BestLLCServices.com

Find the Best LLC Service for You

If you operate an LLC or corporation in California, you need to designate a registered agent to accept document deliveries from the state. You have a few options regarding who should provide this vital service, our favorite of which is hiring a registered agent service.

These companies will serve as your registered agent (sometimes referred to as an “agent for service of process” in California) in exchange for an annual fee, keeping your business in compliance with state law by receiving documents like service of process, tax documents, reminding you to file your Initial Report and Statements of Information, and more.

In California, there are quite a few reputable companies offering registered agent service, which can make it difficult to determine which company is your best choice. That’s why we took a deep dive into all of your options to create this list of the best California registered agent services. Which one should you use?

Best Overall
1

Get Started

At ZenBusiness, we pride ourselves on providing convenient, easy-to-leverage business services that leave you more time to actually run your business. When it comes to ongoing registered agent service, ZenBusiness has a great $99 rate for the first year and a competitive $199 rate for subsequent years.

If you haven’t yet formed your LLC or corporation, we offer an outstanding bargain. We will form your new business for free — all you have to do is cover the required state filing fee.

Let’s take a look at some of our advantages and disadvantages compared to our top competitors.

Pros:

  • Low $99 price point for the first year
  • Great customer feedback
  • Strong customer service
  • Gives back to socially disadvantaged entrepreneurs

Cons:

  • Not the absolute cheapest option available

There are more than 10,000 reviews of ZenBusiness online, and nearly all of them are positive, giving us one of the best customer satisfaction reputations in the industry. We also have a helpful and knowledgeable customer support department that can answer your tough questions.

1

Learn More

Next up is Northwest Registered Agent, a company that offers personalized customer support. Northwest no longer provides free mail forwarding service with its registered agent offering, which used to be a cornerstone of its service. However, it still has plenty of advantages.

How does Northwest Registered Agent stack up to the competition?

Pros:

  • Personalized customer support
  • Volume discounts available
  • Free registered agent service with business formation

Cons:

  • Expensive business formation service
  • Not many other services offered

Northwest Registered Agent’s calling card is its personalized customer support. Instead of outsourcing its support network to a generic call center with questionably trained representatives, Northwest keeps its support team in-house. Everyone who answers the phone for Northwest is a professional who knows their stuff.

Northwest offers a year of registered agent service in California with any business formation service purchase. However, at $225, the price point for this package is higher than most competitors.

We appreciate Northwest’s volume discounts for registered agent service, as they’ll slash your rate from $125 to $100 annually if you require service in at least five states. In addition, they receive strong customer reviews and offer free Statement of Information reminders.

Overall, if you prioritize personalized customer support, Northwest’s advantages likely outweigh its disadvantages.

1

Learn More

Like ZenBusiness, Incfile offers a free business formation service. With Incfile, this includes a year of registered agent service as well. As a standalone service, Incfile provides registered agent service at an annual rate of $119, which is a solidly competitive price point.

Pros:

  • Free business formation service with registered agent service
  • Good customer feedback

Cons:

  • Lots of upsells

With more than 30,000 reviews available online, Incfile maintains high average rating scores, making them an impressive pick for registered agent service in California.

However, one drawback of using Incfile is how they can be rather relentless with upsell attempts. Incfile has plenty of add-on features available, and it will certainly remind you of that fact several times as you work your way through their order form.

Overall, Incfile is a rock-solid option for registered agent service, albeit without some of the bells and whistles you’ll find with some competitors.

1

Learn More

Rocket Lawyer is one of the industry’s biggest names, with millions of customers served and a robust advertising budget that gets its name out. Rocket Lawyer’s pricing is a bit high, but if you’re looking for an experienced option, look no further.

Pros:

  • Tons of experience
  • Solid customer satisfaction reputation
  • Strong customer support

Cons:

  • Somewhat high price points
  • Very few features

Rocket Lawyer has a few thousand reviews available, with mostly positive scores. While its registered agent pricing doesn’t jump off the page, subscribers to Rocket Lawyer’s $39.99/month legal services program receive 25% off registered agent service, free business formation service for new members, and more.

We are always impressed with Rocket Lawyer’s support network, as its representatives are responsive and helpful. Rocket Lawyer offers extended support availability from 9 am to 9 pm every weekday. If you’re willing to spend a bit more in exchange for a company with tons of experience, or if you’re interested in Rocket Lawyer’s legal services subscription, give them a look.

1

Learn More

LegalZoom is similar to Rocket Lawyer in that it’s a company with millions of customers served and offers advanced legal services. However, LegalZoom has an unfortunately high price point for Arkansas registered agent service. You can get your first year for $249 if you add it to a business formation package, but even that isn’t a great deal.

Pros:

  • Millions of customers served
  • Industry’s longest support hours
  • 100% satisfaction guaranteed

Cons:

  • High prices
  • Few features in formation packages

We are impressed by LegalZoom’s 100% satisfaction guarantee, which is nearly identical to the ZenBusiness refund policy. Also, they have the longest customer support hours in this industry, with 14 hours per day of weekday availability and nine hours on weekends too.

