Gullia Filing
Colorado state guide - 6 lessons

How to start an LLC in Colorado

Colorado runs one of the leanest LLC systems in the country. The Articles of Organization can only be filed online, the fee is $50, and approval is effectively instant because there is no paper queue to sit in. The trade-off is a yearly Periodic Report that falls in your own anniversary month rather than a fixed calendar date, which is easy to file and just as easy to forget. This guide covers the filing itself, the registered agent rules Colorado tightened in 2025, and the state tax and licensing steps that come after.

Colorado LLC facts at a glance

Colorado LLC facts at a glance
Official filing agencyColorado Secretary of State, Business Division
Formation documentArticles of Organization
State filing fee$50
Filing methodsOnline only, through the Secretary of State filing system
Typical processing (recent)Immediate (online)
Typical expedited processingNot offered
Registered agentRequired
Periodic Report$25, due Anniversary month
Late penalty$50 + noncompliant status after 2 months
State-level business taxNo franchise tax. 4.4% flat state income tax if electing C-Corp status.
Publication requirementNone
Filing methodOnline only. Colorado does not accept paper Articles of Organization for a standard domestic LLC filing.
Registered agent residency checkFrom July 1, 2025, an individual named as registered agent must confirm Colorado residency, either by submitting a current Colorado driver's licence or state ID, or by completing the Secretary of State's alternative address verification process.
Periodic Report fee historyThe Periodic Report fee was $10 from 2006 until it rose to $25 on July 1, 2024, to help cover new county election reimbursement costs set by the state legislature.
Statewide business licenceNone. A sales tax licence from the Department of Revenue is required only if you sell taxable goods or certain services; local licences vary by city and county.

Processing times reflect recent official guidance and change often. Check the Colorado Secretary of State, Business Division current processing calendar before you rely on a date.

File it yourself

Colorado accepts filings directly from business owners. You do not need us, or any other company, to form your LLC. Here is the official portal.

the Colorado Secretary of State online filing system

The Colorado lessons

  1. 1Name your Colorado LLCRequired wording, the distinguishable name standard, and Colorado's separate trade name system.
  2. 2Appoint your Colorado registered agentWho can serve, the new residency verification rules, and why address changes matter.
  3. 3File the Articles of OrganizationThe $50 fee, online-only filing, and what happens the moment you submit.
  4. 4Get an EIN and open a bank accountThe free IRS EIN, what Colorado banks typically ask for, and why separating money matters.
  5. 5Colorado state taxes, licences and permitsFlat state income tax on pass-through profit, the sales tax licence, and the absence of a statewide business licence.
  6. 6File your Periodic Report and stay compliantThe $25 report due in your anniversary month, the late penalty, and keeping the registered agent current.
Start lesson 1

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Official sources

Last reviewed: September 2026 - reviewed by Gullia Filing Legal & Formation Team, Corporate formation specialists and registered agents