Key Takeaways
- California allows incoming LLC domestication directly (Cal. Corp. Code §17710.08 (Article 10, "Merger and Conversion")) — your LLC keeps its original formation date
- Filing fee: $70 for conversions not involving a California corporation as a party (rising to $150 if one is), plus a $15 handling fee if you file in person rather than online
- No new EIN is needed. California's conversion statute is built on "remains the same entity" language, so the IRS treats your EIN as unchanged — update your address with the IRS (Form 8822-B) once your California agent for service of process is set.
- No. California doesn't require proof of old-state withdrawal as part of the LLC-1A filing; the LLC must separately handle deregistration in its old state per that state's own rules.
- Same-day LLC domestication filing available through LLC Attorney, at no markup on state fees
If your LLC is formed in another state but you've relocated (or your business has) and want California to be its new legal home, conversion (California's term for domestication) lets you make that move without dissolving the company and starting over.
This guide covers exactly how to convert an out-of-state LLC into a California LLC in 2026 — the LLC-1A filing, the $70 base cost, the $800/year minimum franchise tax you'll owe once you're domestic, and what happens to your EIN and formation date.
What Is LLC Domestication?
Domestication (sometimes called continuance or statutory conversion) lets you move your LLC from one state to California without dissolving it and starting over. Done correctly, the LLC keeps its original formation date, its EIN, and its contracts — only its home state changes.
Can You Domesticate an LLC Into California?
Yes. California's LLC Act includes a statutory domestication provision (Cal. Corp. Code §17710.08 (Article 10, "Merger and Conversion")), so an out-of-state LLC can become a California LLC directly while retaining its original formation date.
How to Domesticate Your LLC in California
- Filing agency: California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division
- Form: Articles of Organization – Conversion (LLC-1A)
- Filing fee: $70 for conversions not involving a California corporation as a party (rising to $150 if one is), plus a $15 handling fee if you file in person rather than online
- Processing time: About 2-3 business days for online filings through bizfileOnline
- Certificate of Good Standing: Not required by California.
- Plan of domestication: California does not require a separate formal plan document beyond the standard filing.
- Member approval: California requires the LLC-1A to be signed and acknowledged by all members of a member-managed LLC (or all managers of a manager-managed LLC), unless your articles or operating agreement authorize a lesser number — the statutory default is unanimous approval, adjustable downward only if your governing documents say so.
What Happens to Your EIN, Contracts, and Formation Date?
Domesticating to California preserves your LLC's original formation date — the entity continues, it doesn't restart.
No new EIN is needed. California's conversion statute is built on "remains the same entity" language, so the IRS treats your EIN as unchanged — update your address with the IRS (Form 8822-B) once your California agent for service of process is set.
All existing contracts, bank accounts, licenses, and pending liabilities carry over automatically once the conversion is effective — §17710.08 treats the domesticated LLC as remaining the same entity that existed in the old state, not a new one stepping into its shoes.
Do I Need to Close My LLC in My Old State?
No. California doesn't require proof of old-state withdrawal as part of the LLC-1A filing; the LLC must separately handle deregistration in its old state per that state's own rules.
If your business keeps operating in the old state after moving its legal home to California (an office, employees, or regular in-state activity there), you'll likely need to foreign-qualify in that state instead of maintaining it as your domestic entity — check that state's foreign-qualification requirements once the move is final.
When Do California's Taxes and Filings Start?
The moment your LLC becomes domestic in California, you're on the hook for California's $800/year minimum franchise tax (plus the LLC fee if total California income exceeds $250,000) — this is the single biggest ongoing cost surprise for LLCs domesticating into California, and there's no confirmed proration break for a mid-year conversion, so budget for the full annual minimum in the year you move.
You'll typically owe a final-year return to your old state covering the period before the conversion took effect, prorated to the conversion date — confirm the exact filing requirement with that state's tax agency, since this varies based on where your prior state was.
California's proration treatment for the $800 minimum franchise tax in the specific year of a mid-year conversion isn't independently confirmed — confirm current-year treatment with the Franchise Tax Board before you file, since this can affect your first-year tax bill.
How to Move Your LLC to California Step by Step
If You Do It Yourself
Step 1 — Confirm your LLC is in good standing in its current state.
California doesn't require this document, but it's still worth confirming your LLC is current before filing.
Step 2 — Get member approval for the move.
California requires the LLC-1A to be signed and acknowledged by all members of a member-managed LLC (or all managers of a manager-managed LLC), unless your articles or operating agreement authorize a lesser number — the statutory default is unanimous approval, adjustable downward only if your governing documents say so.
Step 3 — File the domestication paperwork.
File with California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division using the Articles of Organization – Conversion, $70 for conversions not involving a California corporation as a party (rising to $150 if one is), plus a $15 handling fee if you file in person rather than online.
Step 4 — Confirm your EIN and contracts carry over.
No new EIN is needed. California's conversion statute is built on "remains the same entity" language, so the IRS treats your EIN as unchanged — update your address with the IRS (Form 8822-B) once your California agent for service of process is set. All existing contracts, bank accounts, licenses, and pending liabilities carry over automatically once the conversion is effective — §17710.08 treats the domesticated LLC as remaining the same entity that existed in the old state, not a new one stepping into its shoes.
