Cheapest Registered Agent › California
Who has the lowest registered agent price in California? (2026)
Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, is $149 a year in California, the same at renewal. The lowest first-year price is FreeRegisteredAgent.com, $0, and the lowest renewal is Launch Registered Agent, $48.99. The state’s own fee to change agents is nothing.
- Prices read October 2026
- California rules checked October 20, 2026
Ranked by first-year price in California
| # | Provider | Year 1 | Renewal | After year 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FreeRegisteredAgent.com | $0 | $129 | +$129 |
| 2 | Launch Registered Agent | $34.99 | $48.99 | +$14 |
| 3 | ZenBusiness | $99 | $199 | +$100 |
| 4 | Northwest Registered Agent | $125 | $125 | none |
| 5 | InCorp Services | $129 | $129 | none |
| 6 | Bizee | $149 | $149 | none |
| 7 | Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149 | none |
| 8 | LegalZoom | $249 | $249 | none |
Mainstay Filing
$149 / year, same at renewal
- Registered agent in any state, all year
- Mail and legal-document scanning and forwarding
- Compliance reminders
Checked October 20, 2026.
California agent rules
- 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
Questions
What is the cheapest registered agent in California?
For year 1, FreeRegisteredAgent.com at $0. At renewal, Launch Registered Agent at $48.99. Both are published prices read October 2026.
Can I be my own registered agent in California?
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. 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.
What does it cost to change registered agents in California?
No state fee to file the change (Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13).
Sources
- California registered agent statute (Cal. Corp. Code § 17701.13): leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CORP§ionNum=17701.13., checked October 20, 2026
- California Secretary of State: www.sos.ca.gov/business-programs/business-entities/, checked October 20, 2026
- Provider registered agent pages (prices; see sources and method), checked October 20, 2026