California lesson 2 of 6
Appoint your agent for service of process
California does not use the phrase registered agent in its statutes. The person or company that receives legal papers for your LLC is the agent for service of process, and naming one is part of the Articles of Organization.
Who can act
You have two options. An individual agent must be at least 18, live in California, and give a physical California street address that appears on the public record. Alternatively you can appoint a corporate agent, which is a company that has filed a Form 1505 certificate with the Secretary of State. Corporate agents do not list a street address in your Articles because their address is already on file with the state.
- An individual agent's street address becomes public information
- A PO box is never acceptable for an individual agent
- The LLC itself cannot be its own agent for service of process
Why people use a commercial agent
Two practical reasons. The first is privacy: a home address on the California register is permanent and searchable. The second is availability, because the agent has to be reachable during normal business hours at that address, which is awkward if you travel or work from client sites.
You can act as your own agent for free if you live in California and are happy with your address being public. Nothing in the law requires you to pay anyone.
Key takeaways
- California calls it the agent for service of process, not a registered agent.
- An individual agent needs a real California street address, and it goes public.
- Corporate agents must have a Form 1505 on file with the Secretary of State.
Official sources
Or let us file your California LLC for you
Everything above is yours to use for free. If you would rather hand it over, we prepare and file the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1), act as your registered agent, and track your ongoing deadlines.
Last reviewed: September 2026 - reviewed by Gullia Filing Legal & Formation Team