How to form an LLC in Colorado

Colorado is one of the quickest and cheapest states to form an LLC: online only, usually approved on the spot, with a small yearly report. This guide covers the filing and the Periodic Report window that catches owners out.

By Muhammad Bilal, Chartered Accountant. Reviewed by Awais Jameel, Chartered Accountant. Checked against official sources on . 3 minute read.

Short answer

To form an LLC in Colorado, file Articles of Organization online with the Colorado Secretary of State and pay $50. Colorado only accepts online filings, and approval is usually immediate. Each year, file a Periodic Report for $25 in a window around your formation anniversary month. A late report costs $50 and can lead to delinquency.

At a glance

State filing fee
$50, online only
Approval
Usually immediate online
Periodic Report
$25 a year, since July 2024
Report window
From two months before to the end of the second month after the anniversary month
Late report
$50 penalty, then delinquency
Registered agent
Required, Colorado street address
How to form an LLC in ColoradoState filing fee: $50, online only; Approval: Usually immediate online; Periodic Report: $25 a year, since July 2024; Report window: From two months before to the end of the second month after the anniversary month; Late report: $50 penalty, then delinquency; Registered agent: Required, Colorado street address.KEY FACTS AT A GLANCEHow to form an LLC in ColoradoState filing fee$50, online onlyApprovalUsually immediate onlinePeriodic Report$25 a year, since July2024Report windowFrom two months before tothe end of the second monthafter the anniversary monthLate report$50 penalty, thendelinquencyRegistered agentRequired, Colorado streetaddressChecked against official sourcesTax BakersHow to form an LLC in ColoradoState filing fee: $50, online only; Approval: Usually immediate online; Periodic Report: $25 a year, since July 2024; Report window: From two months before to the end of the second month after the anniversary month; Late report: $50 penalty, then delinquency; Registered agent: Required, Colorado street address.KEY FACTS AT A GLANCEHow to form an LLC in ColoradoState filing fee$50, online onlyApprovalUsually immediate onlinePeriodic Report$25 a year, since July 2024Report windowFrom two months before to the end of thesecond month after the anniversary monthLate report$50 penalty, then delinquencyRegistered agentRequired, Colorado street addressChecked against official sourcesTax Bakers
Key facts at a glance, as set out in this guide.

Who should form an LLC in Colorado?

Anyone who lives in Colorado or runs their business from there. If you form in another state but operate in Colorado, you will usually have to register there as a foreign LLC anyway, paying both states' fees. See home state or another state.

How do you form an LLC in Colorado, step by step?

  1. Choose and check the name

    Search the state's business records and include "LLC", "L.L.C." or "Limited Liability Company" in the name.

  2. Appoint a registered agent

    A person or company with a physical street address in Colorado. See what a registered agent is.

  3. File the Articles of Organization

    Online only, through the Colorado Secretary of State's website, with the $50 fee. You can choose an immediate effective date or a later one.

  4. Get an EIN and sign an operating agreement

    The EIN is free from the IRS. See LLC operating agreement.

  5. Register for state taxes

    Sales tax and payroll as needed. Then note the first yearly filing date.

What does Colorado require every year?

A Periodic Report each year, $25, filed online. The window opens two months before your formation anniversary month and closes at the end of the second month after it. Filing after the window makes the LLC noncompliant with a $50 late penalty, and leaving it unfiled leads to delinquency, which costs more to cure. The fee rose from $10 to $25 in July 2024.

For deadlines, fees and late penalties in detail, see Colorado LLC yearly filings.

Do you need a trade name filing?

Only if you trade under a name different from the LLC's registered name, by filing a statement of trade name with the Secretary of State.

Should you file it yourself or use a formation service?

Filing yourself costs only the state fee, and the Colorado filing is short enough for most owners to complete. A formation service saves time, can act as your registered agent and may send reminders for yearly filings, but compare total yearly costs: low headline prices are often paired with paid add-ons such as expedited filing, operating agreements or EIN applications, which you can do yourself free. Whichever you choose, keep the approved filing, the EIN letter and your operating agreement together. See how much an LLC costs.

Can a non-resident form an LLC in Colorado?

Yes. Colorado has no residency or citizenship requirement for an LLC's members or managers. You need a registered agent with a Colorado street address and an EIN; a foreign owner without a Social Security number applies for the EIN on Form SS-4. A single-member LLC owned by a foreign person files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, even with no US income. See can a non-resident own a US LLC and annual filings for foreign-owned LLCs.

What happens if you miss a required report?

The state usually charges a late fee and marks the LLC as not in good standing, which can block a certificate of good standing, a bank account or a loan. If the filing stays overdue, the state can administratively dissolve the LLC, ending its liability protection and its claim to the name. Reinstatement means filing every missing report and paying the fees owed, so put the dates in your calendar. See reinstating a dissolved LLC.

Which Colorado taxes apply to an LLC?

Colorado has a flat state income tax on owners' shares of profit and a state sales tax, with local sales taxes on top, some administered by home-rule cities themselves. Register with the Colorado Department of Revenue for sales tax if you sell taxable goods.

If you sell online, see Colorado sales tax for online sellers.

Federally, a Colorado LLC is taxed like any other LLC. See how LLCs are taxed. For a side-by-side view of state costs, see how much an LLC costs.

Want your Colorado LLC formed?

We file your Articles of Organization, arrange the registered agent and EIN, and keep track of every Colorado deadline for you.

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Questions people ask

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

$50 to file Articles of Organization online, then $25 a year for the Periodic Report.

Can I file a Colorado LLC by mail?

Generally no. Colorado accepts business formation filings online.

When is the Colorado Periodic Report due?

In a window from two months before to the end of the second month after your formation anniversary month.

What happens if I miss the Colorado Periodic Report?

The LLC becomes noncompliant with a $50 late penalty, and eventually delinquent.

Sources

Every fee, date and rule on this page was taken from these official and primary sources.

  1. Colorado Secretary of State: Business organizations fee schedule
  2. Colorado Revised Statutes section 7-90-501: periodic reports
  3. IRS: Get an employer identification number
  4. IRS: Employer identification number, including international applicants

Rules and fees change. If you are reading this long after September 30, 2026, confirm the figures with the source before you rely on them.

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This guide is general information. It is not tax or legal advice for your situation.