California: $800 a year, minimum

What the minimum covers — and doesn't

$800 keeps the entity alive (llc tiers to $11,790). It never includes registered-agent fees ($50–$300), foreign qualifications you trigger elsewhere, or income taxes on profit. Model multi-state totals in the tri-state matrix before choosing a domicile.

Getting started

Formation: $70 LLC Articles (LLC-1) + $20 Statement of Information; corporations $100 + $25. That one-time cost comes before the first annual payment, which is due Apr 15 / Jun 15.

What else to know about California

• The $800 is owed every year the entity exists, including an LLC’s first year for 2024+ formations; corporations are exempt in their first year only.
• LLCs add the § 17942 fee on California receipts of $250,000 or more: $900, $2,500, $6,000, or $11,790.
• C-corps pay 8.84% of California net income when that exceeds $800; S-corps pay 1.5%.
• Out-of-state entities doing business here pay the same amounts after registering ($70 LLC, $100 corporation).

Step-by-step rules and worked examples: Start a California LLC. Compare against other states in the tri-state matrix.