Form a California LLC (Limited Liability Company) | InCorp

Form a California LLC (Limited Liability Company)

California LLC Formation Service $99!*

*Plus state fees for all 50 States and D.C. Prices may vary for USA territories.

FORM YOUR CALIFORNIA LLC
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InCorp is an innovative leader in low-cost and cutting-edge services catered to forming your new Corporation, California Limited Liability Company (LLC), or any other business entities in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands!

What Is an LLC?

California Limited Liability Companies (or LLCs) are unique types of businesses that combine different aspects of corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietorships into simple, effective, and flexible business structures that are commonly used and preferred amongst small business owners.

How Can Forming a California Limited Liability Company Help Your Business?

  • Easy to Manage

    The structure of the LLC was established around the idea of the freedom to contract, meaning that owners only need to agree with each other on how the company will operate; this agreement can be upheld in the courts. LLCs are not required by law to record resolutions, amendments, annual board meetings, and meeting minutes, as are corporations. In most states, corporations that do not meet these requirements lose the asset and liability protections generally associated with the corporate structure. Nevada is a deviation from this norm, as these corporate procedures are not required, and the corporate veil can only be pierced in cases of fraud. Once again, your particular circumstances will dictate whether an LLC or a corporation is the best option for your business.

  • Tax Advantages

    The LLC's structure will legally separate business owners from their businesses (similar to a corporation). However, it will also allow the LLC the opportunity to choose to be treated like a partnership for tax purposes. If this is the case, no taxes would be paid through the LLC directly. Instead, the income would be passed through to the owners as with partnerships. The tax regulations governing partnerships are more flexible than a corporation, which allows for more maneuverability in how a business prepares for its taxes. Companies can find ways to maximize the number of tax breaks they qualify for, therefore minimizing their tax burden. The specific circumstances will help dictate whether an LLC or corporation will offer them the best tax advantages.

  • Ability to Raise Capital

    Businesses structured as LLCs can add new owners (called members) easily and simply, and there is no limit as to how many new members they can add. These additional members and investors can be comprised of individuals, corporations, trusts, or pension plans, none of which have to be in the same state or even within the United States. In addition, LLCs or corporations can also be created in states where their owners do not reside themselves. For instance, you could form an LLC in the pro-business state of Nevada without living or even having been there.

  • Liability and Asset Protection

    In today's business world, lawsuits are a common occurrence, and this is why it is necessary to protect yourself by putting in legal safeguards between you and your creditors. As separate legal entities, LLCs effectively separate business owners from the business itself, therefore protecting them. Business owners are not personally liable for any of their LLC's debts, including those related to a contract or tort. To a large degree, the operating agreement can allow for the inclusion of any rules and procedures that the various parties may want to put into it. When it is established, it can simply exist indefinitely, maintenance-free. The operating agreement's initial drafting is of importance because it will need to follow all state and IRS regulations for the LLC to be taxed as a partnership instead of as a corporation.

  • Co-Owner Liability

    In all U.S. states, LLC owners (members) are not typically held personally liable for another co-owner's or employee's wrongdoings. Corporations also protect this type of personal liability, while partnerships and sole proprietorships do not.

    Suppose an LLC is held responsible for negligence or wrongful actions of an employee or another owner. In that case, it can have financial assets or property taken from it due to an unfavorable judgment against it. The innocent LLC members will not be held personally liable; however, the owner or employee who perpetrated the act can be held personally responsible for their actions.

Why choose InCorp Services to form your California LLC?

  • Help Prevent Corporate Identity Theft

    EntityWatch® advises you of changes to help prevent corporate identity theft. Through EntityWatch®, the innovative and proprietary technology developed first by InCorp, our information system ties into most of the state databases to give you up-to-date information on the status of your entities including the filing status, the current registered agent, officers, and directors.

  • Consolidate Expenses

    For multi-state companies, you will receive a consolidated bill for all your business entities in every state represented.

llc registration testimonial

"We are also growing and know that we will be using InCorp Services, Inc. for any new states we do work in."

Debbie M.

  • Save Money

    For over 20 years we have provided top-tier service with one of the lowest prices in the industry and have only raised our prices one time (while many of our competitors raise their prices on their long-term clients yearly!) Our standard fee to Form your LLC is $99 and to serve as your California registered agent is only $129 per state per year! And you can save even more when you choose multi-year registered agent service.

  • Fast Support and Service

    Over-the-counter expedited business document filing service are available for most states. Receive notification of all service of process forms in real-time and receive said service of process within 24-hours of receipt via Express Mail, facsimile, or email.

  • File Correctly with Expert Assistance

    By selecting InCorp, you are given the option to file online using our safe and secure ordering system, or you can employ our professional business specialists' experience, knowledge, and dedication in meeting the needs of your incorporation process. Our selection of choices, expansive territory in which we provide service, innovative technology, and enthusiasm in generating high levels of customer satisfaction is what sets InCorp apart in making us the preferred choice across the nation in providing incorporation and registered agent services!

