How long does the California Secretary of State take to process Form LLC-1?

Online filings through bizfile Online are generally processed fastest, often within a few business days, while mail filings take longer. Processing times fluctuate, so check the Secretary of State's current processing-times page before you file.

California Articles of Organization: Form LLC-1 Fee (2026)

Q: What are the California Articles of Organization?

The Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) is the document you file with the California Secretary of State to legally create a limited liability company. The filing fee is $70 and you file it online through bizfile Online.

Q: How much does it cost to file the Articles of Organization in California?

The state filing fee for Form LLC-1 is $70, paid to the California Secretary of State. Separately, a Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) is due within 90 days for a $20 fee, and California charges an $800 annual minimum franchise tax.

Q: What form is the California Articles of Organization?

For a limited liability company it is Form LLC-1. A corporation instead files Articles of Incorporation. You file Form LLC-1 with the California Secretary of State, not with a county or the Franchise Tax Board.

Q: What do I do after the Articles of Organization are approved?

File a Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) within 90 days, get a federal EIN from the IRS, adopt an operating agreement, register for any seller's permit with the CDTFA, and pay the $800 annual franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board.

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 6, 2026 · Last updated Aug 6, 2026

You form a California LLC by filing the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) with the California Secretary of State and paying a $70 filing fee, filed online through bizfile Online. You must name an agent for service of process, and after filing you have 90 days to submit a Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) and must pay the $800 annual franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board.

Quick Answer

Form: Form LLC-1, Articles of Organization (limited liability company)
Filing fee: $70 (2026), to the California Secretary of State
Agency: California Secretary of State - file online via bizfile Online
Agent: Agent for service of process required (California address)
After filing: Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) within 90 days - $20
Annual tax: $800 minimum franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board

What the Articles of Organization Do

The Articles of Organization is the founding document that legally creates a California limited liability company. The California Secretary of State provides it as Form LLC-1. Filing this form - and the Secretary of State's acceptance of it - is the legal act that brings the LLC into existence under the California Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act (the "RULLCA," codified in the California Corporations Code). Until Form LLC-1 is on file, the entity does not exist and its owners have no liability shield.

People sometimes call this a "certificate of formation" or "certificate of organization," but California's actual document for an LLC is the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1). A corporation instead files Articles of Incorporation. If you are researching the general national process first, see how to form an LLC, and for the full California walk-through see how to form an LLC in California.

What Form LLC-1 Requires

Form LLC-1 is deliberately short. Under Corporations Code section 17702.01, the Articles of Organization must state a limited set of items:

LLC name. The name must contain "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." and be distinguishable on the records of the Secretary of State from existing names. Confirm availability before filing.
Purpose statement. Form LLC-1 uses a fixed statutory purpose clause; you do not write your own business description.
Agent for service of process. Name an individual California resident or a registered corporate agent (see below).
Management structure. State whether the LLC will be managed by one manager, more than one manager, or by all members.
Principal office and mailing address.
Organizer signature.

Because the form is standardized, most rejections come from name problems or a missing agent address rather than the body of the document. Your internal governance - ownership percentages, voting, and distributions - goes in an operating agreement, which California does not file.

How to File the Articles of Organization

The fastest way to file is online through bizfile Online, the Secretary of State's business filing portal. You can also file by mail or in person at the Sacramento office. The steps are:

Check the name. Search existing entities and reserve a name if needed.
Name your agent for service of process. Confirm the agent consents and has a physical California address.
Complete Form LLC-1 in bizfile Online, choosing your management structure.
Pay the $70 fee and submit. Keep the stamped, filed copy the Secretary of State returns - banks ask for it.
Calendar the 90-day Statement of Information deadline and the first $800 franchise tax payment.

Processing times move throughout the year; the Secretary of State publishes current turnaround estimates, and expedited (preclearance and expedited filing) service is available for additional fees if you need faster handling.

California LLC Filing Fees (2026)

The core cost of creating a California LLC is the $70 Articles of Organization fee. The table below lists the fees most new LLCs encounter. Amounts are set by the state, not by any filing service, and are verified against the Secretary of State fee schedule and the Franchise Tax Board.

Item	Form	Fee (2026)	Agency
Articles of Organization (create the LLC)	Form LLC-1	$70	Secretary of State
Statement of Information (within 90 days, then biennial)	Form LLC-12	$20	Secretary of State
Name reservation (60 days)	Name Reservation Request	$10	Secretary of State
Certificate of Status	Records request	$5	Secretary of State
Annual minimum franchise tax	FTB Form 3522	$800	Franchise Tax Board
Federal EIN	IRS Form SS-4	$0 (free)	IRS

Confirm current expedite and certification amounts on the Secretary of State fee schedule before you file, because those change. For a full breakdown of recurring costs, see how much a California LLC costs.

Agent for Service of Process

California calls its registered-agent role the agent for service of process. Every California LLC must name one on Form LLC-1 and keep one continuously. The agent receives lawsuits (service of process) and official notices on the company's behalf. The agent may be an individual who resides in California with a physical street address, or a corporation that has filed a Section 1505 certificate with the Secretary of State to act as a registered agent. A member or manager can serve as the agent, or you can hire a commercial service.

