California Registered Agent: Top 6 Providers

Written by Nikki Winston – CPA, updated on

Are you planning to form a limited liability company (LLC) in California?

If so, you should keep in mind that every California LLC needs a registered agent (also known as a statutory agent). The registered agent that you select for your business will provide evidence that you are operating your business within legal parameters. The business serving in this capacity will also take care of annual reporting, mail collection, and legal documentation management for your company.

In this guide, we explain the state requirements for appointing your agent and provide a list of 7 professional registered agent services providers in California.

State of California. Source: Wikipedia
State of California. Source: Wikipedia

Who can be a registered agent in California?

The requirements for being a registered agent in the state of California are:

  • Be at least 18 years of age
  • Reside and maintain a mailing address in the state of California
  • If an entity is your registered agent, this business must also maintain an address in California and have a physical location in the state of California.

You can serve as your own registered agent in California, but this is not advisable. You will be better able to protect your personal finances and information from the public and legal action taken against your business if you appoint a registered agent.

Top 6 Registered Agent Services in California

We have taken the time to compile a list of the registered agents that you will want to consider working with in the state of California. These agents are experienced and can help you to protect your business and personal finances all year long.

1. Northwest Registered Agent (Our Partner)

Northwest registered agent

There is likely no better option for your registered agent services than Northwest Registered Agent.

For a low fee, you can get access to skilled and experienced customer support, attention to detail when it comes to legal documents and a client portal that is easy to use and navigate.

There are no added fees to pay, and you will be able to access the benefits of your access right away as soon as you sign up. Being sure that all of your documents are easy to see and that you can print from PDF is essential. NorthWest Registered Agent offers these perks and many more, all for a simple, flat fee.

  • Cost: $125/year
  • Visit website
  • Address: Sacramento, CA 95816 Sacramento County

2. Bend Law Group, PC

Bend Law Group, PC

This organization can provide support for legal documentation for businesses in the state of California. You will be able to trust that your legal correspondence is handled promptly and correctly with this team on your side.

Outside of the state of California, the company works with Legallnc Corporate Services to provide the same kind of registered agent care. You might be able to work with this company for all of your business registered agent needs, even if you operate businesses in multiple states.

  • Cost: $99/year
  • Visit website
  • Address: 2181 Greenwich Street, San Francisco, CA 94123

3. Julie R Merrill CPA & Associates

Julie R Merrill CPA & Associates

Having a skilled legal team checking out all of your legal correspondence is key.

When you pick this law office for your registered agent, you can trust that your anonymity will be protected and that all legal correspondence will be treated with the utmost care.

Things like summons, subpoenas, and tax notices will all be tackled with ease by the team at Julie R Merrill CPA. You can also select a quarterly or an annual plan here, which can help make this more affordable if your business is just starting out.

  • Cost: $179/year
  • Visit website
  • Address: 16776 Bernardo Center Drive, Suite 203, San Diego, CA, 92128

4. Watkins Firm

Watkins Firm

For expert legal counsel and the added benefit of registered agent services, there is no better legal entity to select from. You will be able to work with skilled and experienced legal experts when you choose the Watkins Firm for your registered agent.

There are many important tax processes that the team at the Watkins Firm can handle, and your annual report will be submitted in a timely manner. For complete and effective legal support of various kinds, this is the right registered agent to pick.

  • Cost: Request a quote
  • View Website
  • Address: 9915 Mira Mesa Blvd, Suite 130, San Diego, CA 92131

5. A People’s Choice

A People’s Choice

If you are looking for a registered legal document assistant service and can handle the rest of your business needs on your own, then A People’s Choice is a good option to assign as your registered agent.

You will need to apply to this site for information, but they will get back to you right away with a quote for their services. You will be able to maintain a physical address for your business entity in the state of California for a fair price when you select this agent.

  • Cost: $175/year
  • Visit website
  • Address: 1000 Town Center Dr. #300, Oxnard, CA 93036

6. Archetype Legal PC

Archetype Legal PC

This company does not handle regular mail forwarding for your needs, but they can handle all of the legal documentation that needs to be responded to for your business.

You will be able to access customer service assistance throughout the week when you use this company as your agent. You will also be able to trust that all legal notifications and documents that are sent to your business are responded to promptly and correctly.

  • Cost: $89/year
  • Visit website
  • Address: 100 Pine Street, Suite 1250, San Francisco, CA 94111
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Last updated: Apr 2024
Nikki Winston, CPA

Article by:

Nikki Winston

CPA

Nikki Winston is a CPA who enjoys writing about accounting, tax, personal finance, and career advice. Catch Nikki on Twitter @NikkWinstonCPA.

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