California LLC Statement of Information: How to File Form LLC-12
Editorial Team
Introduction
California requires a limited liability company (LLC) to file a Statement of Information within 90 days of registration and every 2 years afterward. Form LLC-12 updates the state’s business record; the initial and required biennial filings cost $20.00. If you’re searching for a “California LLC annual report,” this is the filing to look for.
Key takeaways
- California LLCs follow a biennial filing cycle after their initial statement, according to the Secretary of State, checked October 2026
- The recurring window covers the registration month and the 5 preceding months, according to the Secretary of State, checked October 2026
- Online filers need access to the LLC’s record in bizfile Online under the Secretary of State’s August 2026 update
- An overdue statement can lead to a penalty and suspension or forfeiture through the state’s notice process
California LLC filing requirements at a glance
California has a separate deadline for your first statement and a recurring window for later filings. The quick facts below distinguish those filings from updates between deadlines.
| Filing | Timing and state fee |
|---|---|
| Initial statement | Within 90 days of California registration; $20.00 |
| Required recurring statement | Every 2 years, in the applicable 6-month window; $20.00 |
| Update between required filings | After the initial or required filing obligation has been met; no filing fee |
Initial statement
Timing and state fee
Within 90 days of California registration; $20.00
Required recurring statement
Timing and state fee
Every 2 years, in the applicable 6-month window; $20.00
Update between required filings
Timing and state fee
After the initial or required filing obligation has been met; no filing fee
Source: California Secretary of State, California LLC forms and fees and Form LLC-12 instructions, checked October 2026.
These rules cover LLCs formed in California and out-of-state LLCs registered there. For an out-of-state LLC, the California registration date determines this filing schedule.
Requirements differ by entity type and filing situation. Confirm your record with the California Secretary of State; a licensed California attorney or certified public accountant (CPA) can help with legal or tax questions.
How to find your Statement of Information deadline
Your original California registration date determines the recurring filing year and month. The date you last submitted a statement does not start a new 2-year cycle.
Your first statement
The initial statement is due within 90 days of California registration. That means the filing of Articles of Organization for a California LLC or the California registration of an out-of-state LLC.
Your recurring filing window
After the initial filing, an LLC registered in an even-numbered year files in even-numbered years. An LLC registered in an odd-numbered year files in odd-numbered years.
The Secretary of State’s Statement of Information filing guidance gives a 6-month window ending on the last day of the registration month. When that window crosses January, it begins in the preceding calendar year.
| California registration month | Recurring window in the filing cycle |
|---|---|
| January | August 1 of the preceding year–January 31 |
| February | September 1 of the preceding year–last day of February |
| March | October 1 of the preceding year–March 31 |
| April | November 1 of the preceding year–April 30 |
| May | December 1 of the preceding year–May 31 |
| June | January 1–June 30 |
| July | February 1–July 31 |
| August | March 1–August 31 |
| September | April 1–September 30 |
| October | May 1–October 31 |
| November | June 1–November 30 |
| December | July 1–December 31 |
January
Recurring window in the filing cycle
August 1 of the preceding year–January 31
February
Recurring window in the filing cycle
September 1 of the preceding year–last day of February
March
Recurring window in the filing cycle
October 1 of the preceding year–March 31
April
Recurring window in the filing cycle
November 1 of the preceding year–April 30
May
Recurring window in the filing cycle
December 1 of the preceding year–May 31
June
Recurring window in the filing cycle
January 1–June 30
July
Recurring window in the filing cycle
February 1–July 31
August
Recurring window in the filing cycle
March 1–August 31
September
Recurring window in the filing cycle
April 1–September 30
October
Recurring window in the filing cycle
May 1–October 31
November
Recurring window in the filing cycle
June 1–November 30
December
Recurring window in the filing cycle
July 1–December 31
Source: California Secretary of State, statutory 6-month filing window, checked October 2026.
For example, suppose an LLC’s California registration date is June 10, 2026. After its initial statement, its next regular filing window is January 1 through June 30, 2028, followed by the same window in 2030.
For an LLC registered on February 10, 2025, the next regular window after its initial statement runs from September 1, 2026, through February 28, 2027. These hypothetical examples apply the state’s filing schedule; confirm the date shown for your own entity.
What to gather before filing
Form LLC-12 asks for your LLC’s identity, addresses, management, and agent for service of process. Compare your previous statement with your business records to spot changes. Our LLC operating agreement guide explains member-managed and manager-managed structures if those labels are unfamiliar.
The official form requests the following information:
- Business identity: The exact LLC name and California entity number, plus the place of organization if it was formed outside California
- Business addresses: The principal office, a different mailing address if applicable, and the California office information the form requests
- Management: Names and addresses of managers, or each member if no managers have been appointed or elected
- Service of process: The individual agent’s name and California street address, or the registered corporate agent’s name
- Other details: The business activity, chief executive officer if there is one, labor-judgment response, and the filer’s dated signature and title
An agent for service of process—also called a registered agent—receives legal papers for the LLC. Our guide to what a registered agent does explains the role; California’s form has separate fields for individual and corporate agents.
The labor-judgment question covers outstanding final wage-order or Labor Code judgments with no pending appeal. Its instructions specify which managers or members are included. An attorney can help interpret the question for your business.
