California LLC Statement of Information: The $20 Compliance & Privacy Shield Guide

Disclaimer This article provides general information for educational purposes only. It is not legal advice, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultation with a qualified attorney. Laws vary by state, and individualized guidance is recommended.

Don’t let a $20 filing turn into a $250 headache. If you own a business in California, you have likely encountered conflicting information about the Statement of Information. Some business owners believe they owe $25 every year, while others worry that the filing will unnecessarily expose their residential address.

The process is generally simpler than many commercial solicitations suggest. A California LLC Statement of Information costs $20, is initially due within 90 days after registration, and must ordinarily be filed every two years thereafter. Careful address planning can also help reduce unnecessary exposure of personal information.

What Is the California Statement of Information?

The California Statement of Information, filed using Form LLC-12, is a mandatory business filing administered by the California Secretary of State.

It provides or updates basic information about the LLC, including:

The LLC’s business address.
Its mailing address, if different.
The names and addresses of its managers or members, as applicable.
Its Agent for Service of Process.
The type of business activity conducted by the LLC.
Required disclosures concerning certain outstanding labor judgments.

The initial Statement of Information is due within 90 days after the LLC is registered. Subsequent statements are generally due every two years. The filing fee is $20.

The $20 vs. $25 Correction

One common source of confusion is the difference between LLC and corporate filing fees.

The California Secretary of State charges LLCs $20 to file a Statement of Information. The commonly quoted $25 amount generally applies to California stock and foreign corporations because their filing includes a $20 filing fee and an additional $5 disclosure fee.

Some other corporation types, including certain nonprofit corporations, may have different filing fees.

Why the Filing Matters

The Statement of Information keeps the Secretary of State’s public records current and identifies the people authorized to manage the LLC.

A current filing may also be requested by:

Banks.
Lenders.
Title companies.
Landlords.
Government contracting authorities.
Licensing agencies.
Business counterparties.

However, filing Form LLC-12 does not by itself establish that the LLC has satisfied all tax obligations. The company must separately maintain its tax compliance with the California Franchise Tax Board.

Preparing to File Through bizfile Online

Statements of Information may be submitted online through the Secretary of State’s bizfile Online portal.

Before beginning, gather the following information:

The LLC’s exact legal name.
Its California entity number.
The principal office address.
The mailing address, if different.
The names and addresses of the managers or members required to be listed.
The current Agent for Service of Process.
A brief description of the LLC’s business activity.
The information needed to answer the required labor-judgment disclosure.

Review every field carefully before submission because the filed information may become part of the public business record.

When Is the Statement of Information Due?

California LLCs follow two principal deadlines.

Initial Filing

A newly registered LLC must file its first Statement of Information within 90 days after registration.

Biennial Filing

After the initial filing, an LLC generally files every two years during the applicable six-month filing period.

That filing period consists of:

The calendar month in which the original Articles of Organization were filed.
The five immediately preceding calendar months.

For example, an LLC formed in October generally has a filing period running from May 1 through October 31 in each applicable filing year.

An LLC formed in January generally has a filing period beginning August 1 of the preceding year and ending January 31.

Even-Year vs. Odd-Year Filing

The LLC’s filing cycle generally corresponds to the year in which its Articles of Organization were filed.

An LLC formed in an even-numbered year ordinarily files in subsequent even-numbered years. An LLC formed in an odd-numbered year ordinarily files in subsequent odd-numbered years.

For example, an LLC formed in 2026 would generally file during its applicable filing window in 2028, 2030, and every second year thereafter.

The company should still submit updated information when required details change rather than relying indefinitely on an outdated filing.

The AB 3075 Labor-Judgment Disclosure

California Statements of Information include a question asking whether an LLC member or manager has an outstanding final judgment for certain wage-order or Labor Code violations for which no appeal is pending.

This disclosure requirement resulted from AB 3075 and became effective for Statements of Information beginning in 2022.

An LLC that has not previously supplied the required disclosure may need to file a complete Statement of Information before it can rely on a simplified “No Change” filing.

The Privacy Shield: Managing Public Address Information

Information disclosed in a Statement of Information may be accessible through California’s public business-search records.

Relevant public fields can include:

The principal office address.
The mailing address.
Manager or member addresses.
Agent for Service of Process information.

Registered Agent Strategy

Hiring a commercial Registered Agent can prevent the owner’s residential address from appearing in the Agent for Service of Process field.

However, a Registered Agent does not automatically replace every address required on Form LLC-12. The LLC must still provide accurate principal-office and mailing information in accordance with the form’s requirements.

Possible address options include:

A home address, which costs nothing but may become public.
A genuine commercial office.
A properly structured virtual office arrangement.
A separate mailing address.
A commercial Registered Agent for the service-of-process field.

Do not provide a false address or list a Registered Agent’s address in another field unless the business is authorized to use it for that purpose.

Manager-Managed vs. Member-Managed LLCs

The information disclosed depends partly on the LLC’s management structure.

A manager-managed LLC generally lists its managers. A member-managed LLC provides the member information required by the form. A single-member, member-managed LLC will ordinarily identify its sole member as applicable.

The Statement of Information should remain consistent with the management structure reflected in the Articles of Organization and operating agreement.

Avoiding Misleading Solicitations

After forming an LLC, owners commonly receive official-looking letters offering to file the Statement of Information for fees substantially higher than $20.

These solicitations may use terms such as:

Compliance Division.
Corporate Records Service.
Business Filings Department.
Annual Disclosure Statement.
Certificate Compliance Service.

These companies are not necessarily government agencies.

LLC owners can generally file directly through the Secretary of State’s bizfile Online portal for the official $20 fee.

Penalties for Missing the Deadline

Failure to file a required Statement of Information can result in a $250 penalty.

The Secretary of State reports the delinquency, and the Franchise Tax Board collects the penalty on its behalf.

A timely filing costs $20. A missed deadline may increase the cost to $270 once the $250 penalty and the original filing fee are included.

Failure to receive a reminder notice generally does not excuse a late filing.

Suspension and Loss of Rights

Continued failure to file may eventually cause the LLC to be suspended by the Secretary of State.

A suspended LLC may lose the ability to:

Conduct business under its ordinary legal powers.
Sue in California courts.
Defend or maintain certain legal proceedings.
Enforce contracts.
Complete financing or real estate transactions.
Obtain certificates showing active status.

Restoring the LLC may require:

Filing the overdue Statement of Information.
Paying or addressing the $250 penalty.
Resolving any separate Franchise Tax Board suspension.
Completing the applicable revivor process.
Confirming that the LLC’s public status has returned to Active.

Statement of Information Checklist

Before submitting Form LLC-12, confirm that you have:

Verified the LLC’s exact legal name.
Located its California entity number.
Confirmed the principal office address.
Confirmed the mailing address.
Identified the managers or members who must be listed.
Verified the Agent for Service of Process.
Answered the labor-judgment disclosure accurately.
Reviewed the public-address implications.
Prepared the $20 filing fee.
Saved the filing confirmation.
Added the next biennial deadline to your compliance calendar.

Conclusion

The California LLC Statement of Information is a straightforward filing, but ignoring it can create disproportionate consequences.

Filing Form LLC-12 on time costs only $20. Missing the deadline can lead to a $250 penalty and, if the delinquency continues, suspension of the LLC’s legal powers.

By tracking the correct filing window, reviewing public-address fields carefully, and filing directly through the Secretary of State, LLC owners can maintain accurate records, protect their privacy where legally possible, and keep their businesses in active status.

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