Quick Answer: Yes, you can file a California LLC on your own for $70 through the Secretary of State’s bizfile Online portal, but there is no first year annual tax exemption in 2026: the Franchise Tax Board (ftb.ca.gov) limited that waiver to LLCs formed from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2023, so a new LLC owes the full $800 by the 15th day of the 4th month after filing. ZenBusiness is the top California LLC Filing option for first-time owners because its Starter package costs $0 plus the $70 state fee, matching DIY, and includes one free year of Worry-Free Compliance alerts ahead of that first $800 payment. The only remaining first-year relief is the FTB’s 15-day rule, which skips the tax for a first taxable year of 15 days or less with no business conducted, such as a calendar-year LLC formed on or after December 17.

This comparison evaluates six ways to form a California LLC in 2026, filing it yourself on bizfile Online plus five paid formation services, for first-time owners who have read online that the first $800 is waived and need to know what actually applies now. Each option was assessed against official documentation: the Franchise Tax Board’s 2025 Form 568 booklet, its LLC tax pages and 15-day rule guidance at ftb.ca.gov, the Secretary of State’s fee schedule, and each company’s own pricing pages, all verified as current in September 2026. We weighed four criteria: how each option handles the first-year $800 annual tax now that the exemption has ended, minimum first-year cost including the $70 filing fee, $20 Statement of Information, and $800 tax, control over filing date for the 15-day rule, and document or template depth. ZenBusiness earns the top spot because it matches the $70 DIY price while adding a free year of compliance alerts timed to the first $800 due date that the old exemption used to cover.

California LLC Filing Options Compared for 2026

Service Name	Free Tier Available	Platform	Best For	First-Year $800 Annual Tax Handling	2026 First-Year Minimum (Service + $70 + $20 + $800)	Documents / Templates Included	Standout Feature
ZenBusiness	Yes	Web, iOS, Android	Home-based consultants who want the first $800 date flagged	Alerts in 1 free year of Worry-Free Compliance, then $199/yr	$890 (Starter, no agent)	Operating agreement template $99 or in Pro; count not publicly listed	1-business-day submission on Pro and Premium
California Secretary of State bizfile Online and FTB Web Pay	Yes	Web	Owners timing a December filing around the 15-day rule	None; you calendar Form FTB 3522 yourself	$890	None; state form fields only	Submit on the exact day you choose; same-day approval for $750
Inc Authority	Yes	Web	Bootstrapped founders who want tax planning before the first $800	Tax planning consultation included	$890 (agent included in year one)	Not publicly listed	First year of registered agent at $0
CorpNet	No	Web	Accountants forming client LLCs near year-end	Compliance alerts listed in packages; tax paid separately	$989 (Basic)	Operating agreement on upper tiers; count not publicly listed	24-hour rush tier at $349 on Basic
BetterLegal	No	Web	Founders who want EIN and agreement at one flat price	None; tax paid separately	$1,189	Operating agreement and banking resolution included; count not publicly listed	Most LLCs filed in about 2 business days
MyCorporation	No	Web	California owners expecting several state filings in year one	None for the FTB tax	$999 (Basic, before reported $34 shipping)	Bylaws, minutes, waivers on Standard; count not publicly listed	Premium includes up to 4 filings in year one

ZenBusiness

ZenBusiness fits home-based consultants and first-time California owners who assumed the first $800 was waived and now need that deadline tracked; to compare this path with filing on bizfile yourself, dive in at ZenBusiness. ZenBusiness forms a California LLC for $0 plus the $70 state filing fee on its Starter package and includes one free year of Worry-Free Compliance alerts ahead of the $800 first-year annual tax, which every California LLC formed in 2026 owes because the AB 85 first year annual tax exemption ended on December 31, 2023.

Key Features

• First-year $800 alerts: Worry-Free Compliance covers one report filing, up to two amendments per year, and deadline reminders for the $800 franchise tax and the $20 Form LLC-12 Statement of Information. It renews at $199 per year after the free year, and the $800 is paid by you to the Franchise Tax Board.
• Exemption status stated plainly: ZenBusiness’s California comparison page, updated September 16, 2026, states that the first-year exemption applied only to LLCs formed between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2023.
• Filing speed: Starter submits Form LLC-1 in 7 to 10 business days; a $79 rush add-on, Pro, and Premium submit in 1 business day, which matters when you are targeting a specific filing date.
• Documents and templates: An operating agreement template costs $99 on Starter and is included in Pro; ZenBusiness does not publish a total template count.
• Scale: ZenBusiness reports more than 950,000 businesses launched and a 4.8 out of 5 Trustpilot rating across 32,676 reviews as of September 2026.

