Sun Document Filings can form a California limited partnership (LP); form a California general partnership (GP); form a California limited liability partnership (LLP) with the California Secretary of State on an expedited basis. First we check name availability with the California Secretary of State to make sure the California LP name is available. Please note that we are unable to conduct name availability checks for general partnership or Limited Liability Partnerships. Second, you will fill out the California LP/GP/LLP form. Third, you sign and fax the California LP/GP/LLP formation document to us. Fourth, we will file the California LP/GP/LLP formation document in Sacramento at the Secretary of State partnership counter. We will obtain a California partnership file number from the Secretary of State for your LP/GP/LLP. We will obtain two certified copies of the formation document for all California partnerships at no extra charge. We make it easy to file a California Limited Partnership, a California General Partnership, a California Limited Liability Partnership or a foreign partnership with the California Secretary of State. Start by following our simple steps. 24 HOUR RUSH OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE

Step 1: Check name availability: Skip this step if you have already checked name availability or if you are trying to form a general partnership or a limited liability partnership. First, determine your primary and back up name choices for your California Limited Partnership. Please download our name availability order form in PDF format.

Step 2: Prepare the form: Prepare the formation document. For your convenience, you may download a copy of the form including detailed instructions prepared by the California Secretary of State in PDF format below. The form provided can be viewed and printed from your computer using the most current version of the Adobe Reader (available for free from Adobe's Website).

For a California LP formation, use form LP-1 Certificate of Limited Partnership

For a California LLP formation, use form LLP-1 Registered LLP Registration

For a California GP formation, use form GP-1 Statement of Partnership Authority

Please note that we provide California registered agent services for $159.00 a year. Please contact us if you are interested and we will assist you in designating the registered agent correctly on the Articles of Organization.

Please read tips and requirements to avoid document rejection for LP/LLP/GP forms by clicking here.

Step 3: Fax the document to us: Print out the partnership formation document, sign it, and fax it with a cover letter containing your contact information including mailing address to 800-498-3611; Attn: Partnership filing unit. We will contact you upon receipt. If you do not hear from us after an hour has past, please contact us at 800-498-2822.

If you prefer, you may e-mail your contact information and the form to order@sundocumentfilings.com. Please note that you must have the complete version of Adobe Acrobat or you will not be able to save the information you have inputted on the form. The California Secretary of State will not file illegible or minimized documents. Please type your form for clarity.

Step 4: Document is Filed: If we receive your California Partnership formation document by 2:00pm M-F, your limited partnership/general partnership/limited liability partnership will be filed and active by 5:00PM! This means your company will be given the file date your document was submitted on. Please note that even though we deliver your document in person to the California partnership filing counter, as a service company, we are not allowed to "stand and wait" for your document to be filed. No service company is allowed to stand and wait for your document and nobody can file your document faster. Once the document is submitted to the Secretary of State, the State will take 5-7 business days to process your document. 5-7 business days maybe longer then desired, but keep in mind that if you mail the document to the state for processing, you will have to wait 5-7 weeks if you mail the document in. From mid November to mid February, turnaround times will increase due to high volumes of work that the Secretary of State will have to process. This is due to companies trying to merge and dissolve before the end of the year to avoid additional taxes and new companies that are being formed at the beginning of the year. There is a 24 hour paid rush option.

Step 5: Document is complete: When the state is finished with your document, they will issue a state partnership number and two certified copies. Our runners' will pick up your document and bring it back to our office. We will immediately fax a copy of the filed document to you. We will return the two certified copies via regular mail. FedEx is available for an additional $25.00 fee or if you have your own FedEx account number, there is no extra charge.

That is it. So fast and easy!

Step 6: Employer Identification Number: If you would like, we can obtain your client's EIN for their new California partnership. Simply download and fill out our EIN application in PDF format and we will prepare the form and e-mail it to you for your client's signature. Once we receive your client's signature, we will obtain the EIN within 24-48 hours. Add $45.00 for this service.

Step 7: LP/GP/LLP Kit: We offer a variety of partnership kits that include a custom binder with the name of the partnership hot stamped on the binder, seal embosser, 20 partnership certificates, partnership rolls, and more. You can order the kit at the time of filing or if you prefer, you can place the order on-line using your credit card. To view all of our kits, please click here. Standard kit including 2nd day shipping is $75.00.

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Service and State Fees for Limited Partnerships/General Partnerships/Limited Liability Partnerships

Name availability check: $30.00 for one first choice plus 2 back up name choices for no extra charge.

California Registered Agent services for one year: $159.00. Annual fee due at time of filing.