If your agent resigns or moves and you do not update the record, you can miss a lawsuit and receive a default judgment, and the Secretary of State can ultimately suspend the entity. You update the agent by filing a new Statement of Information. For a deeper explanation, see California registered agent requirements and the national registered agent overview.

Statement of Information After Formation

Filing Form LLC-1 is only the first obligation. Within 90 days of the Secretary of State accepting your Articles of Organization, you must file the initial Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) and pay a $20 fee. After that, California LLCs file the Statement of Information every two years (biennial), during the applicable filing window based on the month the LLC was formed.

The Statement of Information lists the LLC's managers or members, its principal address, its agent for service of process, and a general type of business. Missing the deadline can trigger a $250 penalty assessed by the Franchise Tax Board and, if it stays delinquent, suspension or forfeiture of the LLC's powers. See the California Statement of Information for filing details and windows.

The $800 Franchise Tax and LLC Fee

Every California LLC must pay an $800 annual minimum franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board, regardless of income or activity, for the privilege of doing business in California. This is separate from the Secretary of State filing fees. The first-year $800 payment is generally due by the 15th day of the 4th month after you form the LLC, using FTB Form 3522.

LLCs with higher revenue also owe an additional LLC fee based on total California income. The fee tiers are $900 for total income of $250,000–$499,999, $2,500 for $500,000–$999,999, $6,000 for $1,000,000–$4,999,999, and $11,790 for $5,000,000 or more; LLCs under $250,000 owe no additional fee. These amounts are set by the Franchise Tax Board, not the Secretary of State. Learn more at the California franchise tax and California LLC tax filing.

EIN, Seller's Permit, and Licenses

A federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is issued free by the IRS and is used to open a bank account, hire employees, and file taxes. By default the IRS treats a single-member LLC as a disregarded entity and a multi-member LLC as a partnership; either can elect corporate or S-corporation treatment. An EIN is required if the LLC has more than one member or any employees.

If your LLC sells or leases tangible personal property, you must register for a seller's permit with the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) before making sales; the permit itself is free. California has no single statewide general business license, but most cities require a local business tax certificate, and many professions require occupational licenses. See the California seller's permit and business licenses in California.

Common Mistakes and Rejections

Most Form LLC-1 problems are avoidable. The frequent ones are: choosing a name that is not distinguishable from an existing entity; listing a P.O. box instead of a physical street address for the agent for service of process; naming an agent who has not consented; forgetting the 90-day Statement of Information; and assuming the $800 franchise tax does not apply in the first year (for LLCs organized in 2024 and later, it does). Filing accurately the first time avoids rejection notices and preserves your intended formation date. When you eventually close the business, you file a Certificate of Cancellation - see how to dissolve an LLC in California.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the California Articles of Organization?

They are Form LLC-1, the document you file with the California Secretary of State to create an LLC. The filing fee is $70 and you file it online through bizfile Online.

How much does it cost to file the Articles of Organization in California?

The state filing fee for Form LLC-1 is $70. Separately, a Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) is due within 90 days for a $20 fee, and California charges an $800 annual minimum franchise tax. See California LLC cost.

What form is the California Articles of Organization?

For an LLC it is Form LLC-1. A corporation instead files Articles of Incorporation. You file Form LLC-1 with the Secretary of State, not with a county or the Franchise Tax Board.

Do I need an agent for service of process to file Form LLC-1?

Yes. Every California LLC must name an agent for service of process with a physical California address on the Articles of Organization.

How long does the Secretary of State take to process Form LLC-1?

Online filings through bizfile Online are generally fastest, while mail filings take longer. Processing times fluctuate, so check the Secretary of State's processing-times page before filing.

What do I do after the Articles of Organization are approved?

File a Statement of Information within 90 days, get an EIN, adopt an operating agreement, register for any seller's permit, and pay the $800 franchise tax.

Sources

California Secretary of State - Business Entities Forms (Form LLC-1 Articles of Organization; Form LLC-12 Statement of Information).
California Secretary of State - Business Entities Fee Schedule ($70 Articles of Organization; $20 Statement of Information; $5 Certificate of Status).
California Secretary of State - Statements of Information (90-day initial filing; biennial LLC filing).
California Secretary of State - Business Entity Name Availability (distinguishable name rule; name reservation).
California Secretary of State - Business Programs Division Processing Times.
California Secretary of State - bizfile Online Business Search (verify a filed LLC).
California Legislative Information - Corporations Code § 17702.01 (contents of the Articles of Organization).
California Legislative Information - Corporations Code § 17701.13 (agent for service of process; registered office).
California Franchise Tax Board - Limited Liability Company ($800 annual tax; LLC fee tiers).
California Franchise Tax Board - Pay - Businesses (Form 3522 annual tax; Form 3536 estimated fee).
California Department of Tax and Fee Administration - CDTFA Online Services (register for a seller's permit).
IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (federal default classification).
IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).

LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Laws, fees, and thresholds change; verify current requirements with the California Secretary of State and Franchise Tax Board before acting.