What your California LLC owes the state every year to stay in good standing — and what happens when the report doesn't get filed.
California requires every LLC to file a biennial report with the California Secretary of State. The report confirms basic information — LLC name, principal office address, agent for service of process, members or managers — and pays a $20 state fee.
Filing is online through the California Secretary of State's portal at sos.ca.gov. It typically takes less than ten minutes and is processed the same day.
California imposes an $800 minimum annual franchise tax on every LLC, payable to the Franchise Tax Board regardless of income. It is owed every year the LLC exists, even in a loss year, and is separate from the Secretary of State filing fees. LLCs with gross receipts above $250,000 owe an additional gross-receipts fee on top of the $800 minimum.
California doesn't forgive late reports indefinitely. The typical sequence when a report isn't filed on time:
The California Secretary of State assesses a state-imposed late fee, typically within 30 days of the missed deadline.
Your LLC's public status changes from "active" to "not in good standing" or the California equivalent. Banks, vendors, and counterparties can see this.
If the lapse continues (usually 60–180 days, varies by state), the California Secretary of State administratively dissolves the LLC. Your liability shield can be pierced for activities during the dissolved period.
To bring the LLC back, you pay the missed report fee, the late fee, and a California reinstatement fee. The LLC comes back but the gap in good standing remains on the public record.
Every customer gets annual compliance reminders 60, 30, and 7 days before the California report due date. Each reminder includes a one-click link to file through the California Secretary of State's portal. We don't auto-file on your behalf and we don't store payment information between years — you retain control — but you will not miss the deadline because you forgot.
If you want the filing done for you, we offer a separate California annual report filing service billed separately from agent for service of process renewal. Ask your formation specialist about it when the reminder lands.
Report fees don't change often, but when they do, we update the reminder copy. California's report is filed every two years. The agent for service of process must remain current. If you move, or your agent for service of process changes, file the change promptly — don't wait for the annual report to fold it in.
Reservation takes three minutes. A formation specialist in Sacramento handles the rest.