24 Rush: $350.00 Secretary of State rush fee + $70.00 state filing fee + $100.00 rush service fee. Total: $520.00 . Fee includes everything included on the order form. Please click here for the order form. GP & LLP filers can also use this form.

Routine fax/e-mail: 7 business days: Our service fee is $70.00 plus the California Secretary of State fee of $85.00 ($70.00 filing fee + $15.00 counter fee) for a total of $155.00. Fax or e-mail the document to our office. Credit card required. This option shaves a day of the filing time, eliminates preparation time on your end, and saves you a FedEx fee to our office.

Budget Mail in: 7 business days: Our service fee is $50.00 plus the California Secretary of State fee of $70.00 filing fee + $15.00 counter fee. To qualify for the reduced service fee, you must send the following: 1 originally signed document and 2 photocopies. Two separate checks both made payable to the Secretary of State; one for $70.00 and one for $15.00. A third check for our fee made payable to Sun Document Filings for $50.00. Add $3.00 if you would like a fax return copy. Add $25.00 if you would like FedEx overnight. Use your own FedEx number for no extra service charge.

Certificate of Good Standing at the time of filing: Our service fee is $35.00 plus $5.00 state fee per certificate.

Why choose Sun Document Filings?

We have filed thousands of California partnership formation documents with the California Secretary of State over the years. Unlike other online service companies, we are in Sacramento...the only place California partnership formation documents can be filed on an expedited basis. We personally visit the California Secretary of State's California partnership counter 3 times a day to drop off and pick up documents. We are very experienced in handling California partnership formations.

Please read what your peers have to say about our services but viewing our testimonials. Trust Sun Document Filings for all of your California document needs.

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Tips to help you prepare the form correctly and avoid rejection.

 - Read all the instructions provided by the California Secretary of State.
 - If the form asks for a street address, do not put a P.O. Box or PMB address. Do not abbreviate the city's name.

 - All the PDF forms allow you to type on the form. However you won't be able to save the document or less you have the complete version of Adobe Acrobat. The free reader does not count as the complete version.

 - The PDF form has preset fields that may not be large enough for your information. Simply complete as much as you can fit in and then print it out and either type in the information with a type writer or neatly hand write the additional information. After you print the document, double check that all the information that you typed on the form is present. Often times, words are cut off and are not discovered until after the document is rejected. Do not abbreviate the information or exclude it because there isn't enough room to type it in.

For Limited Partnerships, if a general partner is a business entity the document must be signed correctly and on behalf of the business entity.

 - The Limited Partnership name must end with L.P. or the Secretary of State will not file it. Although the form still says L.P., they are accepting name endings without the punctuation such as LP.

The person signing on behalf of the business entity must be listed on the current Statement of Information and sign the document as follows:

If general partner is a corporation - John Doe, President on behalf of ABC, Inc., General Partner - This would indicate that the general partner of the LP that is being formed is ABC, Inc. John Doe has authority as President of ABC, Inc. to sign on behalf of the company provided John Doe is listed on ABC, Inc.'s current Statement of Information.

If general partner is an LLC - John Doe, Manager on behalf of ABC, LLC, General Partner - This would indicate that the general partner of the LP that is being formed is ABC, LLC. John Doe has authority as Manager of ABC, LLC to sign on behalf of the company provided John Doe is listed on ABC, LLC's current Statement of Information.

For General Partnerships, the Statement of Partnership Authority shall be executed with the signatures of at least TWO partners.

 - Do not complete both 4a. and 4b. Complete only one field.
 - If the partners are business entities, please see the instructions above about Limited Partnership signatures.

For Limited Liability Partnerships: An LLP can only engage in the practice of architecture, the practice of public accountancy, the practice of law, or a related activity as provided in Section 16101(6)(A) of the California Corporation's Code.

 - The practice of Architecture will not be included as an acceptable LLP profession after January 1, 2007.

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NOTE: We hope you find our form a partnership steps useful and easy to follow. Nothing contained in our steps should be construed as giving legal or financial advice. Our intended audience is attorneys and accountants. Therefore, if you are not an attorney or accountant, you should contact an attorney or accountant for specific legal or tax questions regarding your LLC. Please be aware that the Tax agency and Nevada Secretary of State are government agencies and can change their fees/procedures/forms/turnaround times without notification. Although we do our best to update our steps and stay current, we shall not be held liable for any omissions or errors contained. We do not profess to be giving legal or financial advice to the general public. We are a typing and filing agency that serves the needs of attorneys and accountants.