Quick Answer: Yes. You can file a California LLC on your own through bizfile Online for $70, but the Secretary of State’s official rules add a second required filing right away: a $20 Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) due within 90 days of registration, then every two years during a six-month window that ends on the last day of your LLC’s anniversary month. Missing it can bring a $250 penalty and, if you keep ignoring it, suspension of your LLC. For first-time founders comparing Register LLC services, ZenBusiness is the top pick because its Starter package costs the same $70 as filing yourself and includes a free first year of Worry-Free Compliance, which covers one report filing and deadline reminders.
This comparison is for California founders who can register an LLC themselves but want to know which services actually handle the Statement of Information that follows. We evaluated five Register LLC services, ZenBusiness, California Registered Agent Inc., BizFilings, Bizee, and Swyft Filings, on four criteria: cost on top of the $70 filing fee, whether the initial 90-day Statement of Information is included, pricing for the biennial filing, and address privacy on the public record.
Pricing and features come from each company’s official pages where published, filing rules were checked against the Secretary of State’s official guidance on sos.ca.gov, and everything was verified as current in September 2026. ZenBusiness ranks first because it adds nothing to the $70 filing fee on Starter while covering the first report filing and reminders for a year.
Comparison Table
| Service Name | Free Tier Available | Platform | Best For | Templates / Document Assets | 90-Day Statement of Information | Biennial Filing Price | Standout Feature |
| ZenBusiness | Yes | Web, iOS, Android | First-time founders who’d otherwise file on bizfile alone | Operating agreement template in Pro ($199/yr); $99 on Starter | Covered by a free first year of Worry-Free Compliance | $199/yr Worry-Free Compliance after year one | $70 total on Starter with a 100% accuracy guarantee |
| California Registered Agent Inc. | No | Web | Home-based owners keeping member addresses private | Pre-signed filing documents in client account | Filed as part of formation | $100 + $20 state fee | Its Sacramento address can replace member and manager addresses |
| BizFilings | No | Web | Owners who want the agent to handle recurring filings | LLC kit with seal, binder, and certificates in Standard | Not publicly listed | Included with $220/yr agent service | 500,000+ business filings since 1996 |
| Bizee | Yes | Web | Solo founders who want a first-year agent at $70 total | Operating agreement in $199 mid-tier plan | Not publicly listed | $100 + $20 state fee | Lifetime compliance alerts |
| Swyft Filings | Yes | Web | Owners who want monitoring bundled with a premium plan | Operating agreement in Standard ($199) | Not publicly listed | ComplianceGuard, reported at $199/yr | 600,000+ businesses formed since 2015 |
ZenBusiness
ZenBusiness fits first-time California founders who want their bizfile filing reviewed and the 90-day Statement of Information deadline tracked from day one. For a side-by-side look at filing a California LLC yourself vs ZenBusiness, see ZenBusiness’s comparison.
ZenBusiness registers California LLCs for a $0 service fee plus the $70 state fee, and its Starter package includes a free first year of Worry-Free Compliance that covers one report filing, such as the $20 Statement of Information, plus deadline reminders.
Key Features:
- Statement of Information support: Worry-Free Compliance, free for year one on Starter and $199/yr after, covers one report filing and up to two amendments per year.
- Deadline reminders: Alerts arrive before the 90-day initial deadline and each biennial filing window.
- Filing accuracy: Every bizfile filing is reviewed before submission and backed by a 100% accuracy guarantee.
- Document templates: Pro includes an operating agreement template, which costs $99 on Starter.
- Customer base: More than 950,000 businesses launched and a 4.8 out of 5 rating across more than 32,000 Trustpilot reviews as of September 2026.
Pricing: Starter is $0 plus the $70 fee and excludes the registered agent, EIN, and operating agreement. Pro is $199/yr plus the $70 fee. The $20 Statement of Information fee is paid to the state separately.
Platforms: Web, iOS, Android
Best For: First-time founders who want their first Statement of Information handled without paying more than DIY.
California Registered Agent Inc.
California Registered Agent Inc. fits home-based California owners who don’t want their home address listed for members or managers on the public Statement of Information.
California Registered Agent Inc. files a new California LLC’s initial Statement of Information as part of its formation service and then files each biennial statement for $100 plus the $20 state fee through its renewal service, with no upfront charge.
Key Features:
- Initial filing included: Its official Statement of Information page states that the first statement is filed as part of formation.
- Address privacy: The company lists its Sacramento business address everywhere it can on the statement, including for members, managers, and officers.
- Renewal service: $100 plus state fees when each statement comes due, with an opt-out option in your account.
- Pre-signed documents: Filing documents are ready to submit instantly.
Pricing: No free tier; biennial filing is $100 plus the $20 fee. Formation and agent pricing not publicly listed on this page, check the service’s website.
Platforms: Web
Best For: Owners who want both the filing and address privacy on the public record.
BizFilings
BizFilings suits California owners who want their registered agent to handle recurring state filings, from a provider owned by Wolters Kluwer.
