> If you are doing business in california, you need to register a california llc

No, you can just register as a foreign LLC [1]. Notably, you do not have to disclose ownership to do business as a foreign, i.e. non-Californian, entity in California.

[1] http://bpd.cdn.sos.ca.gov/llc/forms/llc-5.pdf

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice.

Thanks for correction.

The requirement for qualifying to do business in a foreign State isn't based on whether you are doing business in said state, rather if the business has a physical presence in said State.

It's not that cut and dry. Consult your legal counsel for the correct answer to this scenario.

Unfortunately for Californians, if any managing member of an LLC resides in California the state requires the LLC to register as a foreign LLC and pay an $800 per year tax.