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California vs Delaware
The published figures of both, from their own pages, on one screen. Same date, same basis.
| CaliforniaChecked 2 Oct 2026 | DelawareChecked 2 Oct 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1, LLC | 70 USDArticles of Organization (Form LLC-1) · Official | 110 USDCertificate of Formation · Official |
| Year 1, Corporation | 100 USDArticles of Incorporation (stock corporation) · Official | 109 USDCertificate of Incorporation (stock corporation) · Official |
| Each year | 800 USD | 400 USD |
| Other fees listed | 3 items | 1 items |
| Remote setup | Yes | Yes |
| Setup time | No fixed time. The Secretary of State's processing-dates page updated 1 October 2026 shows LLC and corporate online formations being reviewed for requests received 29 September 2026; 24-hour expedite is $350 and same-day $750. | No fixed standard time published; Division offers 1-hour, 2-hour, same-day and next-day expedited services and says standard times vary in busy season. |
| Features | Filing fee $100 or less, Owners not public | Owners not public |
California
California Secretary of State registers LLCs and corporations; an LLC owes the Franchise Tax Board an $800 annual tax from its first year, while a new corporation is exempt from the $800 minimum for its first year.
- California is the most expensive state in this set to keep an LLC: the $800 annual tax applies from year one for LLCs formed after 2023.
- The first-year exemption from the $800 LLC tax applied only to tax years 2021 to 2023 per the Franchise Tax Board; one non-official guide says it was made permanent, which the Board's page does not show.
- The LLC-1 filing has no member or manager names, but the Statement of Information within 90 days lists at least one manager or member publicly; the owner-privacy source is an agency instruction copy.
Delaware
Delaware Division of Corporations registers LLCs and corporations; LLCs pay a flat annual tax and corporations file an annual report with franchise tax.
- LLC annual tax rose from $300 to $400 from tax year 2026; some Division pages and many agency pages still show $300.
- Fee schedule file is dated August 2026; House Bill 400 changed most Delaware fees from 1 August 2026.
- The Division's 2018-dated FAQ and tax pages mix old and new figures; the $400 figure is from the LLC tax instructions page and the LLC formation form.
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