Colorado · Start a business
How to start a business in Colorado
Colorado trade names are filed online with the Secretary of State and are effective for one year.
See the checklistShort answer
To start a business in Colorado, pick a structure and file with the Secretary of State: $50 for an LLC, $50 for a corporation's articles. Then name a registered agent, get an EIN and register for state taxes.
Last checked .What do you file before you open in Colorado?
Pick a structure
Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See Colorado LLC guide, Colorado corporation guide, S corp or C corp in Colorado. By trade: cleaning business, handyman.
Check and register the name
Search the Secretary of State records before you pick a name: state name search. Colorado requires a Statement of Trade Name to be filed and paid for online with the Secretary of State, and for a sole proprietorship it is effective for one year unless a renewal is filed. 1 See Colorado name search guide.
File with the state
Colorado charges the state filing fee once: an LLC costs $50 2 and a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $50 3. See LLC cost.
Name a registered agent
A Colorado corporation must continuously maintain a registered agent in the state, and an entity with a usual place of business in Colorado may serve as its own agent. 4 Our registered agent service runs through our partner Registered Agents Inc (RAI), the registered agent of record. See Colorado registered agent rules.
Which accounts do you open after you file in Colorado?
Get an EIN
An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one. 5
Open your state tax accounts
The Colorado Department of Revenue issues the state tax number, and the Secretary of State's office points new owners to MyBizColorado to start online registration with state agencies. 6 See Sales tax permit.
Register as an employer
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has employers pay unemployment insurance premiums through quarterly premium and wage reports, and a business can register online with MyUI Employer+ or MyBiz Colorado. 7 Colorado employers report each new hire to the State Directory of New Hires within 20 calendar days of the hire, or by the first payroll if that payroll falls after the 20 days. 8 The Colorado Division of Workers' Compensation requires an employer to carry workers' compensation insurance once it has one or more employees, including part-time workers and family members. 9
What keeps your Colorado business in good standing?
Check licenses and permits
Colorado licenses come from the Department of Regulatory Agencies for some types of business and from local city or county offices for others. 10
Calendar the yearly filings
Colorado periodic report: $25, due by the last day of the second month after your formation anniversary month. 11 See Colorado annual report.
Use free local help
Small business advising in Colorado runs through the Colorado Small Business Development Center Network. 12 Colorado's official filing tool for starting a business is MyBizColorado, which the state describes as the fastest way to register and manage any business from a sole proprietorship to an LLC. 13
What it costs to start a business in Colorado
Do you need a business license in Colorado?
It depends on the trade and the place. The U.S. Small Business Administration says most small businesses need a combination of licenses and permits from federal and state agencies, and that requirements and fees depend on the business activity and the issuing agency. 15 Colorado's own rule is in step 8. 10 Where to look up licenses: MyBizColorado.
How to register a business name in Colorado
| Question | Colorado |
|---|---|
| Where it is filed | With the state 1 |
| Office | Secretary of State |
| What it is called | trade name |
| Term in years | 1 |
Check that the name is free first: state name search.
Also in Colorado
- FAMLI employer registration. Colorado's Family and Medical Leave Insurance Division requires every business with at least one qualified employee to register in My FAMLI+ Employer; self-employed people and sole proprietors with no employees do not have to. 16
- SecureSavings retirement program. The Colorado Department of the Treasury runs SecureSavings, and state law requires businesses operating for two or more years with five or more workers to offer a retirement plan, either through SecureSavings or a plan of their own. 17
More for Colorado
Start your Colorado business
We file it, and the state fee shows before you pay.
Start my LLCCommon questions
What are the steps to start a business in Colorado?
Pick a structure, file with the Secretary of State, name a registered agent, get an EIN, register for state taxes with the Colorado Department of Revenue, then handle hiring, licenses, yearly filings and local help.
What does it cost to register a business in Colorado?
In Colorado, an LLC filing is $50 and a corporation's articles of incorporation are $50. The annual report is $25 each year.
Can I start a business in Colorado with no money?
Colorado charges $50 to file an LLC, and the annual report is $25 each year. An EIN is the business's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it online, for free, and warns about websites that charge for one.
Are there small business grants in Colorado?
The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade partners with mission-driven lenders on small business loans under $150,000 for entrepreneurs who need capital to start, restart or restructure a business.
What is the Colorado SBDC?
The Colorado Small Business Development Center Network is a partnership of the State of Colorado, the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, the Small Business Administration and Colorado's institutions of higher education.
Sources 18 links, checked Nov 13, 2026
- DBA or trade name registration sos.state.co.us, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Official state fee schedule for LLC filings sos.state.co.us, checked Oct 17, 2026
- Corporation filing sos.state.co.us, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Registered agent rule leg.colorado.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- IRS: employer identification number irs.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- State tax registration sos.state.co.us, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Unemployment insurance registration cdle.colorado.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- New hire reporting childsupport.colorado.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Workers' compensation coverage cdle.colorado.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- General business license sos.state.co.us, checked Nov 13, 2026
- Colorado periodic report coloradosos.gov, checked Oct 4, 2026
- Small Business Development Center oedit.colorado.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- State business portal co.colorado.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- US Census Bureau, Business Formation Statistics (monthly file, 2025 added up) census.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- SBA: licenses and permits sba.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- FAMLI employer registration famli.colorado.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- SecureSavings retirement program treasury.colorado.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
- State small business funding oedit.colorado.gov, checked Nov 13, 2026
Last verified Nov 13, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.