent

There are two options for choosing a California Registered Agent. You can either appoint someone internal that you know or hire a professional registered agent.

You can also be your own registered agent. It is better to have a professional service do this job. It doesn’t cost very much, and you know they will get the job done for the year.

Internal Registered Agent

The registered agent can be any member of the LLC, including yourself, or an employee. Your home or office address will become the Registered Agent’s address. Each LLC must share its principal office address and mailing address with the state’s public online system.

Hiring a registered agent service will be easier as you can use the registered agent’s address as a postal address.

A Registered Agent Service

Professional registered agent services are available for a reasonable cost of around $100 – $299 per year. This will ensure that your business is represented by the best possible service provider.

We have listed the top registered agent services in California. They can take care of the job for you.

Choose a California Registered Agent

These are some things to keep in mind when selecting a registered agent.

• Service Fee: Since many states require that formal businesses have registered agents, it is important to choose the best-registered agent. A registered agent can be hired for between $99 to $300 per year. This is a very small price to pay when you consider the time savings.
• The experience and tenure in business of a registered agent: You want the registered agents to have established and tested procedures for handling documents. Registered agent services should be in operation for a while. They have the experience and ability to handle all of your documentation.
• State Jurisdiction Limit: To reduce the administrative burdens of dealing with multiple registered agent providers, it is best to use one registered agent in each state. Our recommended registered agents are available in each of the 50 states.
• Follow-up and Monitoring Services: You want to get the most up-to-date information from your registered agent as quickly as possible, so you are fully informed about all statutes, rules, and regulations that affect your company.

California: How do I appoint a registered agent?

The LLC can appoint the registered agent at the time of the California Certificate of Organization. You can do it online or by mail. Appointing a registered agent is free of charge. Only the state filing fee must be paid.

Our Review and Selection Process

Here is how I determined the best registered agents in California to help you form your LLC.

When researching information about California registered agent services and comparing their respective packages, I’ve been there myself. When I needed to find the best registered agent for my business website, I searched for a good service.

For my website to receive mail and process service, I needed a street address that was available during normal business hours. I needed compliance alerts to keep my businesses in good standing before the Secretary of State.

In conversations with small business owners, entrepreneurs aspirants, and friends who own online businesses, I discovered that not everyone has the time or patience to search from website to site for the best California registered agent service provider.

However, many required registration agents. They would rather choose the first registered agent available and pay less to avoid this frustrating process.

My knowledge helped me and my colleagues make informed decisions about California registered agent services. It surprised me that my advice would be trusted and make the business formation experience easier for many people who read my website.

How I Chose the Best California Registered Agents

I began with over 10 service providers. After a four-part screening process, I narrowed down the list to 4. I selected my top four best services based upon my four key evaluation steps.

My First Step: Reviews

I began by reading and gathering reviews, the honest voices of thousands of people like me. I was overwhelmed by reviews on TrustPilot, Facebook, and Better Business Bureau that would allow me to classify them according to different criteria (ease of use, affordability, customer service, privacy protection, taxes, fees, etc. ).

I was able to identify obvious frauds and misleading offers.

My 2nd Step: Website Analysis

After I had eliminated illegitimate providers, I went on to examine the websites of the remaining corporations in order to gain a better understanding of what they stand for, how authentic their advertising is.

I was particularly interested in optimizing their products, services, customer support, company experience, and any recognition they had received.

My 3rd Step: Talking with actual customers

Websites and sales teams can tell you about the company, but customers will tell you how they deliver it. Are they efficient? Are they efficient? Are they polite? Are they polite?

Online reviews may fill in some gaps, but most reviews are written by people with overwhelmingly positive experiences. This can distort your perspective. Talking to current customers will give you a better picture.

I reached out to people I had helped to find a registered agent and new visitors to my website looking for one. It was great to hear their stories.

This allowed me to get a comprehensive and complete picture of each service.

My 4th Step: Talking to the Sales and Marketing Teams

I talked to each company’s sales staff to complete my research. After collecting all complaints, files, and reviews, I asked tough questions about their failure to meet customer expectations.

Many companies will simply ignore negative reviews. Others will explain that they have incorporated feedback and improved their operations.

This was the last step that separated the average and the exceptional.

