Foreign registration · Form LLC-5

New York LLC Foreign Registration in California

An LLC formed in New York that wants to do business in California files Form LLC-5, with $70 in state fees. California also wants New York's Certificate of Status ($25), dated within 180 days. We file it with the Secretary of State, Business Entities using your New York records and act as your agent for service of process there for the first year.

New York and California side by side

	New York formed here	California registering here
Document	New York Certificate of Status	Form LLC-5
State fee	$25	$70 at order
How it is handled	New York: on a mailed or emailed request, returned by first-class mail, with 24-hour, same-day and 2-hour expedite options	Filed with California
Paid expedite		24-hour $350, same-day $750
Office	New York Department of State, Division of Corporations	California Secretary of State, Business Entities
Official page	dos.ny.gov	sos.ca.gov
Age rule	Dated when issued	Accepted if dated within 180 days
Yearly filing	Biennial Statement, $9, every two years	Statement of Information (Form LLC-12), $20, every two years
Due	During the calendar month in which the Articles of Organization were filed, every 2 years	Last day of the LLC's registration-anniversary month, biennially
Turnaround	Certificate comes by mail	Online processing: 5 days or less
Agent	Your New York registered agent	Our California agent for service of process

How New York companies register with California

Order the New York certificate
The Certificate of Status ($25) is ordered from New York separately; it is not part of our California order. New York mails it, and California counts the 180 days from issue, so it is ordered with transit in mind.
We prepare and file Form LLC-5
It lists us as your California agent for service of process, next to your New York name and formation date, with the certificate attached. The New York certificate takes days to arrive, so the California filing waits for it. After approval, your New York LLC is registered with California.

California costs for New York companies

Item	Amount
State fees, paid at order	$70
Certificate of Status, paid to New York	$25
Our service, with a year of California agent for service of process service	$199
First-year total, New York certificate included	$294

California's paid expedite is optional and not in the total.

Will your New York name work for California?

California accepts your New York name if it includes limited liability company, L.L.C. or LLC. If the New York name already ends in LLC, it meets the rule. If another California company uses the New York name, an alternate name is allowed. California can hold a name for 60 days for $10 before you file.

Agents: California and New York

California calls it an agent for service of process; New York says registered agent. California papers come to us; New York's agent is unchanged.

Yearly filings: California and New York

New York wants the Biennial Statement every two years ($9); California wants the Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) every two years ($20). Both states' filings stay current side by side.

LLC or corporation, New York to California

A corporation formed in New York files Form S&DC-S/N with California ($100 in state fees). After that come New York's Biennial Statement ($9) and California's Statement of Information (Form SI-550) ($25). See the corporation filing.

The other way: California into New York

An LLC formed in California that registers with New York files Form DOS-1361-f-a with $250 in state fees, plus the Certificate of Status ($5) dated within one year. See that filing.

Questions New York owners ask about California

Does my New York company need to register in California?

Yes, once a New York business operates there; California law lists 10 activities that do not count on their own.

How much does the California registration cost?

$269 at checkout plus $25 to New York for the Certificate of Status, $294 in all (checkout is $70 in state fees plus our $199).

Do I need New York's certificate of good standing?

Yes: California wants New York's Certificate of Status ($25), no more than 180 days old at filing.

How long does the California registration take?

California's online processing takes 5 days or less, plus mail time for New York's certificate before filing. Paid expedite: 24-hour $350, same-day $750.

What are the yearly costs for New York and California?

Our agent for service of process renewal ($149 a year), New York's report ($9, every two years) and California's report ($20, every two years).

What if I don't register with California?

A New York company cannot sue in court there until it registers.

Does California require a registered agent?

Yes: the New York registered agent stays, and ours covers California for year one.

Will California accept my New York name?

Yes, if no company there has it; if one does, it uses an alternate name there and keeps its New York name at home. California names must include limited liability company, L.L.C. or LLC.

Can I form a new California LLC instead?

Yes, but New York keeps the original, so you run two companies: the new one files California's Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) ($20), and the original keeps New York's Biennial Statement.

How do I withdraw from California later?

New York companies leave by filing Form LLC-4/7 (no state fee); until then, California's report stays due alongside New York's filings.

Official sources

People also search

LLC into California, by home state (48)

New York into other states (47)

The same move for a corporation