Starter
$299
plus California state filing fee, shipping and applicable tax
Corp USA California · Local formation
Form an LLC or Corporation in Santa Clara County, California
To form an LLC or corporation in Santa Clara County, file Articles with the California Secretary of State. Local business licensing and Santa Clara County fictitious business name filings are separate from state formation. Our filing team can help prepare and submit your selected formation service.
California Secretary of State – LLC formationCalifornia FTB – LLC annual taxSanta Clara County Clerk-Recorder
Start my California LLC
Corp USA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
- Verified Oct 2026 CA SOS & FTB Rules
- $0 Markup on State Pass-Through Fees
- Physical Corporate Kits & Seals (CorporateKits.com)
- Live Filing Support: (667) 274-0865
Local Industry, Entity Strategy & Municipal Tax Rules in Santa Clara County
Commercial corridors
North San Jose, Santa Clara technology parks, Sunnyvale, Mountain View and South County corridors
Local business sectors
SaaS, semiconductor suppliers, biotech and licensed professional services
Entity strategy considerations
For Santa Clara County retail, logistics or property-holding operations, compare an LLC (Form LLC-1, $70) with a corporation (Form ARTS-GS, $100). Default-taxed LLCs generally owe $800 via FTB Form 3522 and an additional R&TC § 17942 fee at $250,000 or more of total California income, not net profit. New corporations generally have a first-taxable-year $800 minimum franchise tax exception, not an income-tax exemption. CSLB contractors should compare the $25,000 BPC § 7071.6 bond with the extra $100,000 LLC worker bond under BPC § 7071.6.5; an eligible corporation can separately elect S status. Licensed medical, dental, nursing or therapy practices must review the Moscone-Knox professional corporation route (Corp. Code § 13400+) and board-specific ownership rules. Formation is not a practice license.
Municipal tax & license registration
Santa Clara County FBN filing does not replace municipal registration. Confirm incorporated city boundaries, county requirements for unincorporated locations, zoning and applicable occupancy or health permits before operating.
Why Santa Clara County Founders Choose Corp USA California
| Consideration | Corp USA California (califile.biz) | DIY State Portal (bizfile Online) | Mass-market portals & local bureaus — questions to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront package pricing | $299 Starter / $449 Pro / $749 Complete + exact CA state fee, shipping and applicable tax | State fee only; optional private document preparation and kits are separate | Ask for the full checkout or written quote, including optional add-ons |
| California statutory guidance | CA LLC-1, ARTS-GS, Moscone-Knox PC, CSLB and county FBN decision guides | Choose and review the appropriate official filing yourself | Confirm California-specific professional entity and current FBN rules |
| Corporate kits, certificates & embossing seals | Physical corporate kits and seals via CorporateKits.com; records guidance under Corp. Code §§ 416, 1500 and Moscone-Knox | Physical kits not included with state filing | Confirm supplier, package inclusions and separate shipping charges |
| Registered agent & ongoing compliance | $199/year CA agent; $179 SOI plus state fee; $179 DBA plus county/publication fees; $99 Certificate of Status plus $5 state fee | Arrange an eligible agent and track filing deadlines yourself | Review recurring charges, renewal terms and cancellation rules |
| English & Spanish resources | English and Español California guides; live filing support (667) 274-0865 | Official government instructions and available assistance | Ask about language availability and county or trade-specific assistance |
Compare the actual quote and terms of any provider; no competitor pricing or service quality is assumed. Corp USA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
Start my California filing
Corp USA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
Local County Clerk FBN / DBA & City Business License
FBN statements are filed with the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder at 110 W. Tasman Dr., San Jose. Silicon Valley municipalities require city business tax registration.
Santa Clara County fictitious business names
Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder
110 W. Tasman Dr., First Floor, San Jose, CA 95134
$40.00 base fee · $7.00 additional-name/owner fee
Provided quote; fee not independently confirmed. Check the current county fee brochure. Newspaper publication costs are separate.
Unconfirmed supplied quote — confirm with clerk
County and municipal business licensing
County seat: San Jose
FBN statements are filed with the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder at 110 W. Tasman Dr., San Jose. Silicon Valley municipalities require city business tax registration.
Official Santa Clara County business informationConfirm city limits, zoning, home-business permits and current local charges with the appropriate office before operating.
