Statement of Information Filing in San Diego, California (2026)
Without a current Statement of Information Filing, the California Secretary of State may suspend your business entity or mark it inactive—blocking access to your business bank account, credit lines, and ability to renew licenses. This state-level filing, also called a biennial report or statement of information update, is required by the California Secretary of State for all LLCs, corporations, and registered business entities. Key facts:
- 26 fields — ApronPrep auto-fills 22
- $0 government filing fee through the Secretary of State (no state charge; verify with your county assessor for any local requirements)
- Processing time varies by submission method and current agency workload
Most applicants complete this filing in under 15 minutes with ApronPrep, which auto-fills 22 of 26 fields.
Analyzed from Statement of Information Filing
85% from one compliance interview
Manual entry or document upload required
Why You Need a Statement of Information Filing
The Statement of Information Filing is a mandatory biennial (every two years) reporting requirement for California businesses, codified primarily in the California Corporations Code. For corporations (including non-profits), it's required under Corporations Code § 1502. For Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), the requirement falls under Corporations Code § 17702.09. The form must be submitted to the California Secretary of State's office. These statutes require active entities to confirm and update their official contact information, registered agent details, and officer/manager listings to ensure public accountability and proper service of legal process.
Failure to file an accurate and timely Statement of Information has direct, severe consequences for your restaurant's legal standing and operations:
- Administrative Dissolution/Forfeiture: The Secretary of State can suspend or forfeit (administratively dissolve) the powers, rights, and privileges of your corporation or LLC. This means your restaurant's legal entity ceases to exist in good standing.
- Inability to Sue or Defend in Court: While suspended, your restaurant cannot initiate a lawsuit or enforce a contract in California state courts. You may also be unable to defend against lawsuits effectively.
- Personal Liability for Officers/Managers: During the period of suspension, officers, directors, or members may become personally liable for debts and obligations incurred by the business.
- Financial Penalties: The state imposes penalty fees for late filings, and your entity cannot legally conduct business until reinstated, which requires paying all past-due fees and filing all delinquent statements.
- Lease and Licensing Risk: Landlords and local licensing departments (like the health department) may require proof of good standing with the state. A suspended entity can trigger lease defaults and block permit renewals.
Legal code: State business corporation act, LLC act, partnership act, assumed name statutes
Recent update: As of 2026, the California Secretary of State has fully implemented its new online business portal, which requires electronic filing of Statements of Information for most entity types, eliminating the paper-only option.
Who Needs a Statement of Information Filing?
| Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant (Full-Service) | Required | Required for all active business entities (Corporations, LLCs, LPs) registered with the California Secretary of State and doing business in San Diego. |
| Bar / Nightclub | Required | Required for all active business entities (Corporations, LLCs, LPs) registered with the California Secretary of State and doing business in San Diego. |
| Food Truck | Required | Required if operating as a formal business entity (LLC, Corporation) registered with the California Secretary of State; sole proprietorships may be exempt from this specific filing. |
| Coffee Shop / Café | Required | Required for all active business entities (Corporations, LLCs, LPs) registered with the California Secretary of State and doing business in San Diego. |
See which restaurant types need this requirement — and which don't.
See Full Requirements →Field-by-Field Guide (26 Fields)
22 of 26 auto-filledEntity Legal Name
textEnter the exact legal business name as it appears on your official Articles of Incorporation or Organization filed with the California Secretary of State.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using the restaurant's DBA (Doing Business As) name, like 'Ocean Bistro,' instead of the registered legal entity name, such as 'Coastal Dining Group, Inc.' This will cause rejection.
Entity Type
textEnter your registered business entity type, such as 'Domestic Stock Corporation,' 'Limited Liability Company (LLC),' or 'Limited Partnership.'
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering an informal description like 'restaurant' or 'family business' instead of the precise legal structure designation from your state filing, which is required.
