A California Annual Report, also referred to as a Statement of Information, requires by law, all corporations, limited liability companies and common interest development associations to update their records, either annually or biannually, based on the year of registration. This update must be submitted directly to the California Secretary of State. It is mandatory for all corporations and LLCs operating in California to file the initial State of Information (use form SI-550) within 90 days of registering with the Secretary of State.
Each type of corporation has a specific set of requirements for the initial and renewal filings of the California annual report, including due dates, filing fees and penalty fees. See below for the details by type of corporation.
California Profit Corporations (Stocks, Professional and Flexible Purpose, Domestic and Foreign, including S Corporations)
- How to File. You may file by mail or online. If filed online, it’s usually processed within one business day. Use Form SI-550 for domestic corporations and SI-550 for foreign corporations.
- Fees. The initial statement is $25 and each annual filing is $25.
- Due Date. The initial filing must take place within 90 days after filing the Articles of
- Incorporation. The renewal Statement of Information is due by the last day of the anniversary month and it may be filed up to five months ahead of time.
- Other Notes. Every publicly traded corporation is required to file a Corporate Disclosure Statement (Form SI-PT) annually, within 150 days of the end of the fiscal year. Original signatures are not required.
- Penalty Fees. $250
California Non-Profit Corporations (Domestic)
- How to File. You may file by mail, in-person or online. Online filing is usually processed within one business day. Use Form SI-100 for both initial and renewal reports.
- Fees. $20 for the initial fee, and $20 for the renewal fee unless you are an agricultural cooperative corporation, in which case the renewal fee is $25.
- Due Date. The initial report is due within 90 days of incorporation. The renewal report is due biennially, at the end of the month that the Articles of Incorporation were initially filed. This can be filed up to five months in advance of the due date.
- Other Notes. Original signatures are not required. Every domestic nonprofit corporation formed to manage a common interest development (for example, a homeowner’s association), must also file a Statement by Common Interest Development Association (Form SI-CID), when filing the biennial Statement of Information. Agricultural cooperative corporations must file their reports annually.
- Penalty Fees. If the initial filing does not take place by the deadline, the penalty fee is $50. If the renewal is past the deadline, the penalty fee is also $50.
California Non-Profit Corporations (Foreign)
- How to File. You may file by mail, in-person or online. Online filing is usually processed within one business day. Use Form SI-550 for both initial reports and Form SI-550 for renewal reports.
- Fees. $25 for both the initial and renewal reports.
- Due Date. The initial Statement of Information report must be filed within 90 days after the filing of the Statement and Designation with the State of California. Renewal reports are due every year by the last day of the month that the non-profit was initially
- incorporated. These can also be submitted up to five months in advance.
- Other Notes. None
- Penalty Fees. If the initial filing does not take place by the deadline or the renewal filing is not complete by the deadline, the penalty is 50.
California Domestic and Foreign LLCs
- How to File. The initial form may be submitted by mail or in-person, using Form LLC-12, while renewal forms can be submitted by mail, in-person or online, using the same form.
- Fees. The initial statement is $20 and the biannual filing fee is $20
- Due Date. The initial report must be filed within 90 days of incorporation while renewal forms are submitted every other year, no later than the last day of the anniversary month of formation. The renewal forms can be filed as early as five months prior to the due date.
- Other Notes. Original signatures are not required.
- Penalty Fees. $250
California Limited Liability Partnerships
- Renewal forms are not required to be submitted to the State of California.
Filing your California annual report isn’t complicated. However, if you miss a due date or skip filing in general, the penalties can be severe. The business may lose their good standing with the Secretary of State and may incur additional fees. If you lose your good standing, you may also lose the limited liability protection for the owners, lose contracts and experience delays when the reinstatement paperwork is processed. In the most severe cases, there may be administrative termination of your business.