That said, LegalZoom’s high price tag for registered agent service is a problem. Seeing as this company also excludes valuable features from its business formation packages, the other options in this guide all have better value propositions than LegalZoom.

An Overview of California Registered Agent Services

Before we dig too deeply into any of these companies, we will also share a quick overview of the best options. After all, we know how busy you are, and you might just want to identify the best company and move on.

At ZenBusiness, we have a highly affordable offer that appeals to a wide variety of entrepreneurs. For just $99 for the first year ($199 after that), ZenBusiness will serve as your registered agent in California, providing reliable service at a fair price. ZenBusiness has thousands of positive reviews, we’re a socially conscious company, and we offer solid customer support. What’s not to like?

However, it’s not all about ZenBusiness. Some of our competitors also have intriguing offers for California registered agent service, including Northwest Registered Agent and Incfile. Is one of them a better fit for your business? Or is hiring ZenBusiness the right call? Read on to find out!

What Does California Law Say About Registered Agents?

Each state has its own rules and regulations surrounding registered agents. For the most part, these laws are fairly similar, but it’s always worth taking a look to see what California requires.

In California, we’ll need to take a look at The California Corporations Code, which says:

  • Every entity that files with the Secretary of State (both domestic and foreign) must appoint a registered agent
  • The agent must be a resident of California or a corporation that has not terminated its capacity to act as a registered agent
  • An agent must be continuously maintained

All of the companies we’re about to discuss meet these regulations and are great options for California registered agent service. When you’ve made your choice, you can indicate your registered agent’s name and address on your Articles of Organization.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can serve as a registered agent in California?

In California, there aren’t many complicated requirements for registered agent eligibility. Any individual or business entity located within the state can serve as your company’s registered agent. The only requirements are that they have a permanent address in California and that your company itself can not serve as its own registered agent (although you or one of your co-owners may assume this role individually).

Like most states, California does not have an explicit age requirement (a few states require the appointed agent to be at least 18 years of age). That said, we do recommend that you pick a responsible individual that you trust or one of the services listed above. If the registered agent does not fulfill their duties completely and accurately, it can cause unnecessary hassle for a business. Most responsible adults can fill this role easily, but we do recommend careful consideration while you make this appointment.

Must my registered agent be located in California?

Yes. If your registered agent is an individual, that person must live in California. If your agent is a business entity, that company must either be a domestic California business or one with the authority to conduct business in the state.

How can I change my registered agent in California?

If your Statement of Information is coming due soon, you can simply make the change while filing it and kill two birds with one stone. Even if the Statement isn’t due anytime soon, you will still use the Statement of Information form to make this change. No matter when you file, you will need to make the $20 filing fee. For more information on how to change your registered agent in California, look here.

How does the California registered agent resignation process work?

If your registered agent chooses to resign and no longer serves as your agent, they will notify both you and the Secretary of State using the Resignation of Agent for Service of Process form. The form requests information such as the agent’s name and contact information along with information about the entity they’re resigning from serving. There is no base filing fee for this document, but there is a $15 surcharge if the agent files it in person.

How much does it cost to change my California registered agent?

Regardless of whether your agent resigns on their own or you choose to replace your existing agent, you’ll file the Statement of Information to appoint a new one. The filing fee for this is $20. However, if you file it on your regular biennial schedule, it won’t cost you anything extra. So, if you can, it may be helpful to wait to switch your registered agent until your Statement is coming due.

What are my options if I don’t want to hire a California registered agent service?

One common option is to serve as your company’s own registered agent or enlist the assistance of a trusted friend or family member. The other route is to hire an attorney or accountant to handle this role. Maybe you prefer the added professionalism these people can provide, maybe you have an existing relationship with an attorney or accountant you trust, etc.

If you’re interested in hiring an attorney but don’t know where to start, we recommend taking a look on Avvo. We also dug through the top-rated lawyers on Avvo to create our own list of the top five business attorneys you could contact regarding registered agent service:

Best Registered Agent Services Reviewed in all States

We break down the best registered agent services in every state. View all of our guides below.

About BestLLCServices.com

Starting your own business can be intimidating. On the most basic level, our mission at BestLLCServices.com is to remove as much intimidation and inconvenience as we can.

ZenBusiness Mission

We are a small business that is excited about helping other entrepreneurs realize their dreams of creating and growing a successful business. By making business formation easy and affordable, we hope to foster a small business community where owners can connect on a local and national level and help each other grow.

Our Free State-By-State Guides

Starting and maintaining an LLC can be intimidating. That’s why we’ve compiled all the information you’ll need based on your particular state. We’ll also outline other things to consider for growing your business.

About | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Guidelines

BestLLCServices.com is owned by ZenBusiness Inc. This site reviews products and services that the ZenBusiness family of sites sells. Readers should be aware of this when evaluating service providers, reading reviews, and making purchase decisions. The content on this page is for informational purposes only, and does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. While BestLLCServices.com uses best efforts to keep all information on its site current, readers should know that it is not responsible for the accuracy of any third party content.

Copyright © 2023