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California Secretary of State, Business Programs Division

Secretary of State filings, handled from Sacramento.

The California Secretary of State's drop-off service, preclearance and 4-hour expedite are offered only at its counter at 1500 11th Street in downtown Sacramento, and StrikeServe's office is on K Street a few minutes away. We e-file through bizfile Online, walk paper filings, preclearance requests and expedites to the counter when that is the faster or only route, pick up the filed copy, and return it to you electronically the same day.

Attorneys, paralegals, registered agents, CPAs and out-of-state firms send us the work they would otherwise mail to Sacramento and wait on.

Where we file: the Secretary of State counter in downtown Sacramento

Sacramento is StrikeServe's home market for a reason: the state offices, the courts and a large share of California's registered agents sit within a few blocks of each other downtown. The Secretary of State's Business Programs Division counter in Sacramento is where drop-off, preclearance and 4-hour expedite requests have to go, and it is a short run from our office.

DROP-OFF AND PICKUP

Secretary of State, Business Programs Division

1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Public counter open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding state holidays. A request dropped off in person gets priority processing over mail; the Secretary of State charges a non-refundable special handling fee of $15 per filing request and $10 per copy order, which we pass through at cost. Special handling does not apply to Statements of Information or to anything submitted online or by mail.

ONLINE

bizfile Online

The Secretary of State's portal, bizfileonline.sos.ca.gov, is the fastest channel and the only channel for a growing list of filing types. Over 140 filings, name reservations and orders for certificates of status and certified copies are available online, including 24-hour and same-day expedites. We submit through bizfile Online and forward the filed document as soon as the Secretary of State releases it.

STATEWIDE CLIENTS

Who sends us this work

Law firms and paralegals in Los Angeles, the Bay Area and San Diego; registered agent and corporate services companies; CPAs and tax professionals handling entity maintenance; and out-of-state firms with California entities who would otherwise mail documents to Sacramento and wait. Combine a filing with court filing in Sacramento or a serve on a registered agent in the same order.

bizfile Online e-filings

The Secretary of State lists Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization and Statements of Information as online-only filings, and since July 1, 2026 terminations must also be filed online and require Full Access to the entity's record within bizfile Online. Paper is still accepted, by mail or at the counter, for Certificates of Amendment, restated articles, Certificates of Correction, mergers, conversions and the Registered Corporate Agent for Service of Process Certificate (Form 1505).

How we route a filing

We check each document against the Secretary of State's current list and route it to the channel that accepts it: online-only filings go through bizfile Online, paper forms go to the counter with special handling, and anything that qualifies for an expedite goes in under the class you choose. If a termination needs Full Access to the entity's bizfile Online record, we tell you before the order starts so the access step does not hold up the filing.

Filed copies returned electronically

Online filings come back through bizfile Online as filed documents; counter filings are picked up when the Secretary of State releases them, or delivered electronically when that option was selected at submission. Either way the filed, endorsed copy is uploaded to your order the day we receive it. Certificates of status and certified copies are ordered the same way and returned the same way.

Filings we handle

Every filing type below appears on the Secretary of State's forms and fee schedules for corporations and limited liability companies, or on its Uniform Commercial Code program page. Filing fees follow the Secretary of State's fee schedule and are passed through at cost.

ANNUAL AND BIENNIAL

Statements of Information

Due within 90 days of initial registration, then every year for domestic stock corporations and every two years for LLCs and nonprofits. Online only. We file them in batches for firms and agents maintaining many entities.

FORMATION

Articles of Incorporation and Articles of Organization

General stock, close, professional and nonprofit corporations; LLC formations. Online only through bizfile Online, with 24-hour or same-day expedite available.

CHANGES

Amendments and restated articles

Certificates of Amendment, including name-change-only forms, restated articles and Certificates of Correction. Accepted on paper, so these are our most common counter drop-offs and expedites.

WIND-UP

Dissolutions, cancellations and terminations

Certificate of Election to Wind Up and Dissolve, Certificate of Dissolution, Certificate of Cancellation and the short-form certificates. Online only since July 1, 2026 and require Full Access to the entity in bizfile Online.

RECORDS

Certificates of status and certified copies

Ordered online or through the Business Entities Records order form at the counter, and returned electronically. Used for lender closings, foreign qualifications and litigation exhibits.

NAMES AND AGENTS

Name reservations and agent filings

Name reservations and foreign name reservations; Registered Corporate Agent for Service of Process Certificates (Form 1505) and resignations of agent for service of process.

UCC

UCC and lien filings

The Secretary of State is the central filing office for UCC financing statements and for judgment, attachment and tax lien documents authorized under the Code of Civil Procedure and Government Code. Filed through UCC Connect or delivered to the Sacramento office.

Expedite and preclearance services

Standard processing follows the Secretary of State's current processing dates. When a closing, a court date or a tax deadline will not wait, the Secretary of State sells a guaranteed turnaround. The fees below are the Secretary of State's own, in addition to the filing fee, and are retained whether the document is filed or rejected; we pass them through at cost.

CLASS C

24-Hour Filing Service, $350

Online or drop-off in Sacramento. Filing response within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays: a document submitted Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. has a response by Thursday at 11:00 a.m.