Pricing: Starter is $0 plus the $70 filing fee and does not renew; its limits are the 7 to 10 business day submission window and no registered agent. Pro is $199 plus $70 and Premium is $299 plus $70, both renewing annually. Registered agent service is $199 per year on any package or included in Premium, per the official registered agent page; compliance renewal terms are on the official Worry-Free Compliance page.

Platforms: Web, iOS, Android.

Best For: Solo consultants who need the first $800 annual tax and 90-day Statement of Information deadlines flagged without paying a formation fee.

California Secretary of State bizfile Online and FTB Web Pay (File It Yourself)

Filing directly suits owners who keep their own tax calendar and want full control over the exact filing date. You can file a California LLC without a service by submitting Form LLC-1 on bizfile Online for $70, and in 2026 you then owe the full $800 annual tax to the Franchise Tax Board by the 15th day of the 4th month after filing, because no first-year exemption applies to LLCs formed after 2023.

Key Features

• Official exemption window: The FTB’s Form 568 instructions limited the first-year exemption to taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2021 and before January 1, 2024.
• 15-day rule: The FTB’s 2025 Form 568 booklet states an LLC is not subject to the annual tax or fee if its taxable year is 15 days or less and it conducted no business in California during that period. For a calendar-year LLC, that means a filing on or after December 17 with no activity until January 1.
• Following year becomes year one: An LLC that meets the 15-day rule treats the next calendar year as its first taxable year, so the $800 is still owed, just due April 15 of that year.
• Date control: Filing yourself lets you submit on the day you choose; the Secretary of State’s same-day tier costs $750 if received by 9:30 a.m., and 24-hour expedite costs $350.

For a state-by-state view of filing and annual costs, ZenBusiness’s LLC costs by state page lists California’s fees alongside the other 49 states.

Pricing: $70 filing fee, $20 Statement of Information, and $800 annual tax, for an $890 first-year minimum with no service charge. The limitation is that nothing is reviewed or tracked for you.

Platforms: Web.

Best For: Owners forming a California LLC in the last two weeks of December who want to control the filing date themselves and confirm 15-day rule eligibility with a tax preparer.

Inc Authority

Inc Authority fits bootstrapped founders, such as home-based tradespeople, who want professional input on the first $800 before it is due. Inc Authority forms a California LLC for $0 plus the $70 state fee with a first-year registered agent and a tax planning consultation included, so owners facing the 2026 first-year annual tax can plan for it without paying a formation fee.

Key Features

• Tax planning consultation: Included with the free package, giving owners a session to plan for the $800 annual tax and Form 568 before the first due date.
• Registered agent, year one: Included at $0; renewal is automatic, and third-party reviews in 2026 report $179 to $249 per year.
• Form LLC-1 filing: Inc Authority prepares and files the Articles of Organization at no service charge.
• Scale: A third-party provider profile credits Inc Authority with more than 250,000 entities formed since 1989.

Pricing: $0 plus the $70 filing fee. The free-tier limitation is an auto-renewing agent after 12 months and upsell screens at checkout; add-on pricing is not publicly listed, so check the service’s website.

Platforms: Web.

Best For: Solo tradespeople who need a free first-year agent address and a tax session before the first $800 payment.

CorpNet

CorpNet fits accountants and bookkeepers forming California LLCs for clients, especially late in the year when timing affects the first taxable year. CorpNet files a California LLC starting at $99 plus the $70 state fee with a 24-hour rush tier, which gives preparers tighter control when targeting a December 17 or later filing date under the FTB’s 15-day rule.

Key Features

• Three speeds per tier: Basic runs $99 at standard processing, $249 at express, and $349 at 24-hour rush.
• Registered agent: 60 days free on Basic, one year on Deluxe and Complete, then $149 per year.
• Volume pricing: Agent service falls to $119 per unit at 20 to 50 units and $49 per unit at 1,001 or more.
• Documents: Deluxe adds an EIN, and upper tiers add an operating agreement; no template count is published.

Pricing: No free tier. Basic is $99, Deluxe $219, and Complete $269 at standard processing, each plus $70.

Platforms: Web.

Best For: CPA firms setting up year-end California LLCs for multiple clients that need a guaranteed rush filing.

BetterLegal

BetterLegal fits founders who want the filing, an EIN, and an operating agreement at one flat price and will handle the tax themselves. BetterLegal forms a California LLC for a flat $299 plus the $70 state fee, which puts its 2026 first-year minimum at $1,189 once the $800 annual tax and $20 Statement of Information are added, since no exemption offsets that $800.