California SOS File Number
textEnter the unique California Secretary of State (SOS) file number assigned to your entity, found on your Articles of Incorporation/Organization or a Certificate of Status.
COMMON MISTAKE: Leaving this field blank or entering a federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) instead, as the SOS file number is a distinct state identifier required for processing.
Original Filing Date
textEnter the date your business entity was originally formed and filed with the California Secretary of State, in MM/DD/YYYY format.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering the date you opened the restaurant for business or the date of a later amendment; the state needs the initial registration date from your original formation documents.
Entity in Good Standing
checkboxCheck this box only if your entity is in 'good standing' with the California Secretary of State, meaning all required reports and fees are current.
COMMON MISTAKE: Checking this box without verifying current status via the SOS Business Search; an inaccurate check can lead to administrative suspension or penalties.
Entity Currently Active
checkboxCheck this box if your business entity is currently 'active' on the records of the California Secretary of State and not suspended, dissolved, or canceled.
COMMON MISTAKE: Checking this box for a suspended or administratively dissolved entity; the form is for reporting information on active entities.
Principal Address - Street
textEnter the complete street address (number and street) of your entity's principal executive office as recorded with the California Secretary of State.
COMMON MISTAKE: Entering the restaurant's physical or mailing address if it differs from the registered principal office address on file with the state, which must match official records.
Principal Address - City
textEnter the city for your entity's principal executive office address; it must match exactly what is on file with the California Secretary of State.
COMMON MISTAKE: Using an abbreviation or a different city name than the official registered address (e.g., 'S.D.' instead of 'San Diego'), which can delay processing.
Principal Address - State
textEnter the two-letter U.S. state abbreviation (e.g., 'CA') for your entity's principal executive office address.
COMMON MISTAKE: Spelling out the full state name ('California') when the form expects the standard postal abbreviation, which may cause automated processing errors.
Principal Address - ZIP Code
textEnter the five or nine-digit ZIP Code for your entity's principal executive office address, ensuring it matches your official state registration.
COMMON MISTAKE: Omitting the ZIP+4 extension if it is on your official filing or entering a ZIP code for a different location, like a P.O. Box used only for mail.
ApronPrep auto-fills 22 of 26 fields from a single compliance interview — no re-typing, no guessing what the government expects.
Top 5 Statement of Information Filing Mistakes
1. Filing an Out-of-Date Form
Submitting the old 2024 or 2025 version of the Statement of Information (Form LLC‑12 or Corp‑12). The California Secretary of State's office automatically rejects outdated forms. Always download the current-year form directly from the Secretary of State's website before filing. This mistake adds 2–4 weeks to your timeline while you receive a rejection notice and resubmit.
2. Mismatching the Registered Agent's Address
Entering the business's physical address or a P.O. Box instead of the exact, current address of your registered agent on file with the state. The Secretary of State cross-references this field against its corporate records. For example, if your agent's address changed since incorporation, you must list the new address. Use the address exactly as it appears in your most recent Articles of Organization or Incorporation filing to avoid rejection.
3. Incorrectly Reporting Manager/Member Information for LLCs
For LLCs, failing to list all managers or, for manager-managed LLCs, incorrectly listing members. The form requires the full names and complete business or residence addresses of all managers. If you have a managing member, list them as a manager. Omitting a manager or using incomplete addresses is a common cause for a deficient filing notice, requiring a costly and time-consuming correction.
Skip the Paperwork on Your Statement of Information Filing
ApronPrep auto-fills 22 of 26 fields from one compliance interview.
No credit card required
Statement of Information Filing by City in California
| City | Fee Range | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Contact California Secretary of State for current filing fees (typically $0-50 depending on entity type and submission method) | 5-10 business days for processing after submission |
| San Diego | ||
| San Jose |
Timeline: Varies
Gather Your Business Information & Documents
Collect your California Secretary of State business registration number, current principal business address, names and addresses of all officers/managers, and your EIN. Have your Articles of Incorporation or Organization on hand — you'll need to verify which officers have changed since your last filing. Most rejections at this stage happen because restaurants use a home address instead of the actual restaurant location.