CLASS B

Same Day Filing Service, $750

Online or drop-off in Sacramento. The document must reach the Secretary of State by 9:30 a.m.; the filing response is available by 4:00 p.m. the same day.

CLASS A

4-Hour Filing Service, $500

Drop-off only in Sacramento. Filing response within four hours, but the document must already be precleared and approved to qualify.

PRECLEARANCE

24-Hour Preclearance Service, $500

Drop-off only in Sacramento. The Secretary of State reviews the document before its intended filing date and responds within 24 hours, excluding weekends and state holidays.

Need it filed today? Same Day service needs the document at the counter by 9:30 a.m. Call and we will confirm what is still possible.

Rejections corrected and resubmitted

A filing response from the Secretary of State either confirms the filing or states the reason it was rejected. Because special handling and expedite fees are kept either way, a rejection costs money as well as time, so we check each document before it goes in: the entity name and number match the Secretary of State's record, the form is the current version, the signatures and dates are present, and the fee matches the schedule. When something is rejected anyway, we send you the response the same day, fix what can be fixed on our side, collect any new signature, and resubmit under the same expedite class if you want it.

What to send us

The completed, signed document as a PDF, the entity name and Secretary of State entity number, the deadline, whether you want standard, 24-hour, same-day or 4-hour service, and where the filed copy should go. For records orders, tell us the entity and whether you need a certificate of status, certified copies or both.

How it works

1

Upload the documents

Signed PDFs, entity number and deadline.

2

Get a quote and confirm

We confirm the channel, the expedite class and the fees, quote in minutes, and start when you approve.

3

We file

Through bizfile Online, or at the counter at 1500 11th Street with special handling or an expedite.

4

Filed copy returned

Uploaded to your order the day the Secretary of State releases it; rejections are corrected and resubmitted.

What we do and do not do. StrikeServe files documents you or your attorney have prepared and signed. We are not a law firm and not a legal document assistant; we do not choose your entity type, prepare articles or advise on what to file. This is general information, not legal advice. Filing types, channels and fees are set by the Secretary of State and change; confirm the current requirements at sos.ca.gov or with your attorney.

Secretary of State filing: frequently asked questions

Where is the California Secretary of State filing office in Sacramento?
The Business Programs Division public counter is at 1500 11th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., excluding state holidays. StrikeServe's office is on K Street in downtown Sacramento, so drop-off and pickup runs are routine for us.
Can every Secretary of State filing be dropped off at the counter?
No. The Secretary of State lists Articles of Incorporation, Articles of Organization, Statements of Information and, since July 1, 2026, dissolutions, cancellations and other terminations as online-only filings through bizfile Online. Amendments, restated articles, corrections, mergers and conversions are still accepted on paper by mail or drop-off. We route each document to the channel the Secretary of State accepts it through.
How fast can a Secretary of State filing be completed?
Standard processing follows the Secretary of State's current processing dates. For a guaranteed turnaround, the Secretary of State offers 24-Hour Filing Service (Class C, $350, online or drop-off), Same Day Filing Service (Class B, $750, online or drop-off, received by 9:30 a.m. with a response by 4:00 p.m.), and 4-Hour Filing Service (Class A, $500, drop-off only, document must be precleared first). Expedite fees are passed through at cost on top of the filing fee.
What is Secretary of State preclearance?
Preclearance is a review of a business entity document before its intended filing date. The Secretary of State's 24-Hour Preclearance Service costs $500, is drop-off only in Sacramento, and returns a response within 24 hours, excluding weekends and state holidays. A document must be precleared and approved to qualify for the 4-Hour Filing Service.
What happens if the Secretary of State rejects a filing?
The filing response states the reason for the rejection. We forward it to you the same day, correct what can be corrected on our side, collect anything that needs a new signature, and resubmit. Special handling and expedite fees are retained by the Secretary of State whether a request is approved or rejected, so we check each document before it goes in.
How is Secretary of State filing priced?
By the job: the filing type, online or counter, and the expedite class if any. No published flat rate; order online or call for a quote in minutes. Secretary of State filing fees, special handling fees and expedite fees are passed through at cost.

Need something filed with the Secretary of State?

Order online in under 3 minutes, or call and we will confirm the fastest route for your document.

Order a filing(866) 811-1141

Related pages

Court filing in SacramentoCourt filing in CaliforniaServe a registered agentProcess server in SacramentoSubpoena serviceFor law firmsFor agencies

Sources

  1. California Secretary of State, Contact Information, Business Entities (1500 11th Street address, counter hours).
  2. California Secretary of State, Service Options, Business Entities (bizfile Online, drop-off special handling fees, 24-Hour Preclearance, Class A, B and C expedite services and fees).
  3. California Secretary of State, Forms, Samples and Fees, including the California corporations and California LLC schedules (online-only filing types, Statement of Information due dates, July 1, 2026 termination rule, Form 1505, name reservations, certificates of status and certified copies).
  4. California Secretary of State, Uniform Commercial Code (central filing office for UCC financing statements and lien documents, UCC Connect).
  5. California Secretary of State, bizfile Online.