BOI reporting in California
Under FinCEN's March 26, 2025 interim final rule, BOI reporting requirements changed significantly for California businesses. California-formed LLCs and corporations are exempt. Only foreign-formed entities registered to do business in California must file BOI with FinCEN.
Most US entities are exempt from BOI under the 2025 interim final rule.
If you formed your business in California (LLC, corporation, nonprofit), you no longer need to file BOI under the current interim rule.
The interim final rule from FinCEN, effective March 26, 2025:
- Removed BOI reporting for "domestic reporting companies" · entities formed in any US state including California.
- Maintained BOI requirements only for foreign-formed entities registered to do business in any US state.
- Excluded US persons from being reported as beneficial owners by any entity.
California-formed entities: no BOI filing required
If your LLC, corporation, or nonprofit was formed in California by filing Articles of Organization or Articles of Incorporation with the California Secretary of State, you are exempt from federal BOI reporting under the current interim rule.
California does not have a state-level beneficial ownership law as of 2026. Federal BOI under the FinCEN interim rule is the only beneficial ownership filing currently applicable in California.
Foreign-formed entities operating in California: must file
If your entity was formed under the laws of another country (UK Ltd, Canadian Inc, Singapore Pte Ltd, etc.) and you registered to do business in California via foreign qualification, BOI filing is required:
- Deadline: 30 calendar days from the effective date of California foreign qualification.
- What to file: Beneficial owner information for each non-US person beneficial owner. US persons are NOT reported.
- Where to file: FinCEN BOSS at boiefiling.fincen.gov (free).
- Penalty for non-filing: Up to $591/day in civil penalties, plus criminal penalties up to $10,000 + 2 years imprisonment.
Need to file? We handle it for foreign entities in California
If you are a foreign-formed entity registered in California, File.Business handles the BOI filing $99 one-time. Includes exemption verification, beneficial owner data collection, FinCEN submission, and update monitoring.
Start BOI filing Decision treeCalifornia BOI FAQ (2026)
I formed an LLC in California. Do I need to file BOI?
No. California-formed LLCs are exempt under the March 2025 interim final rule.
I am a foreign company registered in California. Do I file?
Yes. Foreign-formed entities registered to do business in California must file BOI within 30 days of registration. Filing with FinCEN is free; our service fee is $99.
What if I am a US citizen but own a foreign entity registered in California?
The foreign entity still files BOI, but does NOT report you (a US person) as a beneficial owner. Only non-US beneficial owners are reported.
Will this rule change again?
The interim final rule is subject to ongoing review. Treasury accepted public comment through May 2025. If the rule changes, we will update this page and notify customers.
Does California have its own state-level BOI law?
California does not have a state-level beneficial ownership law as of 2026.
How we deliver, end-to-end.
Four-step path from request to confirmation. State and IRS turnaround varies; our steps run in parallel where possible to compress the timeline.
Intake + scope
You tell us what you need through a short intake form (or a call for complex matters). We confirm scope, surface any gating issues (deadlines, missing documents, entity status), and quote any state fees that pass through at cost.
Prepare + verify
Our specialists draft the filing, verify entity details against state databases, run internal QA, and route any items needing your sign-off. You see drafts before anything gets submitted.
File with the authority
We submit directly to the state Secretary of State, FinCEN, IRS, USPTO, or whichever authority your filing requires. We pay state fees at cost and track the submission identifier in your account.
Confirmation + vault
Stamped certificate, IRS notice, or filing receipt arrives in your SOC 2 encrypted document vault the moment we receive it. Next filing deadline auto-added to your compliance calendar where applicable.
Recommended add-ons
Most customers add these to keep their business compliant year-round.
Annual BOI Monitoring
RecommendedWe re-file when beneficial owners change. No more 30-day FinCEN scramble.
Registered Agent
Required address forwarding for every business entity in every state.
Compliance Calendar
Best valueSee every deadline - BOI, annual reports, licenses - in one calendar.