Registered Agent Costs

Registered Agent Costs › California

California registered agent cost: five-year comparison (2026)

Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, is $149 a year in California, $745 over five years. Across the 8 providers priced for California the five-year cost runs $230.95 to $1,245. Changing agents costs nothing in state fees.

  • Prices read October 2026
  • California rules checked October 20, 2026

Five-year cost in California

ProviderYear 1Renewal5-year
Launch Registered Agent$34.99$48.99$230.95
FreeRegisteredAgent.com$0$129$516
Northwest Registered Agent$125$125$625
InCorp Services$129$129$645
Mainstay Filing$149$149$745
Bizee$149$149$745
ZenBusiness$99$199$895
LegalZoom$249$249$1,245

California agent rules

Agent requirement
Required. A California resident, or a corporation registered with the Secretary of State as a corporate agent under Corporations Code § 1505. A business cannot act as its own agent for service of process.
Address
An individual agent's California street address goes on the public record. A registered corporate agent's address is already on file with the state and is not repeated in the company's filing.
Change-of-agent fee
None
Statute
Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13
Best overall in California

Mainstay Filing

Our rating: 4.9 out of 5

$149 / year, same at renewal

Questions

How much is a registered agent in California?

8 providers have a published price for California: $0 to $249 in year 1, and $230.95 to $1,245 over five years. Mainstay Filing is $149 a year.

Do I have to pay for an agent in California?

You must have one, but you may be able to serve as your own agent if you meet these terms: A California resident, or a corporation registered with the Secretary of State as a corporate agent under Corporations Code § 1505. A business cannot act as its own agent for service of process.

What does it cost to change agents in California?

The state charges no fee to file the change of registered agent (Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13).

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