Register your Colorado LLC Online
Complete the form below in 2–3 minutes. Your LLC and EIN come at no extra cost — you only pay Colorado’s own $50 state fee.
- Enter your desired LLC name
- Choose your state
- Receive your LLC and free EIN by email
Trusted by Thousands Nationwide
What is an LLC in Colorado?
An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a simple structure for running your business under a professional name. It separates your business from your personal name, and it's the most common way to add a partner, sell the business, or look like a real company instead of a side project.
That separation goes further than the name. If the business owes money or gets sued, your house, car, and personal bank accounts are generally off-limits — as long as you run the LLC properly. It doesn't protect you from something you personally did wrong.
A sole proprietorship skips all of that. You're doing business under your own name or a DBA, and everything stays tied to you personally.
A corporation does the same separation as an LLC, but it's built for a different job: issuing stock and bringing in outside investors. An LLC is simpler to run and cheaper to keep up if that's not you right now.
Benefits of an LLC in Colorado
- Add partners or co-owners whenever you're ready
- Transfer ownership if you sell the business
- “Colorado Company, LLC” shows you’re a real business
- Shows you’re registered (Colorado Secretary of State)
- Get a matching domain like ColoradoCompanyLLC.com
- Simpler upkeep than forming a corporation
What's different about a Colorado LLC
Your $50 filing fee is a single flat charge for the Articles of Organization — Colorado doesn't split it into a separate registered-agent add-on the way some states do. Filing only happens online (Colorado doesn't accept a paper Articles of Organization at all), and the state's own system processes it in real time, so most LLCs are approved within minutes of payment instead of days.
Colorado has no separate franchise tax or minimum annual tax on an LLC — the periodic report above is the one recurring state cost every Colorado LLC owes, regardless of income. A standard LLC's profit simply passes through to the owner's own Colorado tax return, taxed like any other income. Colorado also doesn't require you to publish a notice in a newspaper, unlike a handful of other states.
Cost to start an LLC in Colorado
$50 to the Colorado Secretary of State — that's it. We don't charge a filing fee on top of it. A Colorado corporation runs $50 through the same process.
| What you get |  | Others |
|---|---|---|
| EIN (Tax ID) | Free | up to $99 |
| Registered agent | Freefirst year | up to $249per year |
| Name check | Free | usually free |
| Colorado state filing feespaid to the state — same for everyone | $50 | $50 |
Free EIN with your Colorado LLC
Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is what opens a business bank account and identifies your company to the IRS — it's like a Social Security Number for your LLC. It's included at no extra cost, right alongside your LLC.
LLC vs Corporation in Colorado
An LLC is simpler and more flexible, and keeps “LLC” in your business name. A corporation is a more formal structure built for issuing stock and outside investment, and keeps “Inc” or “Corp” in the name instead. 97% of our clients choose an LLC.
What is a Sole Proprietor in Colorado?
A sole proprietorship means you're doing business as an individual. You can file a trade name with the Colorado Secretary of State to use a name other than your own. As an individual, you can't add a partner to the business, because everything is tied to your personal name and Social Security Number. If you later want to add partners or sell the business, you'll need to start an LLC or corporation.
File a DBA Under Your LLC
A DBA (Doing Business As), called a Trade Name in Colorado, lets one LLC operate under more than one business name. In Colorado, that's a $20 online filing with the Secretary of State — the same office that formed your LLC — and once it's filed, it stays effective for as long as your LLC stays in good standing, with no separate renewal to track.
A DBA isn't required if you're fine using your LLC's own name.
Example: Colorado Company, LLC dba Colorado Auto Brokers.
DBA vs LLC in Colorado
A DBA only gives you another name to use. The LLC is the actual business entity that owns the DBA name and holds all legal rights.
Common Questions
Why start an LLC in Colorado?
It separates the business from your own name, lets you add or remove owners as the business grows, and reads as a real, established company.
How long does it take to get a Colorado LLC?
Filing takes a few minutes on this page. Colorado processes online filings in real time, so most LLCs are approved within minutes of payment confirmation — there's no separate expedited tier because standard filing is already instant.
What's Colorado's LLC Periodic Report, and what does it cost?
$25 a year, due anytime from 2 months before to 2 months after your LLC's own formation-anniversary month. It's a state filing requirement, not a tax. Miss the window and a $50 late fee applies.
Do I need an EIN for my Colorado LLC?
Yes, for a business bank account and for the IRS to recognize your company. It's included free when you file here.
What's a registered agent, and do I need one?
A registered agent is the address Colorado sends legal mail to. Every LLC needs one, and it's included free for your first year when you file here.
Do I need an operating agreement?
Colorado doesn't require one to file, but a bank often asks for one to open your business account. You can add it when you file, or write your own later.
Still deciding on a name?
Try the free name generator — type a word you like, get real available options back, then come straight here to file.
Page updates (1)
- July 1, 2025 — Colorado tightened registered agent verification: an individual agent must now confirm Colorado residency with a state ID or driver's license, under a new law aimed at fraudulent business filings. Colorado Secretary of State →
Sources (6)
Every fact on this page was checked directly against Colorado's own filing agency and revenue agency — verified September 20, 2026.
- Colorado Secretary of State — Business Fee Schedule — the $50 LLC/corporation filing fee, $25 periodic report, $50 late fee, $20 trade name fee
- Colorado SOS — Periodic Reports FAQ — the 5-month filing window mechanics
- Colorado SOS — Delinquency FAQ — the noncompliant/delinquent status escalation
- Colorado SOS — Registered Agent Requirement Changes — the July 1, 2025 verification law (HB24-1137)
- Colorado SOS — Trade Names FAQ — the state-level DBA/trade name mechanism
- Colorado Department of Revenue — Corporate Income Tax Guide — confirms no separate LLC franchise tax; 4.4% flat corporate rate