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Start an LLC by State › Colorado

Starting an LLC in Colorado: step by step (2026)

To start an LLC in Colorado, file the Articles of Organization with the Colorado Secretary of State and pay the $50 state fee. Colorado LLCs file a Periodic Report every year, due the last day of the entity's anniversary month, for $25. Every Colorado LLC must keep a registered agent with a Colorado street address.

  • Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
  • Prices verified October 2026

How to form an LLC in Colorado

  1. Pick a name with “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company” in it, and check that it’s free on the Colorado Secretary of State business records.
  2. Name a registered agent: a person 18 or older whose home or usual place of business is in Colorado (since July 1, 2025 the person has to hold a Colorado driver's license or ID or otherwise verify residency), or a business entity in good standing with a usual place of business in Colorado. The agent has to consent.
  3. File the Articles of Organization with the Colorado Secretary of State and pay $50.
  4. Get an EIN from the IRS. It is free and comes after the LLC is formed.
  5. Sign an operating agreement among the members. It sets ownership and voting rules and stays with your records.
  6. File the yearly report. Colorado LLCs file a Periodic Report every year, due the last day of the entity's anniversary month, for $25.

Mainstay Filing takes care of the agent, the filing, the EIN application and each annual report for $199 a year plus Colorado’s fees.

Colorado LLC fees and rules

State filing fee
$50
Formation document
Articles of Organization
Yearly filing
Periodic Report, every year, $25
Due
Last day of the entity's anniversary month
Registered agent
Required. A person 18 or older whose home or usual place of business is in Colorado (since July 1, 2025 the person has to hold a Colorado driver's license or ID or otherwise verify residency), or a business entity in good standing with a usual place of business in Colorado. The agent has to consent.
Agent address
The address has to be a physical address in Colorado, either a home or a usual place of business. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
Filing fee rank
4th lowest of 50 (3 states charge less, 40 charge more)
Best overall for a Colorado LLC

Mainstay Filing

Our rating: 4.9 out of 5

$199 / year, all-in, plus state fees

$199 a year plus Colorado’s $50 filing fee, which is passed through at cost.

  • LLC formation, prepared and filed
  • Registered agent, all year
  • EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
  • Annual report, prepared and filed every year it’s due
  • Compliance reminders

The same $199 at renewal. Already have an LLC and only need an agent? Mainstay Filing’s registered agent service alone is $149 a year.

Prices verified October 21, 2026 on Mainstay Filing’s pricing and FAQ pages.

Colorado compared with neighboring states

StateFiling feeYearly filing
Colorado$50$25 / yr
Arizona$50None
Kansas$85$90 / 2 yrs
Nebraska$100$25 / 2 yrs
New Mexico$50None
Oklahoma$100$25 / yr
Utah$59$18 / yr
Wyoming$100$60 / yr

All 50 states

Colorado LLC questions

How much does it cost to start an LLC in Colorado?

$50 to the state to file. Colorado LLCs file a Periodic Report every year, due the last day of the entity's anniversary month, for $25. With Mainstay Filing, the formation filing, registered agent, EIN application and annual reports are $199 a year on top of the state fees.

Does Colorado require an annual report for LLCs?

Yes. Colorado LLCs file a Periodic Report every year, due the last day of the entity's anniversary month, for $25.

Do I need a registered agent in Colorado?

Yes. A person 18 or older whose home or usual place of business is in Colorado (since July 1, 2025 the person has to hold a Colorado driver's license or ID or otherwise verify residency), or a business entity in good standing with a usual place of business in Colorado. The agent has to consent.

Can I form a Colorado LLC myself?

Yes. You can file the Articles of Organization directly with the Colorado Secretary of State and pay the $50 fee. A service such as Mainstay Filing files it for you and adds the registered agent, EIN application and annual reports for $199 a year.

Other formation services

  • Northwest Registered Agent: $39 plus the state fee, with its registered agent service included the first year, then $125 a year; annual report filing is an extra $100 plus the state fee.
  • ZenBusiness: Starter package $0 plus the state fee; Pro is $199 a year with the EIN and annual-report filing, and its registered agent is a separate $199 a year that no package includes.
  • Bizee: Basic package $0 plus the state fee (Standard $199, Premium $299), with one free year of its registered agent, which is $149 a year after that.
  • LegalZoom: Basic package $0 plus the state fee (Pro $249, Premium $299); its registered agent is $249 a year for first-time agent customers.

Prices from each company’s own pages, checked October 20, 2026. Plus the state fee in every case.

Sources