Short answer
Colorado creates an LLC when the Colorado Secretary of State accepts the Articles of Organization. The state fee is $50[2]. The filing has to name a registered agent in Colorado.
Mainstay Filing does the Colorado filing for $199 a year; the state's $50 is added at cost[1].
Updated October 29, 2026. State fees from official sources.
The steps to form a Colorado LLC
Only step three goes to the state. The others are preparation or follow-up, but each one is something Colorado LLC owners run into in the first year.
- Check the name. Search the Colorado Secretary of State business records for the name you want[3]. The name needs a designator such as "LLC" or "Limited Liability Company."
- Name a registered agent. Under C.R.S. § 7-90-701, the registered agent can be 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.[4] Serving personally is open to any owner who lives in Colorado and has a qualifying address. Colorado law also lets the company be named as its own registered agent.
- File the Articles of Organization. Submit it to the Colorado Secretary of State with the $50 fee[2].
- Put the owners' terms in writing. An operating agreement records who owns what share and who manages the company. The Colorado filing itself does not include it.
- Apply for an employer identification number. The IRS issues it free; it is needed to open a business bank account or hire.
- Mark the report deadline. Colorado LLCs file the Periodic Report every year ($25)[5]. The deadline: last day of the entity's anniversary month[6].
What it costs to form an LLC in Colorado
At $50, Colorado's fee is below the 50-state median of $100. Among the other states, 3 states charge less and 40 charge more.
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| State filing fee | $50 | [2] sos.state.co.us, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Periodic Report | $25 every year | [5] sos.state.co.us, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Filing service, Mainstay Filing | $199 a year plus state fees | [1] Mainstay Filing, updated October 29, 2026 |
| Registered agent service (if hired) | $149 a year at Mainstay Filing; $99 to $596 first year elsewhere | 7 other services' published prices, updated October 29, 2026 |
Only the state fee is required. Naming yourself or another qualified person as registered agent costs nothing in state fees.
| State | LLC filing fee | Periodic report |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $50 | None |
| Kansas | $85 | $90 every 2 yrs |
| Nebraska | $100 | $25 every 2 yrs |
| New Mexico | $50 | None |
| Oklahoma | $100 | $25 yearly |
| Utah | $59 | $18 yearly |
Same source set as above, one statute or fee schedule per state, verified August 12, 2026.
The form and where it goes
The formation document in Colorado is the Articles of Organization. It is filed with the Colorado Secretary of State[2].
The governing text:
One or more persons may form a limited liability company by delivering articles of organization to the secretary of state for filing pursuant to part 3 of article 90 of this title.
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-80-203 (Formation)[2].
Once the Colorado Secretary of State accepts the filing, the LLC exists and its record, including the registered agent details, appears in the state's public business search.
How many new businesses Colorado sees
Business applications in Colorado reached 143,807 in 2025, the 12th highest count among the states and D.C. Through Jan-Sep 2026 the count stood at 136,993, a 24.5% change on the year before.
These are IRS employer-ID applications, so they include sole proprietors and corporations as well as LLCs. Colorado does not publish a comparable monthly LLC count.
Who can submit the filing
Mainstay Filing prepares and submits the Articles of Organization for $199 a year plus the $50 state fee, which it passes through at cost[1]. The same yearly price covers its service as registered agent, the EIN application and the Periodic Report each time it is due, and it does not rise at renewal.
Doing it yourself means filing the Articles of Organization with the Colorado Secretary of State and paying $50, plus any card or portal charge the agency adds.
Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Colorado?
The state fee is $50 for the Articles of Organization[2]. After that, the Periodic Report costs $25 every year.
Do I need a registered agent to form an LLC in Colorado?
Yes. The formation filing names one. Serving personally is open to any owner who lives in Colorado and has a qualifying address. Colorado law also lets the company be named as its own registered agent.
Is there a service that files it for me?
Yes. Mainstay Filing prepares and files Colorado LLCs for $199 a year plus the $50 state fee[1]. That also covers its registered agent service, the EIN application and the Periodic Report, at the same price each year.
Who files the formation document in Colorado?
The Colorado Secretary of State. Its website: www.sos.state.co.us/.
Sources
- Mainstay Filing pricing, registered agent and FAQ pages. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-80-203 (Formation); contents per § 7-80-204. www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/info_center/fees/business.html. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Colorado Secretary of State. www.sos.state.co.us/. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Colo. Rev. Stat. § 7-90-701 (Registered agent — definition). www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/business/FAQs/regAgent.html. Updated October 29, 2026.
- Colorado Secretary of State: Periodic Report rules and fee. www.sos.state.co.us/pubs/business/FAQs/reports.html. Updated October 29, 2026.
- C.R.S. § 7-90-501; 8 CCR 1505-2 Rule 1.9. colorado.public.law/statutes/crs_7-90-501. Updated October 29, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (state annual and monthly series). www.census.gov/econ/bfs/index.html. Updated October 29, 2026.