California Statement of Information in 2026: The Fastest Way to Fix a Missed Update
California Statement of Information
Form LLC-12 · every 2 years, in your formation anniversary month · $20 · filed with the Secretary of State
The California Statement of Information is the filing that keeps your LLC's record current with the Secretary of State. Miss it and the state suspends your LLC — which stops you from opening a bank account, signing a contract, or closing a sale until you fix it. The good news: the fix is fast and does not involve back taxes or a court.
What the Statement of Information is
It is a biennial information filing for LLCs — Form LLC-12 — required under California Corporations Code § 17702.09. (California corporations file a similar statement, but annually and on a different form.) It is not a tax return. It confirms four things on the public record: your principal business address, the email on file, your registered agent's name and address, and at least one manager or member. Anyone who runs your company on the Secretary of State business search sees what you put here, so the state can route service of process and official notices correctly.
When it is due
- First one: within 90 days of forming the LLC.
- After that: every two years, during the calendar month you formed in. Form in March, it is due every even or odd March depending on your formation year.
- The window is the whole month — first day to last day. It can be filed anytime in the six-month window that ends on the last day of your anniversary month.
- California does not mail a reminder card. Tracking the date is on you or your registered agent.
What happens if you miss it
The Secretary of State sends a notice of delinquency. Ignore that and the state moves your LLC to “SOS Suspended.” A suspended LLC cannot legally transact business in California: it cannot open accounts, enforce or sign contracts, or bring a lawsuit, and a suspended status is a red flag to any bank, buyer, or partner who checks. There is also a $250 penalty assessed by the Franchise Tax Board for the missed filing.
This is an administrative suspension by the Secretary of State. It is separate from a Franchise Tax Board forfeiture for unpaid tax — but if you have been suspended for a missed Statement of Information, check your FTB account too, because owners who miss one filing often have both.
How to file — and how to fix a missed one
- File Form LLC-12 online through the Secretary of State's BizFile portal. You need the LLC's entity number, the principal address, the email on record, and current agent and manager/member details. The fee is $20, on time or late — there is no separate late fee for the filing itself.
- If your LLC is already suspended, file the missing LLC-12, pay the FTB $250 penalty, and submit the reinstatement request. No court, no back taxes owed just for this.
- Once it processes (about one to two business days for online filings), the suspension lifts and you are back in good standing. Save the confirmation — banks and buyers ask for it.
- Pull a fresh Certificate of Status from BizFile afterward so you have a clean document for whoever asked. See how to maintain good standing.
Contracts signed while the LLC was suspended can be unenforceable, and backdating agreements to paper over the gap is illegal. Fix the status first.
Why this is really a registered agent problem
The Secretary of State sends the delinquency notice to your registered agent's address. If your agent does not forward it fast — or is no longer your agent when it arrives — you never see it, and the first sign of trouble is a bank telling you the LLC is suspended.
A registered agent doing the job right scans the notice the day it arrives, forwards it, and tracks your Statement of Information window so you get a heads-up before it opens. That is what our California registered agent service does — flat $10 a month, a phone call on anything urgent, compliance reminders included. If your current agent is not flagging filings for you, it is worth switching.
Get a California registered agent that tracks your filings – $10/month
Not the same as the franchise tax
The Statement of Information goes to the Secretary of State. The $800 annual franchise tax and Form 568 go to the Franchise Tax Board, due the 15th day of the 4th month after your tax year (April 15 for calendar-year LLCs). Two agencies, two filings, two separate consequences. When you clean up one, check the other.
California Statement of Information FAQ
How often do I file the California Statement of Information?
LLCs file every two years, in the calendar month the LLC was formed. The very first one is due within 90 days of formation. Corporations file every year.
What does it cost?
$20 for an LLC, whether you file on time or late. There is no separate late fee for the filing, but a missed filing draws a $250 penalty from the Franchise Tax Board.
What happens if I never file it?
The Secretary of State suspends the LLC. A suspended LLC cannot open bank accounts, sign or enforce contracts, or sue in California courts, and the status is public. You reinstate by filing the missing Statement of Information, paying the $250 penalty, and submitting the reinstatement request.
Is the Statement of Information the same as the $800 franchise tax?
No. The Statement of Information is a $20 information filing with the Secretary of State. The $800 franchise tax is a separate payment to the Franchise Tax Board. Missing one does not trigger the other, but both carry consequences.
Can my registered agent file it for me?
Most registered agents, including us, do not file it for you — but a good one receives the state's notice, forwards it the same day, and reminds you before the window opens so it never lapses.