Step 5 — Appoint a registered agent in your new state.
California calls this role a "Agent for Service of Process" — required before or as part of the domestication filing.
Step 6 — Handle your old state's final obligations.
No. California doesn't require proof of old-state withdrawal as part of the LLC-1A filing; the LLC must separately handle deregistration in its old state per that state's own rules. You'll typically owe a final-year return to your old state covering the period before the conversion took effect, prorated to the conversion date — confirm the exact filing requirement with that state's tax agency, since this varies based on where your prior state was.
Step 7 — Update your tax and compliance calendar.
The moment your LLC becomes domestic in California, you're on the hook for California's $800/year minimum franchise tax (plus the LLC fee if total California income exceeds $250,000) — this is the single biggest ongoing cost surprise for LLCs domesticating into California, and there's no confirmed proration break for a mid-year conversion, so budget for the full annual minimum in the year you move.
Step 8 — Watch for California-specific domestication traps.
California doesn't require a Certificate of Good Standing for the LLC-1A conversion filing — confirmed directly on the Secretary of State's own conversion-information page, which is unusual for a rule this many advisors assume applies universally. The bigger practical trap is tax: California's $800/year minimum franchise tax applies for the year you become a California LLC, with no confirmed mid-year proration, so this can be a meaningfully larger first-year cost than the roughly $70-85 filing fee suggests.
If LLC Attorney Does It for You
- Submit your LLC's current-state details at llcattorney.com — name, formation date, and member information.
- LLC Attorney handles the domestication filing, obtains your Certificate of Good Standing, and serves as your agent for service of process in California once the move is complete.
- Receive confirmation of your completed move, plus access to flat-fee attorney consultations (no retainer) for any old-state wind-down questions.
When Should You Talk to an Attorney About Moving Your LLC to California?
Talk to an attorney before domesticating your LLC to California if you're not certain your old state's LLC act actually permits an outbound conversion, if you want a clear read on how the $800 minimum franchise tax and LLC fee will apply in your specific conversion year, or if your operating agreement doesn't clearly lower the unanimous-approval default and you have members who may object.
Is California a State Where Domestication Complexity Matters More?
California's conversion statute (Cal. Corp. Code §17710.08) additionally requires that your LLC's home jurisdiction independently authorizes the conversion — it's not enough that California allows it; your old state's law has to permit an outbound domestication too. Combine that with California's $800/year minimum franchise tax kicking in immediately once you're domestic here, and this is a state where a quick attorney check of both statutes (yours and California's) before filing can save real money and rework.
What You Actually Get With LLC Attorney's California Domestication Service
The part of California LLC domestication that trips people up isn't the LLC-1A filing itself — it's confirming your old state actually permits the outbound move, and budgeting for the $800/year minimum franchise tax that starts the moment you're domestic here. LLC Attorney handles both correctly from the start.
- LLC domestication to California, starting at $149.
- Certificate of Good Standing retrieval, filing prep, and registered agent service all handled in one order.
- Old-state withdrawal and final-tax-obligation guidance specific to your prior state — not a generic multi-state template.
- Access to professionally trained Business Success Advisors at no charge, plus flat-fee attorney consultations (no retainer) for move-specific questions.
Moving your LLC's legal home to California is straightforward once the LLC-1A filing is handled correctly and the $800 tax exposure is on your radar — LLC Attorney makes sure nothing gets missed on either end of the move.
Ready to Move Your LLC to California?
LLC Attorney handles the domestication filing for LLCs moving to California, starting at $149. See our full pricing for all service tiers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Cal. Corp. Code §17710.08 lets an out-of-state LLC convert directly into a California LLC, filed as Articles of Organization – Conversion (Form LLC-1A) — provided your LLC's home state also permits the outbound move.
Yes. California's conversion statute treats the domesticated LLC as "the same entity" that existed in your old state, so your original formation date, EIN, and contracts continue rather than restarting.
$70 for the LLC-1A filing (rising to $150 if a California corporation is a party), plus a $15 handling fee if you drop it off in person rather than filing online. That's the filing cost — separately, budget for California's $800/year minimum franchise tax once you're domestic here.
No. Your EIN stays the same, since California's conversion statute continues your existing LLC rather than creating a new one.
No. California's LLC-1A filing doesn't require proof of withdrawal from your old state; you'll handle that separately under your old state's own law.
As soon as your LLC becomes domestic in California, you owe the state's $800/year minimum franchise tax — this applies immediately with no confirmed proration break for converting mid-year, so it's worth confirming the exact treatment with the Franchise Tax Board before you file.
California's default requires the LLC-1A to be signed and acknowledged by all members (member-managed) or all managers (manager-managed), unless your governing documents authorize a lower threshold.
About 2-3 business days for online filings through bizfileOnline; add time if you're mailing it in or need your old state's authorization confirmed first.
Yes. LLC Attorney handles the domestication filing for LLCs moving to California, starting at $149.