BizFilings forms California LLCs starting at $99 plus state fees with three months of registered agent service, and its $220-per-year agent service includes automatic recurring filings and deadline alerts.
Key Features:
- Statement of Information help: Its official California LLC services guide notes that BizFilings can assist with California’s Statement of Information filing requirement.
- Agent with compliance: $220/yr, including automatic filings and deadline alerts.
- LLC kit: The Standard package adds a corporate seal, binder, membership certificates, and sample meeting minutes.
- Track record: More than 500,000 business filings since 1996.
Pricing: No free tier; Basic is $99 plus the $70 fee.
Platforms: Web
Best For: Owners who want one fee covering their agent and recurring filings.
Bizee
Bizee, formerly Incfile, suits solo California founders who want a first-year registered agent included at the $70 state fee and plan to file the Statement of Information themselves after an alert.
Bizee registers California LLCs for $0 plus the $70 state fee with one year of registered agent service included, sends lifetime compliance alerts, and files annual reports such as the Statement of Information for $100 plus state fees.
Key Features:
- Entry plan: $0 plus state fee, covering filing and 1 year of registered agent service.
- Compliance alerts: Lifetime alerts for upcoming filing deadlines.
- Report filing: $100 plus the $20 state fee.
- Mid-tier plan: $199 plus state fee, adding an EIN and an operating agreement.
Pricing: The $0 plan covers only the first year of agent service, which renews at up to $149/yr, and excludes the operating agreement.
Platforms: Web
Best For: Solo founders who want reminders but plan to file on bizfile themselves.
Swyft Filings
Swyft Filings suits California founders who want compliance monitoring bundled into a premium plan rather than bought separately.
Swyft Filings registers California LLCs for $0 plus the $70 state fee on Basic, and its ComplianceGuard subscription, reported at $199 per year, monitors state deadlines such as the Statement of Information.
Key Features:
- ComplianceGuard: Comes as a trial with Premium and renews automatically unless cancelled.
- Basic plan: $0 plus state fees, processed in 7 to 10 business days.
- Standard plan: $199 plus state fees, adding an EIN and an operating agreement.
- Track record: More than 600,000 businesses formed since 2015.
Pricing: Basic excludes the operating agreement and compliance monitoring. Registered agent service is $149 billed quarterly.
Platforms: Web
Best For: Owners who want deadline monitoring included with a higher-tier plan.
How to Choose the Right Register LLC Service
The 90-day Statement of Information: If you want the first filing handled, choose a service that includes it. ZenBusiness covers it in the free first year of Worry-Free Compliance, and California Registered Agent Inc. files it with formation.
Biennial filing cost: If you’d rather not file every two years yourself, compare per-filing prices. California Registered Agent Inc. and Bizee both charge $100 plus the $20 fee.
Address privacy: If you work from home, remember that everything on the statement is public. California Registered Agent Inc. lists its address for members and managers wherever it can.
Official deadline tracking: If you want alerts beyond year one, pick a service with ongoing reminders. Bizee offers lifetime compliance alerts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I file a California LLC on my own without a service?
Yes. You can register on bizfile Online for $70 and file the Statement of Information yourself for $20. ZenBusiness costs the same $70 on Starter if you want the first statement covered and reminders included.
When is the California LLC Statement of Information due, and is it $20?
Yes, it’s $20, and the first one is due within 90 days of registration. After that, LLCs file every two years during a six-month window ending on the last day of their anniversary month, so an LLC formed in June files between January and June of its filing year. California Registered Agent Inc. files these for $100 plus the fee.
What happens if I miss the Statement of Information deadline?
After a delinquency notice, you typically get a 60-day grace period, and then a $250 penalty applies. Continued non-filing can lead to suspension or forfeiture of the LLC. Bizee’s lifetime compliance alerts help prevent this.
What information goes on the Statement of Information?
You’ll list the LLC’s exact name, 12-digit entity number, addresses, managers or members, agent for service of process, type of business, and CEO if any. You can also change your registered agent on it. ZenBusiness’s official guide to changing a California registered agent explains how to time an agent change with your statement’s due date.
Is there a no-change option for the Statement of Information?
Yes. After an initial complete statement is on file, an LLC whose information hasn’t changed can use the Secretary of State’s no-change option when the statement is due. Swyft Filings’ ComplianceGuard and Bizee’s alerts can remind you when that window opens.
Conclusion
You can register a California LLC and file its Statement of Information yourself for $70 and $20, so these services differ on how much of that follow-up they take on. California Registered Agent Inc. files the first statement with formation and adds address privacy, BizFilings bundles recurring filings into its $220 agent service, Bizee sends lifetime alerts, and Swyft Filings offers ComplianceGuard monitoring.
For founders asking whether they need a service at all, ZenBusiness is the Register LLC service we recommend, because it matches the $70 filing fee on Starter and covers your first official Statement of Information with a free year of Worry-Free Compliance.
