Connecticut · Start a business
How to start a business in Connecticut
Connecticut trade names are filed with the town clerk, not the state.
See the checklistShort answer
To start a business in Connecticut, pick a structure and file with the Connecticut Secretary of the State: $120 for an LLC, $250 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 Connecticut?
Pick a structure
Most owners choose an LLC or a corporation; the S corp or C corp tax choice comes later. See Connecticut LLC guide, Connecticut corporation guide, S corp or C corp in Connecticut. By trade: cleaning business, handyman.
Check and register the name
Search the Connecticut Secretary of the State records before you pick a name: state name search. Connecticut trade names are filed in one town only, with the town clerk where the business is primarily transacted, and the filing fee is $20, payable to the town clerk. 1 See Connecticut name search guide.
File with the state
Connecticut charges the state filing fee once: an LLC costs $120 2 and a corporation's articles of incorporation cost $250 3. See LLC cost.
Name a registered agent
A Connecticut corporation must continuously maintain a registered office in the state and a registered agent at that office. 4 Our registered agent service runs through our partner Registered Agents Inc (RAI), the registered agent of record. See Connecticut registered agent rules.
Which accounts do you open after you file in Connecticut?
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 Connecticut Department of Revenue Services has new businesses register through myconneCT, which issues a Connecticut Tax Registration Number for each business and tax type. 6 See Sales tax permit.
Register as an employer
The Connecticut Department of Labor has employers register for unemployment insurance online through ReEmployCT, and an employer becomes liable by paying wages of $1,500 or more in a calendar quarter or employing someone in each of twenty different weeks. 7 Connecticut employers report all new hires to the Department of Labor within 20 days of hiring. 8 The Connecticut Workers' Compensation Commission says that, with few exceptions, all employers in the state must have workers' compensation insurance for their employees, and corporate officers and LLC members may elect to be excluded. 9
What keeps your Connecticut business in good standing?
Check licenses and permits
Connecticut business licenses come from state agencies by industry: the Department of Consumer Protection licenses many businesses and professions, the Department of Banking licenses banks and mortgage brokers, and the Department of Public Health licenses healthcare facilities. 10
Calendar the yearly filings
Connecticut annual report: $80, due March 31 every year. 11 See Connecticut annual report.
Use free local help
Small business advising in Connecticut runs through the Connecticut Small Business Development Center. 12 Business.CT.gov is the State of Connecticut's one-stop site to plan, start and grow a business, with a New Business Checklist tool for mapping what a business needs to begin. 13
What it costs to start a business in Connecticut
Do you need a business license in Connecticut?
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 Connecticut's own rule is in step 8. 10 Where to look up licenses: Business.CT.gov.
How to register a business name in Connecticut
| Question | Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Where it is filed | With the town 1 |
| Office | Town clerk |
| What it is called | trade name |
| Fee | $20 |
Check that the name is free first: state name search.
Also in Connecticut
- CT Paid Leave employer registration. The Connecticut Paid Leave Authority requires covered employers with 1 or more employees to register with CT Paid Leave, deduct employee contributions and remit them on a quarterly basis. 16
- Business personal property declaration. Connecticut law has owners of business personal property file an annual declaration with the municipal assessor, and a declaration not filed by the first day of November carries a penalty of twenty-five per cent of the assessment. 17
More for Connecticut
Start your Connecticut 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 Connecticut?
Pick a structure, file with the Connecticut Secretary of the State, name a registered agent, get an EIN, register for state taxes with the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, then handle hiring, licenses, yearly filings and local help.
What does it cost to register a business in Connecticut?
In Connecticut, an LLC filing is $120 and a corporation's articles of incorporation are $250. The annual report is $80 each year.
Can I start a business in Connecticut with no money?
Connecticut charges $120 to file an LLC, and the annual report is $80 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. The Connecticut Small Business Development Center provides no-cost advising to prospective and current business owners, funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Department of Economic and Community Development and the University of Connecticut.
Are there small business grants in Connecticut?
Connecticut's Business.CT.gov funding page lists state, federal and private funding sources for startups and established businesses, including the Small Business Boost Fund and CT Innovations.
What is the Connecticut SBDC?
The Connecticut Small Business Development Center provides no-cost advising to prospective and current business owners, funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Department of Economic and Community Development and the University of Connecticut.
Sources 18 links, checked Nov 12, 2026
- DBA or trade name registration business.ct.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- Official state fee schedule for LLC filings business.ct.gov, checked Oct 17, 2026
- Corporation filing business.ct.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Registered agent rule cga.ct.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- IRS: employer identification number irs.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- State tax registration portal.ct.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- Unemployment insurance registration portal.ct.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- New hire reporting business.ct.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- Workers' compensation coverage portal.ct.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- General business license business.ct.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- Connecticut annual report service.ct.gov, checked Sep 1, 2026
- Small Business Development Center ctsbdc.uconn.edu, checked Nov 12, 2026
- State business portal business.ct.gov, checked Nov 12, 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
- CT Paid Leave employer registration ctpaidleave.org, checked Nov 12, 2026
- Business personal property declaration cga.ct.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
- State small business funding business.ct.gov, checked Nov 12, 2026
Last verified Nov 12, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.