Best Foreign Qualification

Best Foreign Qualification › California

Best foreign qualification services in California

Our top pick in California is Mainstay Filing: $199 plus the $70 state fee, $269 in all.

Best 3 Foreign Registration Services in California (2026)

1. Mainstay Filing

$199 + $70 state fee = $269

Registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year.

2. CA Registered Agent.org

$199 + $70 state fee = $269

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

3. California Registered Agent.ai

$199 + $70 state fee = $269

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

Service prices read from each provider’s California page on October 28, 2026. The state fee is the official figure below and is paid to the California Secretary of State, Business Entities.

What you get, side by side

ServiceYear 1Agent, year 1Agent after3 years of service + agent
Mainstay Filing$269Free$149/yr$497
CA Registered Agent.org$269Included$99/yr$397
California Registered Agent.ai$269Included$99/yr$397

The 3-year column adds each service’s agent price for years 2 and 3 to its $199 fee; state fees and California’s yearly filing are the same whichever you choose.

The California filing

Form
Form LLC-5, Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC)
State fee
$70
From your home state
Certificate of good standing (existence or status) from the home state, no older than 180 days
Every year after
Statement of Information, Form LLC-12 (California Secretary of State), $20 (due: within 90 days of registering, then every 2 years)

$70 for Form LLC-5, Application to Register.

Questions

What is the best foreign qualification service in California?

Mainstay Filing: $199 plus the $70 state fee, with a California registered agent free for the first year.

How much is the California state fee?

$70. $70 for Form LLC-5, Application to Register.

What do I file in California?

Form LLC-5, Application to Register a Foreign Limited Liability Company (LLC), with the California Secretary of State, Business Entities, plus a certificate from your home state.

Sources