The standard first-year baseline for a default-taxed California LLC is $890: $70 for LLC-1, $20 for the initial LLC-12, and the $800 annual tax. This is not an all-inclusive business budget. Service fees, licenses, optional filings and any California-income-based LLC fee are separate.
Official source: California Secretary of StateOfficial source: https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.htmlOfficial source: California Secretary of State – official form (PDF)Verified against the California Secretary of State and FTB on Oct 21, 2026
Corp USA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Private information and filing service; not a government agency.
Start with the right question.
Build the unavoidable baseline
Articles and the initial Statement of Information total $90 in state filing fees. The annual $800 LLC tax is paid separately to FTB and is not an SOS formation charge. The baseline assumes no applicable tax exception.
Official source: California Secretary of StateChoose optional costs deliberately
A name reservation is $10, and a standard certificate of status is $5. Do not include optional services as mandatory government charges. State fees are pass-through; enter a service quote separately rather than treating an invented service price as fact.
Official source: California Secretary of State – official form (PDF)Leave room for the LLC income fee
Default-taxed LLCs may owe an additional fee starting at $250,000 of total California income. Total income is not net profit. Business licenses, local costs, insurance and operating expenses are not priced in this tool.
Official source: https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.htmlYour preparation checklist
- Budget $70 Articles and $20 initial statement
- Budget the standard $800 annual tax separately
- Add only optional filings you actually need
- Confirm service quote and possible income fee
First-year cost stack
First-year cost stack
Specified first-year costs
$890- Articles
- $70
- Initial statement
- $20
- Annual tax
- $800
- Optional state filings
- $0
- Your service quote
- $0
Baseline assumes a default-taxed LLC with no applicable annual-tax exception. Excludes income-based LLC fees, licenses, local costs and operating expenses. State fees are pass-through; taxes and service fees are separate.
Keep the requirements separate.
| Requirement | Verified detail / confirmation needed | Official authority |
|---|---|---|
| LLC-1 Articles | $70 | Official source: California Secretary of State |
| Initial LLC-12 | $20 | Official source: California Secretary of State |
| Annual LLC tax | $800 standard obligation | Official source: https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.html |
| Name reservation / status certificate | $10 / $5, optional | Official source: California Secretary of State – official form (PDF) |
| Certificate of status | $5 standard request; other handling may cost extra | Official source: California Secretary of State |
| Total California income $250,000–$499,999 | $900 additional LLC fee | Official source: https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.html |
| $500,000–$999,999 / $1m–$4,999,999 / $5m+ | $2,500 / $6,000 / $11,790 additional fee | Official source: https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.html |
Carry the decision forward.
Corp USA is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. State fees are pass-through. Service fees and taxes are separate. Review the order price before payment.
Before your next step
No. It is a baseline of specified government filings plus standard annual tax. Service charges and other costs are separate.
Official source: https://www.ftb.ca.gov/file/business/types/limited-liability-company/index.htmlIt is a separate filing that reserves an available name temporarily, not formation itself.
Official source: California Secretary of State