How Much Does It Cost to Incorporate in California?
The business entities section of the California secretary of state's office handles new business registrations and annual filings for businesses to remain in good standing and retain authority to conduct business in the state. The section sets a schedule of fees for filings and for businesses to obtain copies of documents.
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Authority
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Fees for filing corporate documents with the state are set by the secretary of state's office under the authority of the California Corporations Code. Filing fees tend to change very infrequently or, if they do change, only incrementally. There are two ways to determine the current filing fee for any service: Call the business entities section of the secretary of state's office or check the office's website to download a copy of the fee schedule.
Process
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A business incorporates in California by filing articles of incorporation with the secretary of state's office. In the corporations section of the secretary's website, you will find a PDF template of acceptable articles of incorporation that the state provides to make the process of drafting articles that meet state legal requirements easier. The template includes instructions on how to file the document with the state and also lists the appropriate filing fees.
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Fee Schedule
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The "Business Entities Fee Schedule" can be downloaded from the California secretary of state's website by following the "Forms, Samples & Fees" link on the sidebar menu. This schedule will list the current fees for all business filings that the office accepts, including the fee to file articles of incorporation.
Basic Fee
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The basic fee for filing for-profit articles of incorporation is $100 as of October 2010. If you're incorporating a nonprofit, the basic fee is $30. This fee cannot be waived and is nonrefundable.
Other Fees
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There are a number of optional fees that you can choose to pay when incorporating a business. The secretary's office provides for expedited handling of paperwork for additional fees. You can obtain a certified copy of your articles of incorporation under state seal for an additional $10 as of October 2010. There are special handling fees that can be paid if you decide to hand-deliver your articles and want priority treatment.
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