• California
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• Federal EIN
• Certified Copies
• S-Corporation

• Glossary
• Federal Holidays
• State Fees, Times
• C-Corp or S-Corp?

How to get incorporated

Are you trying to form a new company? Need help? There are only three things you have to decide:

1. Pick a company type
2. Pick a state
3. Pick options

Once you know what you want, you can incorporate in minutes with our secure order form. If you're having trouble deciding, give us a call for a free consultation.

Corporation or LLC?

C-Corporation

Most new companies choose to form a c-corporation. This is the most popular type of new company formed in California and most other states. The reason for this is c-corporations are set up to be flexible and to grow easily. C-corporations can give liability protection to their founders and the people who work there.

For more information, see our article on how to form a c-corporation. Or, click here to form a c-corporation in California.

S-Corporation

An S-Corporation has some advantages over a C-Corporation, but it's not for everyone. One problem with a C-Corporation is that you get taxed twice; the corporation gets taxed on its income, and then the owners and employees get taxed on their own income. An S-Corporation only gets taxed once. On the other hand, an S-Corporation has limited ownership. It may be a better choice if you know that your company will always be small and be owned by a small group of people.

Need to form an s-corporation in California or another state? PCF can help. If you've already formed a c-corporation and want to switch, PCF can help you with S-Corp Election. If you need more information, see our article on how to form an s-corporation, or see the differences between a c-corp and an s-corp.

Limited Liability Company

A limited liability company, or LLC for short, is a company formally recognized by the state but it is not a corporation. While a corporation is owned by stockholders and run by a board of directors and corporate officers, an LLC is owned by partners and run by partners. The advantage of an LLC is if one partner makes a mistake and gets sued, the other partners will not be personally liable. Because of this, LLC's are popular with small groups of professionals who want to pool their resources, like doctors and lawyers.

Click here to form an LLC in California, or click here to form an LLC in another state. For more information, see our article on how to form an LLC.

Non-Profit

A non-profit is a company that does not intend to make a profit. Most non-profits are run for special purposes, like charity, or to help the environment. A California non-profit is actually a type of corporation, but is formed differently from a normal corporation.

Non-profits are also special because they can apply for tax exemption. This is often known as 501(c)(3) qualification, based on the federal law governing non-profits and tax exemption. Just because you're a non-profit doesn't mean you're automatically tax exempt! PCF can help you form a tax-exempt non-profit in California. Want to form a non-profit in another state? Give us a call.

Click here to form a California non-profit. For more information, see our article on how to form a non-profit or our article on 501(c)(3) tax exemption.

Where should I incorporate?

A lot of people think they should form a Delaware corporation because Delaware has laws favorable to corporations. Other people want to form a Nevada corporation because Nevada has favorable tax laws. PCF can help you form a corporation in Delaware or Nevada, but you should think twice.

If your main business is in California, you may be held to California law even if you are a Delaware corporation. Also, if you're based in California and someone wants to sue you, you'll have to defend yourself in Delaware. Delaware law requires you to use a local Delaware corporate lawyer, so now you have to hire a lawyer you've never met to defend yourself in a state you've never visited. Good idea?

If you're based in California, PCF recommends you form a California corporation. PCF can also help you form a corporation in any state, including Delaware and Nevada. We recommend you research your options carefully and seek legal advice before choosing.

For more information or if you're ready to order, pick a state from the following list:

What else do I need?

Forming a company is just the beginning. Many states require you to file an initial statement of information after you've been in business for a year. Planning to hire employees? You should get a Federal Employment Identification Number (FEIN). Here's a full list of other services offered by PCF:

• Incorporate
• LLC
• Non-Profit
• Corporate/LLC Kit & Seal
• Good Standing Certificate
• S-Corporation Election
• Federal EIN
• Apostille
• Certified Copies
• Registered Agent Services
• Stock Certificates
• Name Reservation

You can order any of these services when you form your new corporation, LLC, or non-profit. See our packages and pricing for more information. You can also order any of these services a la carte; just click on the link.

Need more information?

We are happy to answer your questions. Give us a call and speak to a real live person, not a machine. We are also available via email and live chat. Click here to contact us.

You can also check out our Info Center with over 140 articles on company formation and filings.