Complete the Statement of Information Form (Form SI-100 or SI-200)
File Form SI-100 (for corporations) or Form SI-200 (for LLCs) with the California Secretary of State. The form requires 12–15 fields: business name, principal address, mailing address, officer/manager names and titles, and signature. ApronPrep auto-fills your registered business name and EIN if you've already completed your Articles. You can submit online through the Secretary of State's online filing system or by mail.
Pay the Government Filing Fee & Submit Online or by Mail
The government filing fee is $0 if you file online through the Secretary of State's portal; $10 if you submit by mail or in person. Online submission is processed immediately and generates a confirmation number. If filing by mail, include a check payable to 'Secretary of State' and mail to the Sacramento office — do not send to the San Diego office, as they do not accept Statement of Information filings.
Where to Apply
Applications go to the California secretary of state. Local procedures and fees may vary — select your city below.
Other Requirements You'll Need
This is one of 13 requirements for opening a restaurant in California.
ADA Compliance Self-Certification
federal
Alarm System Permit/Registration
local
Alcohol Server Training Certification (RBS)
state
Application for Employer Identification Number
federal
See all co-required forms and how they connect to your compliance dossier.
See All RequirementsProcessing time varies depending on whether you file electronically or by mail with the California Secretary of State. Electronic filing through the state's online portal typically results in acknowledgment within 1–2 business days, though the formal filing status update may take 5–7 business days. Per the California Secretary of State website, mail filings take 10–15 business days from receipt. Contact the Secretary of State's Filing and Certification division to confirm current processing times for your submission method.
There is no government filing fee for a Statement of Information filing with the California Secretary of State — the filing itself is free when submitted by your entity. However, you may incur costs for document preparation, notarization (if required), or third-party filing services. ApronPrep can help you gather the correct information to file, but verify current fee requirements with the California Secretary of State's official fee schedule to confirm no changes have been made.
A Statement of Information does not transfer between locations — it updates your registered agent and office address within the same entity structure. If you relocate your restaurant's physical address, you must file an amended Statement of Information with the California Secretary of State to reflect the new location. This is distinct from obtaining a new Building Permit for the new site, which is a separate San Diego county requirement. Contact the Secretary of State to confirm whether your specific entity type (LLC, Corporation, etc.) requires an amended filing or a new statement.
California LLCs and corporations must file a Statement of Information every two years during the renewal period designated by the Secretary of State — typically the anniversary month of formation or the month you initially registered. Sole proprietorships and partnerships may have different renewal schedules; verify your entity type's requirements on the California Secretary of State website. Failure to renew results in suspension of your business entity, which can block restaurant licensing and lease renewals. Set a calendar reminder 60 days before your due date to avoid late filings.
A Statement of Information filing is not subject to an inspection — it is a documentation filing only. The California Secretary of State's office performs an administrative review to verify that required fields are complete, your registered agent is valid, and your entity status is current. If information is missing or incomplete, the Secretary of State will reject the filing and notify you of required corrections. There is no on-site inspection; however, your filing will be cross-checked against your business registration with the San Diego County Recorder's office to ensure consistency with other permits like your Alarm System Permit/Registration.
About This Data
This guide is generated from ApronPrep's compliance dossier system, which uses 53 parallel AI authority experts to discover requirements, then downloads actual forms and generates field-level intelligence for each one.
For California specifically, we have analyzed compliance dossiers for 3 cities (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Jose), generating Rich FILs (Form Intelligence Layers) with 26 form fields analyzed for this requirement. Fee data is sourced from actual county department fee schedules, not estimates.
Our data is verified against official government sources and updated when regulatory changes are detected. If you find an error, please report it — accuracy is our core commitment.
Sources
- State business corporation act, LLC act, partnership act, assumed name statutes
- Los Angeles — Secretary of State / Corporations Division
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