How to form a
California LLC

The filing, in plain English

A California LLC is created when the California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division accepts your Articles of Organization and issues a certificate. Everything else — the EIN, the operating agreement, the bank account — happens around that central act. Our $299 flat service walks through all of it; you pay the California filing fee of $70 separately, directly to the state.

Most founders forming a single-member California LLC are done in 5–10 business days (online) of standard processing time. Multi-member filings take about the same; the additional complexity lives in the operating agreement, not at the state.

The six steps we take

1. I.

   Confirm your name is available

   We check your chosen LLC name against the California Secretary of State database before anything is submitted. If the first choice is taken, we call before filing — we do not submit a filing you did not authorize.

2. II.

   Draft the Articles of Organization

   A formation specialist prepares the Articles to California's exact format, with your members, agent for service of process, principal office address, and effective date.

3. III.

   Submit electronically

   Filed through the California Secretary of State's online system. Your California agent for service of process of record is our Sacramento office for the first year.

4. IV.

   California approves the LLC

   Approval typically arrives in 5–10 business days (online). We watch the queue daily and forward the stamped certificate the moment it clears.

5. V.

   We obtain the EIN

   Once the LLC is approved, we file SS-4 with the IRS to get your Employer Identification Number — the federal tax ID you need to open a business bank account.

6. VI.

   We deliver the bank-ready packet

   Stamped certificate, EIN letter, custom operating agreement drafted to your ownership structure, and your agent for service of process confirmation. You sign the operating agreement and open the account.

What you need to have ready

Before we file, we need a handful of decisions from you. None of them are heavy, but we have to confirm each one on the reservation call:

• A California LLC name — ending in "LLC," "L.L.C.," or "Limited Liability Company," distinguishable from other California entities.
• A principal office address — home, commercial, or mail-forwarding. Becomes part of the public record.
• Members — the individuals or entities that own the LLC. California allows single-member LLCs.
• Management structure — member-managed (most common) or manager-managed. We draft the operating agreement to match.
• An effective date — either immediately on approval, or a future date if you want a January 1 start for tax reasons.

What's included in the $299 flat fee

The $299 is a flat service fee for everything on our side. California's state filing fee of $70 is paid directly to the California Secretary of State and is the same whether you file with us or on your own. There are no upsells — no basic, plus, or premium tiers. One price, four things.