Colorado LLCs file Articles of Organization online and submit a Periodic Report each year.

This guide covers forming a new Colorado LLC. If your LLC already exists in another state or country, use the foreign-registration process instead.

Colorado LLC at a glance

Official filing website
Colorado Secretary of State
Business name check
Search business namesA name search does not reserve or approve the name.
Formation document
Articles of Organization
State filing fee
$50Formation filing only; other required costs and optional services are separate.
Processing time
OnlineEffective immediately after payment, unless delayedPaperOnline-only formation in the cited guideAgency information + guide estimate · Additional guide source. The state checklist says the filing takes effect after payment unless a delayed effective date is chosen. The guide identifies Articles of Organization as online-only.
Ongoing report or tax
Periodic Report
Report / renewal charge
$25Use the company record to check the reporting month and filing window.
Frequency / due date
Annually in the company’s assigned reporting period
Sales tax base rate
2.9%Local rates may apply. July 1, 2026 snapshot; not an address-specific rate. General rate for ordinary taxable sales; exemptions, special products and local rules can change the result.Official tax agency ↗
Names in formation records
No management roster requiredThe checklist asks who forms the LLC and whether members or managers manage it; that is not a required list of all owners. Filing-person details remain relevant. Other filings and private bank/tax records may identify owners.

Before you file in Colorado

Gather the LLC name, principal street address, mailing address and agent’s consent. Have the names and addresses of the person forming the LLC and the person submitting the filing ready.

Search business names ↗

File the Articles of Organization

Open Colorado business filings ↗

  1. Open the online LLC articles application and enter the business name.
  2. Add the addresses and agent. Choose member or manager management and complete the forming-person and filing-person fields.
  3. Choose when the filing should take effect, sign and pay. It takes effect after payment unless you selected a permitted later date. Save the approved document and Colorado ID.
Hand-drawn path from choosing a name to filing the LLC and organizing the next steps.
Prepare, file, then complete the post-approval tasks.

What to enter in the form

Principal office
Enter a street address. A separate mailing address can receive correspondence. Both become public.
Agent consent
The Colorado agent must agree to act before you name them.
Management
Choose members if the owners will run the company, or managers if appointed managers will run it.
Forming and filing persons
The person forming the LLC and the individual submitting it can be different people. Provide the name and address requested for each role.

Formation form or legal requirements ↗

After approval in Colorado

  • Sign up for the state’s reminder emails and note the reporting month shown on your entity record.

Periodic Report

Find your Colorado record to file ↗

  1. Search by the Colorado ID, open the entity record and select the Periodic Report for its reporting period.
  2. Confirm or update the principal-office and agent information, then sign and pay. Save the filed report.
  3. For an LLC name change, file Articles of Amendment. The Periodic Report updates the recurring business record; it does not rename the LLC.

Compare the filing cycles in our annual report and recurring-fee table.

Next steps: operating agreement · get an EIN · starting checklist.

Sources and filing links

Sources checked . Confirm the state’s current fees and instructions before filing.

Research and walkthrough references

These references provide background and filing walkthroughs. Follow current state instructions if an older walkthrough differs.

See our editorial policy for the research process and contact page for correction information.