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.
Annual renewal
Limited Liability Partnerships registered with the State Bar are required to submit an annual renewal application to maintain their certificate of registration.
To submit an online renewal application, the LLP must be registered in the State Bar’s Agency Billing system. Renewal submissions using outdated forms from prior years will not be accepted. Before renewing, the LLP must have an active Agency Billing account. If an account already exists, do not create a duplicate.
We have assessed a late penalty fee to firms that failed to submit the 2025 renewal application by the January 30, 2026, deadline. To avoid suspension, both the renewal application and payment must be submitted no later than May 29, 2026.
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.
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.