FBN filing and publication deadlines
BPC §§ 17910, 17917, 17920: file within 40 days after commencing business under the name; begin publication within 45 days after filing, weekly for 4 successive weeks in an adjudicated newspaper of general circulation; file the affidavit within 45 days after completion. Statements generally expire after 5 years, or earlier following specified changes. Confirm statutory exemptions with the clerk. The 45-day rule is not an AB 878 amendment.
BPC § 17910 – 40-day filingBPC § 17917 – publication and affidavitBPC § 17920 – five-year expiration
Follow the California county DBA path →California Secretary of State & FTB Formation Fees
| Filing / tax | Amount | Requirement / official source |
|---|---|---|
| LLC-1 Articles of Organization | $70 | California LLC formation Official Secretary of State filing schedule |
| ARTS-GS Articles of Incorporation | $100 | General stock corporation formation Official Secretary of State filing schedule |
| LLC-12 Statement of Information | $20 | Within 90 days, then every two years Official Secretary of State filing schedule |
| SI-550 Statement of Information | $25 | Within 90 days, then annually Official Secretary of State filing schedule |
| FTB Form 3522 LLC annual tax | $800 | Generally due in the first year today and annually thereafter; separate from filing fees Official FTB tax guidance |
Newly incorporated corporations generally have an exception to the $800 minimum franchise tax in their first taxable year; income-based tax can still apply. The temporary general LLC first-year annual-tax exemption covered tax years beginning in 2021–2023 only and has expired. Statutory exceptions depend on the taxpayer’s circumstances. State fees are pass-through; service fees, shipping and applicable tax are separate.
California FTB – corporation first-taxable-year minimum exceptionInstant Online Pricing
Pro
$449
plus California state filing fee, shipping and applicable tax
Complete
$749
plus California state filing fee, shipping and applicable tax
Corp USA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Review package inclusions and the full order summary before payment. Professional formation eligibility depends on your licensing rules.
Standalone filing services
DBA filingRegistered agentEIN assistanceStatement of InformationS corporation electionCertificate of StatusArticles of Amendment
Corp USA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice.
Compare California fees and services →Santa Clara County formation questions
File LLC-1 with the California Secretary of State for $70, then LLC-12 within 90 days for $20. Formation is statewide, not a city or county entity filing.
Official Secretary of State guidanceBusinesses with a principal business location in Santa Clara County file applicable FBN statements with Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder, 110 W. Tasman Dr., First Floor, San Jose, CA 95134. BPC §§ 17910, 17917, 17920: file within 40 days after commencing business under the name; begin publication within 45 days after filing, weekly for 4 successive weeks in an adjudicated newspaper of general circulation; file the affidavit within 45 days after completion. Statements generally expire after 5 years, or earlier following specified changes. Confirm statutory exemptions with the clerk. The 45-day rule is not an AB 878 amendment.
Official county clerk informationFBN statements are filed with the Santa Clara County Clerk-Recorder at 110 W. Tasman Dr., San Jose. Silicon Valley municipalities require city business tax registration. Contact the relevant municipality or county office for local requirements; state registration does not replace local licensing.
Official local business registration informationCalifornia LLCs generally owe $800 annually using FTB Form 3522, including their first year now; the temporary general first-year exemption covered 2021–2023 only. Newly incorporated corporations generally have a first-taxable-year minimum franchise tax exception, but income-based tax can still apply.
Official FTB LLC tax guidanceOfficial FTB corporation tax guidanceBoth require the standard $25,000 contractor bond under BPC § 7071.6. A licensed LLC additionally requires the $100,000 employee/worker bond under § 7071.6.5 and applicable LLC insurance. A corporation can separately elect S status if eligible; that tax election does not itself determine bonding. Review qualifier bonds and your license circumstances.
Official FTB LLC tax guidanceReview Moscone-Knox (Corp. Code §§ 13400–13410) and your licensing board’s permitted structures, ownership and naming rules. A medical, dental, nursing or therapy corporate practice may use the profession-specific PC route; a PC is not universally required for every licensed profession or individual practice.
Official FTB LLC tax guidanceCalifornia Cities & Counties We Serve
County filing paths
Los Angeles CountyOrange CountySan Diego CountyRiverside CountySan Bernardino CountySanta Clara County
City formation paths
AnaheimBuena ParkCerritosCypressDowneyFullertonGarden GroveHuntington BeachIrvineLa HabraLa MiradaLakewoodLong BeachNorwalkOrangeWhittierSanta AnaSan BernardinoVan NuysLos AngelesSan DiegoSan JoseSan FranciscoSacramento
Explore your next California decision path →