Limited Liability Partnerships
The State Bar of California’s Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) program certifies professional partnerships to allow partners to limit their vicarious liability for the acts, tortious or otherwise, of their partners and employees in accordance with statutes and the State Bar’s Limited Liability Partnership Rules and Regulations.
Initial Certificate of Registration application
Limited Liability Partnerships seeking an initial Certificate of Registration must submit a new application online through the State Bar’s Agency Billing system.
The process for submitting a new application and an annual renewal is similar. Both require completing the application online through the State Bar’s Agency Billing system and submitting the required payment electronically. Older versions of applications are not accepted, and all fees are listed in the Schedule of Charges and Deadlines.
Review the Agency Billing Help Guide for step-by-step instructions on accessing and navigating the online system. For detailed steps on submitting a new application, please refer to the Limited Liability Partnership Help Guides. If further assistance is required, please complete the Licensee Records and Compliance Inquiry form.
Annual renewal
Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) registered with the State Bar are required to submit an annual renewal application to maintain their certificate of registration. For detailed steps on submitting a renewal application, please refer to the Limited Liability Partnership Help Guides.
Annual renewal applications must be submitted online. Renewal submissions using paper forms from prior years will not be accepted. To submit an online renewal application, the LLP must be registered in the State Bar’s Agency Billing system. If an account already exists, do not create a duplicate. Creating duplicate Agency Billing firm accounts is likely to cause confusion when firms attempt to log in—especially when resetting passwords or trying to remember which account was used to submit a renewal application.
The 2025 LLP renewal deadline was extended to January 30, 2026, and the 2025 LLP suspension deadline was extended to May 29, 2026. As a result, even if the LLP completed the 2025 annual renewal as recently as May 2026, each LLP must complete the annual 2026 LLP renewal application by the August 31, 2026, deadline.
2025 Renewal Cycle:
- Late Penalty - The State Bar has assessed a late penalty fee to firms that failed to submit the 2025 renewal application by the January 30, 2026, deadline.
- Suspensions - The May 29, 2026, suspension deadline has passed and LLPs that did not successfully renew registration by the May 29, 2026, date, are subject to suspension. The 2025 renewal cycle closes on July 30, 2026.
- Reinstatement –
- To be reinstated prior to July 30, 2026, suspended LLPs must submit a 2025 renewal application and payment before July 30, 2026.
- To be reinstated after July 30, 2026, suspended LLPs must submit a 2026 renewal application, along with payment of any outstanding 2025 fees and the 2026 renewal fees.
2026 Renewal Cycle:
- The 2026 LLP Renewal cycle will begin August 1, 2026.
- All registered LLPs, except Newly Registered LLPs (see below), are required to renew their registration with the State Bar of California in the 2026 renewal cycle, regardless of when the 2025 renewal application was submitted or approved.
- The deadline for submitting a 2026 renewal application without a late penalty will be August 31, 2026.
- A late penalty fee will be assessed to firms that fail to submit the 2026 renewal application by the August 31, 2026, deadline. To avoid suspension, both the renewal application and payment must be submitted before October 2, 2026.
Newly registered LLP:
- New LLPs (registered for the first time with the State Bar of California on and after May 29, 2026) are not required to renew their registration in the 2026 renewal cycle.
2026 fee increases
On November 20, 2025, the Board of Trustees approved several administrative fee increases that were subject to the 2026 Consumer Price Index increases. These increases ensure that the State Bar’s overall administrative revenue covers the rising costs of services.
Here are the 2026 fee changes for LLPs:
| Fee Type | Amount |
| Initial Certificate of Registration Application - First Two Partners | $117 |
| Initial Certification of Registration Application - Each Additional Partner | $58 |
| Initial Certification of Registration Application - Cap | No cap |
| Annual Renewal - First Two Partners* | $88 |
| Annual Renewal - Each Additional Partner* | $32 |
| Annual Renewal - Cap | No cap |
| Annual Renewal Noncompliance Late Fee | $103 |
Name changes
Under Rule 3.175, the State Bar requires registered LLPs to report any name changes within 45 days of the change. There is no processing fee to submit an LLP name change. When providing notice, a certified copy of the Secretary of State’s Amendment to Registration form (LLP-2), bearing the official Secretary of State stamp, must be submitted through the Agency Billing online application. All required forms are available on the Secretary of State website.