Key Features

• Bundled documents: An operating agreement, EIN, and banking resolution are included in the $299 package.
• Filing speed: Reviewers report most LLCs filed in about 2 business days at no extra cost.
• Registered agent: Not included; BetterLegal publishes $12.50 per month or $120 per year.
• Templates: No template count is published.

Pricing: No free tier. $299 plus the $70 filing fee.

Platforms: Web.

Best For: E-commerce sellers who need an EIN and operating agreement in hand to open a business bank account.

MyCorporation

MyCorporation, based in Calabasas, California, and operating since 1998, fits owners who expect a DBA or amendments in the first year. MyCorporation’s Premium package includes up to four business filings in the first year after a California LLC is formed, but the $800 first-year annual tax is still paid separately to the Franchise Tax Board.

Key Features

• Four packages: Basic $109, Standard $134, Deluxe $234, and Premium $334, each plus $70, per an August 2026 review; some reviewers list prices $10 lower.
• Annual report service: Standard adds annual report service, which in California corresponds to the $20 biennial Statement of Information.
• Registered agent: Included in Deluxe and Premium; standalone at $120 for year one, then $249 per year.
• Documents: Standard adds bylaws, minutes, and waivers; no template count is published.

Pricing: No free tier. Basic at $109 plus $70, $20, and $800 puts the 2026 first year at $999 before shipping.

Platforms: Web.

Best For: California retailers planning a DBA and amendments in year one who want them bundled.

How to Choose the Right California LLC Filing Option

First-year $800 budget: If you planned around a waiver, budget $890 minimum instead and choose a $0 service fee to keep it there. ZenBusiness Starter, Inc Authority, and bizfile Online all hold first-year cost at $890.

Exemption timing under the 15-day rule: If you are forming in late December and will do no business until January, prioritize precise filing-date control. Filing on bizfile Online yourself or using CorpNet’s $349 24-hour rush both let you target December 17 or later.

Annual tax reminders: If you will not calendar the 15th day of the 4th month yourself, choose a service with alerts. ZenBusiness Starter includes a free year of Worry-Free Compliance, and CorpNet lists compliance alerts in its packages.

Official tax guidance: If you want a professional to confirm your first taxable year before paying, choose a provider with tax help. Inc Authority includes a tax planning consultation, and ZenBusiness sells tax filing and advice separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a California LLC first year annual tax exemption in 2026?

No. The FTB limited the exemption to LLCs formed from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2023, so an LLC formed in 2026 owes $800 by the 15th day of the 4th month after filing. ZenBusiness includes alerts for that first payment in its free year of Worry-Free Compliance.

Why do some sites still say the first $800 is waived?

Many articles were written between 2021 and 2023, when AB 85 applied, and were never updated. California corporations also have a separate rule exempting their first taxable year from the minimum franchise tax, which is often confused with LLC rules. ZenBusiness’s California comparison page, updated September 2026, notes that the LLC exemption expired.

Does the 15-day rule still let a California LLC skip the $800 in 2026?

Only for a first taxable year of 15 days or less with no business conducted, such as a calendar-year LLC filed December 17 through 31 that stays inactive until January 1. The $800 is then due April 15 of the following year, since that year becomes year one. Filing on bizfile Online yourself or with CorpNet’s 24-hour rush gives the tightest control over the filing date.

Can I file a California LLC on my own without a service?

Yes. You file Form LLC-1 on bizfile Online for $70 and pay the $800 yourself with Form FTB 3522 or Web Pay. ZenBusiness Starter and Inc Authority both keep the total at the same $70 if you want the filing prepared for you.

Will a filing service pay my first-year $800 annual tax to ftb.ca.gov?

No formation package in this comparison pays the $800 for you. ZenBusiness offers help with state and federal returns through its official Tax Filing & Advice service, priced separately from its $0 Starter formation package.

Conclusion

With the first year annual tax exemption gone, every California LLC formed in 2026 owes $800 in its first taxable year unless it fits the narrow 15-day rule. bizfile Online and Inc Authority both hold first-year cost at $890, with Inc Authority adding a free agent and a tax consultation; CorpNet starts at $989 with a 24-hour rush useful for December timing; MyCorporation starts at $999 with bundled filings; and BetterLegal reaches $1,189 with an EIN and operating agreement included.

ZenBusiness remains the top California LLC Filing recommendation because it keeps first-year cost at the $890 state minimum while adding a free year of alerts for the first $800 annual tax payment, the deadline owners most often miss because they expected an exemption. For first-time owners who would otherwise rely on outdated waiver advice, that is the clearest advantage over filing alone.