My Rating and Review Criteria

Four key aspects influenced my selection for the best registered agent to represent your California LLC.

#1: I Checked the Services and Features

The company’s available services and features were the first things that I evaluated. Other factors, such as cost and ease of use, customer support, etc., don’t really matter if a company doesn’t offer the required services that California registered agents expect. I reviewed the different companies as a shopper and consumer would.

My own needs for finding a good registered agent were considered. I asked myself, is this a registered agent service that I would be comfortable working with? Do they provide the features that I need for my business?

These were the aspects I considered:

• Is the registered agent able to give you access to online documents? Or do they mail them to your California registered street address?
• Is the registered agent able to alert you about compliance dates and filing deadlines for annual reports? Or does the registered agent only give your LLC or business a calendar?
• Is there a privacy guarantee provided by the registered agent?
• Is the registered agent also able to provide an affordable LLC formation service, or is their LLC formation service any good?
• Is the registration agent responsible for filing and paying state fees?
• You have the option of filing the change online or mailing the form.
• Is the registered agent willing to accept the service of process?

Registered agents offering the most California registered agent services were ranked at the top, while those with fewer offerings were placed near the bottom or in the middle.

#2: I Checked the Pricing

While most people jump to the pricing, it is important to consider the product’s value. This factor can vary greatly from one California registered agent to the next. For a good registered agent, expect to pay $125 to $299 per year. Brand names like LegalZoom charge $299 per year, but most people in the registered agent industry know that the best service and privacy is from Northwest, and they charge an affordable $125 per.

#3: I Checked the Ease of Use

Your time is valuable when you start a company or LLC here in California.

The ease of signing up was my next factor. The easiest, most efficient, and least intrusive systems rose quickly to the top of my list. If a company asked me to move from one document to another in a slow system, I gave them one of my lowest ranks.

#4: I Checked Their Customer Service and Support

All customers require support and assistance, no matter how easy, intuitive, and user-friendly a system may be. While not all business owners are tech-savvy, every California business owner should have a registered agent they can trust.

In choosing the right agent to represent a business or LLC within California, I considered customer service as the final factor.

I assessed California registered agent services based on whether they could efficiently and quickly resolve customer problems with highly-trained and experienced representatives.

California registered agents are not required for small businesses or limited liability companies in California. They should be able to answer your calls and provide generic answers quickly.

California Business Tips

If you’re looking to form an LLC in California, it’s crucial to understand the necessary steps and requirements. To begin, conduct a California LLC name search to ensure the availability of your desired business name.

Once you’ve confirmed its availability, you can proceed with preparing the essential formation documents, including registering your business name and drafting a California LLC operating agreement, which outlines the internal structure and management of your LLC.

Additionally, you have the option to be your own registered agent in California or enlist the services of a professional registered agent. It’s worth noting that the length of time to get an LLC in California can vary, but typically ranges from a few weeks to several months.

To streamline the process, it’s advisable to gather all required information and submit your filings promptly. Furthermore, obtaining a California Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS is essential for tax purposes.

Detailed guides and online resources are available to help you navigate the steps involved, and various California LLC services and registered agents can assist you in forming your LLC efficiently. Additionally, ensure compliance with any necessary business licenses in California, and consider the California LLC cost while budgeting for the formation process.

Lastly, should the need arise, understanding how to change your California registered agent the steps to dissolve an LLC in California is crucial for closing your business properly.

Review Conclusion

California registered agents play a critical role in your company’s legal compliance. Although these tasks seem simple, if done incorrectly, they can lead to significant fines and even the possibility of your company being disbanded by the state.

California Registered Agent FAQs

How can I find a good registered agent in California?

There are many registered agent services in California. We recommend Northwest Registered Agent.

What is the cost of a registered agent in California?

A registered agent service typically costs between $99 and $299.

Is a registered agent required in California?

California law requires all LLCs, corporations, and nonprofits to elect and maintain a registered agent and registered office.

Should I be my own registered agent or hire a service?

A registered agent service provider can be a great investment in your time, privacy, and peace of mind.

Do I need a registered agent to represent my California business?

Small businesses should hire a California registered agent.

What is the cost of changing my California registered agent?

Depending on how many states you have to do business with your LLC, it can cost between $0 and $50 to change your registered agent.