How to Start an LLC in Colorado
Colorado is one of the cheapest and fastest states to form and keep an LLC: $50 to file, online only, and just a $25 report each year. It is also a protected series state, and it has no LLC franchise tax. The main thing to calendar is the periodic report in your anniversary month, since letting it lapse eventually puts the LLC into a noncompliant status.
How much does an LLC cost in Colorado?
The mandatory state cost is $50 to file, plus a annual report of $25. Here is the full mandatory-fee picture over a five year horizon, from the same verified state data behind our LLC cost calculator:
| When | What | State fee |
|---|---|---|
| Year 0 | Formation filing | $50 |
| Year 1 | Report (annual) | $25 |
| Year 2 | Report (annual) | $25 |
| Year 3 | Report (annual) | $25 |
| Year 4 | Report (annual) | $25 |
| Year 5 | Report (annual) | $25 |
| 5-year total | mandatory state fees only | $175 |
Report timing: The anniversary month, with a 2-month grace window either side ($50 late fee after). Optional costs (a registered agent service, expedited handling, name reservation) come on top of these mandatory fees, and formation-service packages are separate from state fees entirely.
The steps, Colorado edition
Clear the name
Search the state's registry via Colorado SOS business filing. The name needs a designator: Limited Liability Company, Limited, LLC, or L.L.C.. Reservation, if you want it: $25, holds the name 120 days.
Line up the registered agent
An in-state street address that can receive legal papers during business hours; you can serve yourself or pay a service. The rules and tradeoffs are in our registered agent guide.
File the formation document
$50 (Articles of Organization; Colorado accepts online filings only). Processing: Colorado is online only, and filings generally post within about one to three business days as of mid-2026.
Faster options:
- Colorado files online only, so there is no paper queue or paid expedite tier; the online filing itself is the fast path
Get the EIN, free
Minutes at irs.gov, no charge, no service needed.
Adopt an operating agreement and open the bank account
Not filed with the state, but banks ask for the agreement, and the separate account is what keeps the liability protection real. The general playbook is in our six-step guide.
Calendar the recurring obligations
A $25 periodic report each year in your anniversary month, with a two-month grace window on either side; a $50 late fee applies after that.
Colorado taxes and recurring costs, straight
No franchise tax
Colorado charges no separate LLC franchise tax. The $25 periodic report is the only recurring state filing cost with the Secretary of State.
Pass-through income
By default an LLC's profits pass through to the owners and are taxed on the Colorado individual return at the state's flat income tax rate; the LLC files no separate state income tax.
For the raw fee lines next to every other state, see the 50-state cost table or run your numbers in the LLC cost calculator.
CO specifics most guides skip
- Series LLCs: Yes. Colorado adopted the Uniform Protected Series Act, effective January 1, 2021, so a Colorado LLC can create protected series. A protected series name must carry a PS or Protected Series identifier.
Thinking about using a formation service?
Every service pays Colorado's same state fees. We compare what they charge on top, and what the $0 tiers actually include.
See the comparisonColorado LLC questions, answered
How much does an LLC cost in Colorado?
$50 to file the Articles of Organization online, then a $25 periodic report each year. There is no franchise tax, so for most small LLCs the $25 a year is the entire recurring state cost.
How long does a Colorado LLC take?
Colorado accepts online filings only, and they generally post within about one to three business days as of mid-2026. There is no paper or paid expedite option, because the online filing itself is the fast path.
Does Colorado allow series LLCs?
Yes. Under the Uniform Protected Series Act, effective January 1, 2021, a Colorado LLC can establish protected series, each with its own liability shield. A protected series name must include a Protected Series or PS identifier.
When is the Colorado periodic report due?
In your anniversary month, with a two-month grace window on either side. It costs $25, and a $50 late fee applies once the window closes. Missing it long enough moves the LLC into a noncompliant status.
Other states: Arizona · California · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Michigan · Nevada · New York · North Carolina · Ohio · Pennsylvania · Texas · Virginia · Washington · Wyoming
Sources
- Colorado SOS: business filing fees
- Colorado SOS: name reservation
- Colorado protected series (HB20-1096)
General educational information, not legal or tax advice. Fees, processing times, and rules change; the figures here were verified against official Colorado sources in July 2026, and processing times especially move. Confirm with the state before filing, and consult a professional about your situation.