To form a Colorado LLC, you file articles of organization online with the Colorado Secretary of State and pay $50, as of October 2026. Every year after that, you file a periodic report for $25. You need a registered agent who lives or has a usual place of business in Colorado and, if they're an individual, holds a Colorado driver's license or ID card.
Colorado is a cheap state to form in, and almost everything is filed online. The costs that hurt come later, if the yearly report slips. Here's what the Secretary of State's fee schedule and FAQs say.
Colorado LLC fees at a glance
All figures are the Secretary of State's online fees, as of October 2026:
| Filing | Fee |
|---|---|
| Articles of organization | $50 |
| Periodic report (every year) | $25 |
| Periodic report late filing penalty | $50 |
| Name reservation | $25 |
| Amend articles of organization | $25 |
| Statement curing delinquency | $100 |
| Reinstatement | $100 |
| Trade name statement | $20 |
| Dissolve a limited liability company | $10 |
The periodic report, and when it's due
Colorado calls its annual filing a periodic report. LLCs, corporations, nonprofits and registered foreign entities all file one each year, and it must be filed electronically. It confirms or updates your principal office address and registered agent, and filing on time keeps your entity in good standing.
Your due date is set by your periodic report month, shown on your entity's summary page in the business database. You can file up to two months before that month or two months after it without a penalty. If you sign up for email notifications, the office sends a reminder the month before, but the FAQ is clear that you're responsible for filing whether or not a notice arrives.
From noncompliant to delinquent
The delinquency FAQ gives the timeline with a January example. If your periodic report month is January, the report is due by March 31. Miss that and your status becomes noncompliant, with a late report due by May 31. Miss that too and the status changes to delinquent. An LLC also becomes delinquent if its registered agent resigns and no new one is appointed.
To get back to good standing from delinquent, you file a statement curing delinquency, which costs $100, as of October 2026.
The insight most people miss: Colorado holds your name for 400 days
A delinquent entity's name is saved for 400 days from the date it became delinquent. On day 401, the state changes your entity's name to include the word delinquent and the date, and your original name becomes available for anyone else to register. If that happens, you'll need articles of amendment or a statement of change to take a different name. Cure quickly and you keep your brand on the record.
There's a second deadline worth knowing. Under a 2024 law, an entity that's been delinquent for 5 years or longer can still be cured, but the filer must also submit an affidavit of their authority and a government-issued photo ID. If the office rejects the filing, the fee isn't refunded.
Registered agent rules changed in 2024
Your registered agent can be an individual or an entity, and you may appoint only one. An individual agent must live in Colorado or have a usual place of business there, and since the 2024 change they must hold a current, valid Colorado driver's license or ID card, or verify their residency with the office. You'll give their Colorado ID number when you name them. The agent must consent to the appointment, and the Secretary of State can't be your agent.
An entity can't name itself as its own agent at formation. The FAQ describes a two-step route: pick an eligible person or entity when you register, then file a change afterwards to make the company its own agent.
How to start an LLC in Colorado, step by step
- Search the business database to check your name, and reserve it for $25 if you want to hold it, as of October 2026.
- Choose a registered agent who meets the Colorado ID and address rules, and get their consent.
- File the articles of organization online and pay $50.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. The Secretary of State doesn't issue them.
- Register with the Colorado Department of Revenue for a state tax number, and check whether you need a Colorado sales tax license.
- Note your periodic report month and sign up for email reminders.
Local licensing is separate from the LLC itself. My guide to the Colorado business license covers what cities and counties ask for, and if you'll hire, check the Colorado minimum wage first.
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My verdict
Colorado is one of the easiest LLCs to run: $50 to form and $25 a year, as of October 2026, all online. Put your periodic report month in the calendar, keep your agent's Colorado ID current, and if you ever slip into delinquency, cure it well inside 400 days so your name stays yours.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Colorado?
The articles of organization cost $50 online, as of October 2026.
Does a Colorado LLC file an annual report?
Yes. Colorado calls it a periodic report. It's filed online every year and costs $25, as of October 2026.
When is my Colorado periodic report due?
In your periodic report month, shown on your entity's summary page. You can file two months before or two months after it without a penalty.
What happens if I miss the Colorado periodic report?
Your status becomes noncompliant, then delinquent. Curing delinquency costs $100, as of October 2026, and after 400 days your name becomes available to others.
Does my Colorado registered agent need a Colorado ID?
If the agent is an individual, yes. Since a 2024 law change, they must hold a valid Colorado driver's license or ID card, or verify their residency.
Can my Colorado LLC be its own registered agent?
Yes, but only after registering. You first name an eligible person or entity, then file a change to self-select the LLC.
How much does it cost to dissolve a Colorado LLC?
Filing to dissolve a limited liability company costs $10, as of October 2026.
Does the Colorado Secretary of State issue EINs?
No. EINs come from the IRS, and state tax numbers come from the Colorado Department of Revenue.
