Vl-veterans · ca llc

How to start an LLC in California as a veteran

Data current as of July 2026. Verified against California state sources on the dates shown.

Filing fee: $70 · Standard processing: About 1 business day online; about 3 business days plus mail transit by mail (varies with SOS backlog — check Current Processing Dates). · Expedited: 24-hour service $350; same-day service $750 (by 4pm, received by 9:30am); 4-hour service $500 (Sacramento drop-off only, must be precleared).

The steps

Choose and check your LLC name ($0) — Search the SOS business search to confirm availability.
Appoint an agent for service of process ($0) — A California resident (or registered 1505 corporate agent) with a California street address.
File Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) ($70) — File with the Secretary of State via bizfile Online.
File your Statement of Information (Form LLC-12) ($20) — Due within 90 days of formation, then every 2 years.
Get an EIN from the IRS ($0) — Free federal step.
Pay the annual LLC franchise tax ($800/yr) — California charges a minimum $800 annual franchise tax to the Franchise Tax Board, due by the 15th day of the 4th month after formation, regardless of income.

Veteran fee waivers

We found no California veteran-specific formation fee waiver on the state's official pages as of July 2026. The standard steps above still apply.

Registered agent

California requires an agent for service of process with a California street address (no P.O. boxes); the agent must be available during business hours.

Do it yourself: You can be your own agent for service of process if you're a California resident at least 18 years old with a California street address; the LLC itself cannot be its own agent.

The free LLC Formation Guide walks these steps interactively — costs, waivers, and the proof documents, state by state.

Open the tool →

Fees and waivers change, so check the tool’s numbers against the state’s own page before you file; the Business pathway shows how to check a plan before you act on it.

Open the Business pathway

Also in California: → California veteran benefits, verified

State coverage today: 10 states (CA, FL, GA, NC, NY, OH, PA, TX, VA, WA). Yours missing? The federal benefits above apply everywhere, and more states are being added.

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This is education, not financial advice. Verify numbers against official sources before making decisions.

VetsLearn is an independent company. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Small Business Administration, or any government agency. Our tools use publicly available government data.