The California Statement of Information LLC is also called an Annual Report. The Secretary of State needs all LLCs to send this in every two years, whether it has been active in doing business or not. This is also referred to as the California LLC-12 form.

On this document, the address of the LLC on file is kept up to date. It also lists all names and addresses of the LLC members, officers/managers, the CEO, and registered agent. The reason this is published each year is to make sure the public has access to all general information about the LLC. LLCs that are foreign, which means they are based outside of California, must file this information statement as well if they do business within the state.

California LLCs must file their first Statement of Information within 90 days of the date it first filed its Articles of Organization. This must be filed with the California Secretary of State. After this, the Statement must be sent every other year. It must be filed during the month in which the Articles of Organization were first submitted to the California Secretary of State, or during the five months preceding. An Statement of Information form must also be filed if anything has changed, such as the LLC name, street address, registered agent's name and address, name and address of the CEO, or any members or managers.

How to Fill Out the LLC-12 Form

This form may be filled out and submitted by anyone within the LLC who has authority. The form is not complicated; the general instructions for filling it out are as follows:

  1. Enter the LLC's name, just as the California Secretary of State has on record.
  2. Enter the LLC number that the California Secretary of State issued when the LLC was formed.
  3. Enter the LLC's state, or location that governs the LLC's place of business.
  4. If this is the first Statement of Information to be filed, or if anything has been changed since the last one was submitted, the entire form must be completed. If nothing has changed since it was last filed, you can simply check a box saying “no change statement.”
  5. Fill out the entire street address for the LLC's main office, including the city, state, and zip code. This should not be a PO Box, and you may not abbreviate the city's name.
  6. If the mailing address of the LLC is different from the principal office address, enter it here.
  7. If the LLC has been formed under California laws, you must enter the entire street address of the office.
  8. Fill out the complete name and business/home address of the CEO, if there is one. Again, do not abbreviate the city's name.
  9. The complete business/home address of any manager or managers, whether they are appointed or elected, need to be entered. If there are no elected managers, include the name and business/home address of each member. Additional pages may be attached if needed. This encompasses Items 9-11.

   12. The name of the agent for service of process within the state of California must be entered here.

   13. Fill in the agent of process's business/home address.

   14. In this section, you must describe the LLC's general type of business.

   15. Enter the name of the person who completed the form, and the date it was filled out.

The LLC-12 form may be obtained on the website of the California Secretary of State, and you can submit it to the address indicated on the website.

You may also file the form in person at the Secretary of State office — submit the form at the Statement Of Information counter. At that time, you will find out of there is a fee you need to pay, and they can also give you a copy. You may pick up the document when they have finished processing, or they will mail it to you.

The cost for filing your LLC-12 form is $20, and checks should be made out to the Secretary of State. There is no fee charged for a statement that you are filing to change information on a statement that was previously filed. Certified copies cost $5.

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