About us
Who runs Golden State Explained, why we built it, how our guides are researched and checked, and how we stay independent of every government agency.
Golden State Explained explains California's official processes in plain English, so you can get them done correctly at the official source. We cover three areas:
- Business: registering a business name, collecting unpaid invoices, responding to lawsuits, commercial leases and hiring.
- Driving and vehicles: registration, smog checks, driver's licenses, REAL ID and buying or selling a car.
- Work and benefits: unemployment, State Disability Insurance, Paid Family Leave and employer payroll taxes.
Why we built it
California's rules are spread across statutes, court rules, agency pages and 58 different county offices. Official pages are accurate but often hard to navigate, and many search results for these topics are thin or misleading. We bring the rules together in one place, explain them in plain language, and link the official sources each guide relies on so you can check them yourself.
How we work
Every guide is written by the Golden State Explained editorial team from primary sources: the statute, court rule, official form or agency page it describes. We check fees, deadlines and portals on the issuing agency's own website, update the date on the guide, and recheck when the law or fees change. Our calculators use the official rules, rates and tables (statutes or agency publications) and, where the agency publishes worked examples, are tested against them. Read our editorial policy for details.
We are independent
We are not a court, the DMV, the EDD or any government agency, and we're not affiliated with or endorsed by them. We're also not a law firm or a lawyer referral service. We never process applications, sell government forms, charge for government services, or ask for your Social Security number, logins or case details. Every guide links to the official agency page so you can complete the task yourself, for free or at the official fee.
How we pay for the site
We show clearly labeled ads. We don't currently use affiliate links. See how we make money. Advertisers never decide what we write.
Get in touch
Spotted a mistake or an outdated fee? Please contact us. We fix confirmed errors and update the date on the page.