How to file online
California accepts LLC Statements of Information through bizfile Online. The filing process starts with access to the correct business record.
Establish access to your LLC’s record
Sign in and find the LLC’s record. Match the name, entity number, and place of organization before opening the filing.
Since August 1, 2026, the Secretary of State requires User Access—permission to file for an entity in bizfile Online. The Statement of Information option appears only after that access is established.
The state provides instructions in its video resources library. Use the current access instructions when the business record is not yet available to your account.
Review the information and submit
Open the Statement of Information filing and compare each field with your records. Check addresses and management details before submitting.
Pay the applicable fee and save the submission confirmation. Keep the filed copy with it when the filing becomes available.
Allow for processing
The Secretary of State directs filers to its current processing dates. Check that page when timing matters.
Processing estimates change, and a submission may be returned for correction. Check its status rather than treating payment as confirmation that the filing was accepted.
Filing by mail or in person
California also accepts paper LLC-12 filings by mail or in person. Download the official LLC-12 packet, complete its applicable sections and submission cover sheet, and sign the form.
The instructions list this mailing address:
Secretary of State, Statement of Information Unit
P.O. Box 944260
Sacramento, CA 94244-2600
The instructions also list drop-off at 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Confirm the address in the official packet before sending or delivering it.
Make the required payment payable to the Secretary of State. Keep a copy of the packet and your delivery record.
Filing fees and updates between deadlines
Initial and required biennial statements cost $20.00. Once you’ve filed the statement required for that period, an intervening update has no filing fee under the LLC-12 instructions.
A changed agent name or address, or an agent’s resignation, requires a new statement under the Secretary of State’s guidance. The state also calls for updated information when other details change between filing periods.
Paid filing assistance is optional and separate from the state fee. A certified copy is also optional; the LLC-12 instructions list an additional $5.00 certification fee.
What happens if a statement is overdue?
An overdue statement can lead to a $250 penalty and, if unresolved, suspension or forfeiture. The Secretary of State describes a notice process before the penalty is assessed.
The Secretary of State’s delinquency guidance says it sends a notice when a statement is not filed on time. If the statement remains unfiled 60 days after that notice, it notifies the Franchise Tax Board, which assesses and collects the penalty.
Suspension or forfeiture has a separate notice process. The notice you receive states the deadline and steps for responding.
The Secretary of State considers penalty-waiver requests based on reasonable cause or unusual circumstances, after a current statement is filed. Requesting a waiver does not guarantee approval.
An LLC suspended or forfeited by the Franchise Tax Board has a separate tax-agency issue to resolve. Filing LLC-12 alone does not restore that status.
Keep the statement separate from your LLC’s tax obligations
Filing a Statement of Information does not satisfy California tax obligations. Those are handled separately by the Franchise Tax Board.
The Franchise Tax Board’s LLC guidance describes the $800 annual LLC tax and its applicable exceptions, along with return-filing and other fee obligations. An LLC’s tax classification can also affect its filing requirements.
Your filing checklist
Keep the deadline and filing record together so the next update starts with information you can find. This checklist covers the practical steps:
- Confirm your LLC’s filing date and the applicable deadline
- Gather the current addresses, management details, and agent information
- Establish online access or prepare the paper packet
- Submit the statement and applicable payment
- Save the confirmation and filed copy, then record the next filing window
For a deadline, notice, or status question, confirm the record with the California Secretary of State. A licensed California attorney or CPA can help determine the legal or tax steps that apply to your situation.
Sources
California Secretary of State: California LLC forms and fees
California Secretary of State: Form LLC-12 and instructions
California Secretary of State: Statement of Information filing tips and filing window
California Secretary of State: Business entities FAQs
California Secretary of State: Business Search field and status definitions
California Secretary of State: Video resources
California Secretary of State: Current processing dates
California Franchise Tax Board: LLC guidance
California Franchise Tax Board: FTB 7268 LLC, Secretary of State penalty
Frequently Asked Questions
The California Secretary of State’s domestic LLC forms page links to the current LLC-12 packet, including instructions and the form. Use that official copy when preparing a paper submission. It also explains the fields you’ll encounter when filing online. Source: California Secretary of State, checked October 2026.
Yes. The Franchise Tax Board’s explanation of Statement of Information penalties says the required statements are due even when the information has not changed. Check the current online filing options for your entity when submitting an unchanged record. Source: California Franchise Tax Board, checked October 2026.
The Secretary of State says it sends a reminder approximately 3 months before the filing is due. It also says the entity remains responsible even if the reminder or delinquency notice does not arrive. Keeping your address current and maintaining your own reminder can help. Source: California Secretary of State, checked October 2026.
The form distinguishes between street addresses and mailing addresses. Its instructions allow a P.O. box for the mailing address, but require physical street addresses for the principal office and an individual agent for service of process. Check each address field separately. Source: California Secretary of State, checked October 2026.
Search for the LLC in bizfile Online and review its filing record. The Secretary of State’s Business Search guidance explains the Statement of Information document types and their filing dates. Match the entity number before relying on a result, especially when business names are similar. Source: California Secretary of State, checked October 2026.
