How to Start an LLC in Colorado

First, you need to gather basic information about your LLC, including the names and addresses of the managers or members. The LLC members are typically the people who own and run the business. They are also the ones who can take profits out of the business to pay themselves.

You will need a distinctive and original name for your Colorado LLC that’s not used by any other business in CO. To find out if another company is using your chosen business name, carry out a Colorado business entity name search on the CO Secretary of State website.

There are a few rules you’ll need to follow when choosing an LLC name. You can find out more in our guide to searching for and naming your Colorado LLC.

Learn about Colorado LLC business naming rules.

Every Colorado LLC must have a designated street address. That could be your home address (if you’re running the company from your residence), your company’s office building or any physical address of your preference. The address can be outside the state of Colorado and can be a P.O. Box.

Every CO LLC must have a “Registered Agent” when it is formed. This is an official position; the Registered Agent is someone who receives official legal and tax correspondence and has responsibility for filing reports with the Colorado Secretary of State.

This position can be filled by you, another manager in the business or a dedicated Registered Agent service. Your CO Registered Agent must have a physical street address in Colorado and must be present to receive important documents for your company during business hours. 

At Incfile, all of our packages include a Colorado Registered Agent service that is free for the first year and just $119 per year afterward. We also have a dashboard where you can log in and easily view any document your Registered Agent has received on your behalf. 

Learn more about Colorado Registered Agents

You will need an EIN to identify your business to the IRS. You use this number when filing and paying taxes or when submitting payroll information and payments for your employees. You can obtain one directly from the IRS, or we can get one for you as part of the Colorado LLC business formation process.

Once you've gathered all the information for your Colorado LLC, you’ll need to file a formal document with the CO Secretary of State. This document is known as your “Articles of Organization,” and filing the document creates your Colorado LLC. Here’s what is typically included:

• Your business name and address

• Details of your Registered Agent

• Names of managers or members of the LLC at the time of filing

• Addresses of managers or members of the LLC at the time of filing

• Name of the incorporator

You can file your Colorado LLC Articles of Organization online, mail in a form or have Incfile do it on your behalf. There is a fee to file and start an LLC in Colorado. You only need to file your Articles of Organization once. 

Form Your LLC Now

Some states, including Colorado, allow certain occupations to form “Professional LLCs.” These types of businesses typically have special requirements and licensing. Here are the occupations that the CO Secretary of State allows to form Colorado professional LLCs:

• Certified Public Accountants
• Architects
• Attorneys-at-law
• Chiropractors
• Dentists
• Engineers
• Land Surveyors
• Optometrists
• Physical Therapists
• Physicians and Surgeons
• Podiatrists
• Professional Counselors
• Psychologists
• Social Workers
• Veterinarians

Form a Foreign LLC in Colorado

If your business is already operating in another state and expanding to Colorado, you’ll need to form a foreign LLC. 

More information on Colorado filing and licensing requirements here.

If your business is already operating in another state and expanding to California, you’ll need to form a foreign LLC.

More information on California filing and licensing requirements here <link ‘to state page once created>