  • Registered Agent Service in California & Nationwide

    As with corporations and other business structures, limited liability companies are generally required to have a registered agent to comply with the law. InCorp welcomes the opportunity to serve you in fulfilling this legal obligation.

    Take the opportunity today to install the legal protections permitted to you by the law!

Still unsure whether to choose an LLC for your business?

Whichever business structure you select, it must be chosen for the appropriate reasons. Let us assist you in making the correct choice!

In the process of starting a new business, it's necessary that you understand your options regarding creating a new LLC. By choosing InCorp, you can rely on the fact that our skillful and knowledgeable business specialists will help and guide you, step by step, through the whole process of registering with the state. Furthermore, we will ensure that you receive a thorough understanding of all that your business entity can do for you. In addition, we guarantee that we will beat out any competition's price for incorporating a business, LLC formation, or any other business services or products we provide to our clients.

Read our Why Should I Incorporate page or Compare Entity Types page for more information.

California LLC Frequently Asked Questions

"LLC" and "Corporation" have many of the same characteristics. The most important characteristic they share is that they both offer limited liability protection to their owners. Typically, shareholders are not liable for the debts and obligations of the corporation; thus, creditors will not come knocking at the door of a shareholder to pay the debts of the corporation. In a partnership or sole proprietorship, the owner's personal assets may be used to pay debts of the business. With an LLC, the members are not personally liable for the debts and obligations of the corporation. There are many important differences between the corporation and LLC. The entities are taxed differently. An LLC is a pass-through tax entity. This means that the income to the entity is not taxed at the entity level; however, the entity does complete a tax return. The income or loss as shown on this return is "passed through" the business entity to the individual shareholders or interest holders, and is reported on their individual tax returns. With a standard corporation, the corporation is a separately taxable entity. Corporations are treated as separate legal taxable entities for income tax purposes. Therefore, corporations pay tax on their earnings. If corporate earnings are distributed to shareholders in the form of dividends, the corporation does not receive the reasonable business expense deduction, and dividend income is taxed as regular income to the shareholders. Thus, to the extent that earnings are distributed to shareholders as dividends, there is a double tax on earnings at the corporate and shareholder level.

In terms of reporting income, they are quite similar. The LLC is somewhat less restrictive than the "S" corporation. There can be any number of members, and there are few restrictions on who those members may be. They are also a relatively new entity, so there is not as great a definitive body of tax rulings on them as there is with corporations.

Getting started is easier than you think! Click here to build and price your new LLC , or call us at 1-800-2INCORP (1-800-246-2677) today to speak with one of our consultants. We will give you a free consultation with no obligation to purchase!

We can begin today and in some cases (like Nevada), have your corporation formed within 24-hours. All states differ in the turnaround time of their processing of your corporation. However, through relations with the various state offices, we strive to maintain the fastest turn-around times in the industry. Call and speak with one of our consultants to obtain the average turn-around time for any given state.

In most cases, the answer is no. In most states, InCorp assigns itself as the "incorporator" and is able to file all of the paperwork without an officer's signature. Some states require the officer's signatures on the Articles of Incorporation. In those cases, we will overnight the documents to you for your signature and have you return them to us, or use a facsimile signature to fulfill the requirement. In either case, you are not required to be present to form your corporation.

No. This is a common misconception among small-business owners, usually fostered by advice from an inexperienced accountant. Any seasoned advisor will tell you that incorporating is the first and foremost thing you should do when starting a business. Forming an LLC will not only save you taxes but it will also limit your exposure to IRS audits by separating your personal and business expenses.

The title of the document filed in many states to register a limited liability company (LLC) with the state. Also known as articles of formation.

Managers are the individuals who are responsible for the maintenance, administration and management of the affairs of a limited liability company (LLC). In most states, the managers serve a particular term and report to and serve at the discretion of the members. Specific duties of the managers may be detailed in the articles of organization or the operating agreement of the LLC. In some states, the members of an LLC may also serve as the managers.

The owner(s) of a limited liability company (LLC are the Members. Unless the articles of organization or operating agreement provide otherwise, management of an LLC is vested in the members in proportion to their ownership interest in the company.

California State Fees

Entity Type
Registered Agent Change
Entity Formation State Fee
$30 on Amendment
$70
$20 / $0 extra on Statement of Information
$70
$20 / $0 extra on Statement of Information
$30
$25 / $0 extra on Statement of Information
$100
$0 extra on Statement of Information
$100
$20 / $0 extra on Statement of Information
$70
$25 / $0 extra on Statement of Information
$30
$25 / $0 extra on Statement of Information
$100

InCorp will beat any competitor's price* on any product or service!

Call (800) 2-INCORP now for a free consultation

How to order an LLC with Registered Agent Service

 
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