{
  "$schema": "https://govschema.org/spec/v0.2/govschema.schema.json",
  "govschemaVersion": "0.2.0",
  "id": "us/ca/sos/business-entity-llc-formation",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "title": "California LLC Formation (Articles of Organization, Form LLC-1)",
  "description": "Form a limited liability company (LLC) in California by filing Articles of Organization (Form LLC-1) with the California Secretary of State, using the data model of the paper/PDF LLC-1 form. Covers the initial formation filing only: LLC name, business addresses, agent for service of process, management structure, and organizer signature. Filing fee $70 (plus an optional $5 certified-copy fee); fastest channel is online at bizfileOnline.sos.ca.gov, which mirrors this same field set. It does not submit the filing; the live California Secretary of State source is always authoritative (see VERIFICATION.md). Out of scope: the Operating Agreement (not filed with the state), the Statement of Information (a separate filing due within 90 days and biennially thereafter, Form LLC-12), and the federal EIN application (see us/irs/employer-identification-number-ss4).",
  "status": "draft",
  "jurisdiction": {
    "country": "US",
    "level": "subnational",
    "subdivision": "US-CA"
  },
  "authority": {
    "name": "California Secretary of State",
    "abbreviation": "SOS",
    "url": "https://www.sos.ca.gov/"
  },
  "process": {
    "type": "registration",
    "language": "en-US"
  },
  "source": {
    "url": "https://bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/llc/forms/llc-1.pdf",
    "retrievedAt": "2026-07-01",
    "documentRef": "Form LLC-1 (Rev. 11/2023)"
  },
  "verification": {
    "method": "manual-source-review-v1",
    "lastVerifiedAt": "2026-07-01",
    "verifiedBy": "GovSchema Engineering",
    "nextReviewBy": "2027-01-01",
    "notes": "Source-derived reference schema transcribed field-by-field from the Form LLC-1 (Rev. 11/2023) PDF (all six numbered items read in full) and cross-checked against the LLC-1 Instructions (Rev. 08/2019), which supplies the California Corporations Code name-requirement citations, the agent-for-service-of-process rules, and the management/signature notes not restated on the form itself. Not a time-versioned/edition form: Articles of Organization is a one-time initial filing, not filed 'for' a recurring period, so it is authored at the plain (non-edition) registry path per the GSP-0005 §2 coexistence test. Status remains 'draft' pending full independent field-by-field source review. See VERIFICATION.md."
  },
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "fields": [
    {
      "name": "llcName",
      "label": "Limited Liability Company Name",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "The proposed LLC name exactly as it should appear on Secretary of State records. Must contain an LLC identifier (LLC, L.L.C., Limited Liability Company, Limited Liability Co., Ltd. Liability Company, or Ltd Liability Co.; \"LLC\" is added if omitted). Per California Corporations Code section 17701.08, must not contain \"bank\", \"trust\", \"trustee\", \"incorporated\", \"inc.\", \"corporation\", \"corp.\", or any word suggesting the LLC issues insurance policies, and must be distinguishable from other entities of record or reserved with the Secretary of State. A name reservation is not required to file this form.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 1",
      "validation": { "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 200 }
    },
    {
      "name": "principalOfficeAddressLine1",
      "label": "Initial street address of principal office",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "The address where the LLC's organizational documents, operating agreement, and other business records are kept. Must be a physical street address; do not enter a P.O. box. Does not need to be the LLC's place of business activity.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 2a",
      "validation": { "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 120 }
    },
    {
      "name": "principalOfficeCity",
      "label": "Principal office — city",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Do not abbreviate the city name.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 2a",
      "validation": { "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 80 }
    },
    {
      "name": "principalOfficeState",
      "label": "Principal office — state",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Two-letter USPS state abbreviation. Not restricted to California: Corp. Code §17701.02(w) defines the LLC's \"principal office\" as its principal office \"whether or not the office is located in this state,\" and §17702.01(b)(3) requires the Articles of Organization to state that same address with no CA restriction. The Instructions (Rev. 08/2019) still labeled item 2a \"the LLC's initial designated office in California\", but a 2022 amendment (eff. 2023-01-01) substituted \"principal\" for \"designated\" in §17702.01, which is why the current Form LLC-1 (Rev. 11/2023) item label reads \"Principal Office\" with no \"in California\" qualifier and, unlike item 3b's agent address, has no pre-printed \"CA\". California maintenance of a designated office in-state (Corp. Code §17701.13(a)(1)) is a separate, ongoing requirement disclosed on the Statement of Information (Form LLC-12), not on this form. See VERIFICATION.md.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 2a",
      "validation": { "pattern": "^[A-Z]{2}$" }
    },
    {
      "name": "principalOfficeZipCode",
      "label": "Principal office — ZIP code",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "5-digit or ZIP+4 U.S. format, e.g. 95814 or 95814-1234.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 2a",
      "validation": { "pattern": "^[0-9]{5}(-[0-9]{4})?$" }
    },
    {
      "name": "mailingAddressLine1",
      "label": "Initial mailing address of LLC, if different from item 2a",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Optional; used for mailing purposes only. Unlike the principal office address, this may be a P.O. box or an \"in care of\" address.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 2b",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 120 }
    },
    {
      "name": "mailingAddressCity",
      "label": "Mailing address — city",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Required when mailingAddressLine1 is given. Do not abbreviate the city name.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 2b",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 80 }
    },
    {
      "name": "mailingAddressState",
      "label": "Mailing address — state",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Required when mailingAddressLine1 is given. Two-letter USPS state abbreviation.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 2b",
      "validation": { "pattern": "^[A-Z]{2}$" }
    },
    {
      "name": "mailingAddressZipCode",
      "label": "Mailing address — ZIP code",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Required when mailingAddressLine1 is given. 5-digit or ZIP+4 U.S. format.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 2b",
      "validation": { "pattern": "^[0-9]{5}(-[0-9]{4})?$" }
    },
    {
      "name": "agentType",
      "label": "Agent for service of process — type",
      "type": "enum",
      "required": true,
      "description": "The LLC must name an agent for service of process: either an individual (a member, manager, or any other individual who resides in California with a physical California address) OR a registered corporate agent qualified with the Secretary of State — not both. If individual, also give agentFirstName/agentLastName/agentStreetAddressLine1/agentCity/agentState/agentZipCode. If corporation, also give agentCorporationName.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 3",
      "validation": { "enum": ["individual", "corporation"] }
    },
    {
      "name": "agentFirstName",
      "label": "California agent's first name (if agent is not a corporation)",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Required when agentType is individual. The name and California street address of an individual agent is a public record.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 3a",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 80 }
    },
    {
      "name": "agentMiddleName",
      "label": "California agent's middle name",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 3a",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 80 }
    },
    {
      "name": "agentLastName",
      "label": "California agent's last name",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Required when agentType is individual.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 3a",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 80 }
    },
    {
      "name": "agentSuffix",
      "label": "California agent's suffix",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "E.g. Jr., Sr., III.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 3a",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 10 }
    },
    {
      "name": "agentStreetAddressLine1",
      "label": "California agent's street address (if agent is not a corporation)",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. Required when agentType is individual. Must be a physical California street address; do not enter a P.O. box or an \"in care of\" address.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 3b",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 120 }
    },
    {
      "name": "agentCity",
      "label": "California agent's address — city",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Required when agentType is individual. Do not abbreviate the city name.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 3b",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 80 }
    },
    {
      "name": "agentState",
      "label": "California agent's address — state",
      "type": "enum",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Required when agentType is individual. Fixed to California: the form pre-prints \"CA\" in this field, since an individual agent for service of process must reside in California with a California address.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 3b",
      "validation": { "enum": ["CA"] }
    },
    {
      "name": "agentZipCode",
      "label": "California agent's address — ZIP code",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Required when agentType is individual. 5-digit or ZIP+4 U.S. format.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 3b",
      "validation": { "pattern": "^[0-9]{5}(-[0-9]{4})?$" }
    },
    {
      "name": "agentCorporationName",
      "label": "California registered corporate agent's name (if agent is a corporation)",
      "type": "string",
      "required": false,
      "description": "Required when agentType is corporation. Enter the exact name as registered with the Secretary of State. Before designation, the corporation must have a current agent registration certificate on file under Corporations Code section 1505, and advance approval from that corporation must be obtained.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 3c",
      "validation": { "maxLength": 160 }
    },
    {
      "name": "managementStructure",
      "label": "Management",
      "type": "enum",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Select only one box. Every LLC must have at least one member; if no manager is appointed or elected, all members are managers.",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 4",
      "validation": { "enum": ["one_manager", "more_than_one_manager", "all_members"] }
    },
    {
      "name": "organizerName",
      "label": "Print your name here (organizer signature block)",
      "type": "string",
      "required": true,
      "description": "Personal identifier; handle as sensitive data. The printed name of the person signing under penalty of perjury (the organizer), who need not be a member or manager of the LLC. Do not include the signer's title. If a business entity is the organizer, the printed name should instead reflect the signer's capacity, e.g. \"Joe Smith, Manager of Smith LLC, Organizer\"; if a trust, e.g. \"Mary Todd, trustee of the Lincoln Family Trust (U/T 5-1-1994), Member\". Only one Form LLC-1 with one set of signatures may be filed; additional organizers sign on an attached page (out of scope for this flat field set — see GSP-0009).",
      "sourceRef": "Form LLC-1 item 6",
      "validation": { "minLength": 1, "maxLength": 160 }
    }
  ],
  "steps": [
    {
      "id": "llc_name",
      "title": "LLC name",
      "fields": ["llcName"],
      "next": "addresses"
    },
    {
      "id": "addresses",
      "title": "Business addresses",
      "fields": [
        "principalOfficeAddressLine1", "principalOfficeCity", "principalOfficeState", "principalOfficeZipCode",
        "mailingAddressLine1", "mailingAddressCity", "mailingAddressState", "mailingAddressZipCode"
      ],
      "next": "agent_for_service_of_process"
    },
    {
      "id": "agent_for_service_of_process",
      "title": "Agent for service of process",
      "fields": [
        "agentType",
        "agentFirstName", "agentMiddleName", "agentLastName", "agentSuffix",
        "agentStreetAddressLine1", "agentCity", "agentState", "agentZipCode",
        "agentCorporationName"
      ],
      "next": "management"
    },
    {
      "id": "management",
      "title": "Management structure",
      "fields": ["managementStructure"],
      "next": "signature"
    },
    {
      "id": "signature",
      "title": "Organizer signature",
      "fields": ["organizerName"]
    }
  ]
}