Colorado · Corporation
How to Start a Corporation in Colorado
Colorado is a $50, online-only filing, and the follow-up report costs half of that.
See the stepsShort answer
To start a corporation in Colorado, file Articles of Incorporation online with the Secretary of State for $50. At checkout that is $50 for Colorado plus $123.75 for our formation, $173.75 before card processing. After that, you file a periodic report for $25 in your entity's periodic report month. A missed periodic report carries a $50 late penalty.
Last checked .How do I incorporate in Colorado, step by step?
Colorado takes articles online only. The fee schedule lists the profit corporation filing at $50 and no paper fee. A $25 periodic report follows, which you can file two months before or after your periodic report month without penalty. After that window the late penalty is $50.
Choose and check the name
Search the Secretary of State's business organizations database before you file, and reserve the name if you want to hold it. A reservation costs $25. See the Colorado name search guide.
Name a registered agent
Every corporation needs one in the state (the rule). Ours is $74.25 a year.
File articles of incorporation
File the Articles of Incorporation with Colorado. The fee at our checkout is $50. Details are below.
Adopt bylaws
Bylaws are the board's rules: how directors are elected, how meetings run and how officers are chosen. Every corporation we form includes them.
Name directors, officers and issue shares
A Colorado board has one or more directors, with the number set in the bylaws. 4 Hold an organizational meeting, record it in minutes, and issue stock to the owners.
Get an EIN
The EIN is the corporation's federal tax ID. The IRS issues it free at irs.gov.
Register for state taxes
Before you pay wages, open a payroll withholding account with the state’s tax department, and a sales tax account if you sell taxable goods or services.
File the annual report
Put the first deadline on your calendar before you file anything else. See the Colorado annual report page and the filings below.
How much does it cost to incorporate in Colorado?
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| State fees (what our checkout charges) | $50 | At filing |
| Our formation, bylaws included | $123.75 | At filing |
| Total for the filing | $173.75 | Before card processing |
| With our registered agent for a year (Formation + Registered Agent) | $228.20 | At filing |
| With the Day-One Bundle | $272 | At filing |
| Periodic Report (each year) | $25 5 | in the entity's periodic report month; it can be filed two months before or two months after without penalty |
| Registered agent after the first year | $74.25 a year | Optional |
Card processing is added at checkout and shown before you pay. Colorado's fees are the same whoever files.
Colorado at a glance
| Question | Colorado |
|---|---|
| Formation filing and state fee | Articles of Incorporation, $50 1 |
| Name rule | Must contain corporation, incorporated, company, limited, corp., inc., co. or ltd. 2 |
| Registered agent | Must continuously maintain a registered agent in Colorado: an individual 18 or older whose residence or usual place of business is in Colorado, or an entity with a usual place of business there; the entity may serve as its own agent 3 |
| Directors and officers | At least 1 director; officers: officers designated in the bylaws or by the board; each officer is an individual 18 or older 4 |
| Annual report | Periodic Report, $25, due in the entity's periodic report month; it can be filed two months before or two months after without penalty 5 |
| Corporate income tax | 4.4% flat 6 |
Do I need a registered agent in Colorado?
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. 3 You can be your own agent if you have a street address in the state and are there in business hours, but the address goes on the public record. Ours, through our partner Registered Agents Inc, is $74.25 a year, or $178.20 with the formation. Colorado registered agent rules.
What goes in the Colorado articles of incorporation?
File Articles of Incorporation for a profit corporation online with the Secretary of State. Give your registered agent and principal office details, and keep the filed copy for your bank and your records.
Which annual reports and franchise taxes will a Colorado corporation owe?
Your recurring filing is the $25 periodic report. File it in the entity's periodic report month, or up to two months either side. A late report carries a $50 penalty, so set a reminder when you form.
How do I start an S corp in Colorado?
A corporation is a C corporation unless it elects otherwise. An S corp is a tax election, not another kind of entity. The order is plain: form the corporation, get the EIN, then file IRS Form 2553 within 2 months and 15 days after start of the tax year the election takes effect (or any time in the prior tax year) 8. Colorado does not tax a valid S corporation at the corporate level; its shareholders owe Colorado income tax on the S corporation's income. 7
We file Form 2553 for $165. Run your own numbers in the calculator or read Colorado: S corp or C corp.
Should I form a corporation or an LLC in Colorado?
Shares, a board and officers. The usual choice when you plan to raise money from investors or issue stock options.
Fewer formalities and flexible ownership. Often the simpler choice for one owner or a small team.
Compare the two: How to start an LLC in Colorado.
Raising venture money? Investors usually ask for a Delaware C corporation, which you then register in Colorado as a foreign corporation. See how to start a corporation in Delaware.
What do I do after filing in Colorado?
- Adopt the bylaws and hold the first board meeting; write minutes.
- Issue stock to the owners and keep a stock ledger.
- Get the EIN, open a business bank account and keep money separate.
Form your Colorado corporation
We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee ($50), with bylaws included. Add the registered agent for $178.20 in all, or take the Day-One Bundle at $222.
Common questions
How much does it cost to incorporate in Colorado?
$50 to file Articles of Incorporation for a profit corporation online with the Secretary of State.
How much is the Colorado periodic report?
$25. A late filing carries a $50 penalty.
When is the Colorado periodic report due?
In the entity's periodic report month. It can be filed two months before or after that month without a penalty.
Can I file Colorado articles by mail?
The fee schedule shows the $50 articles fee online and no paper fee, so plan to file online.
Sources 8 links, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Colorado charges $50 to file Articles of Incorporation for a profit corporation, online; the fee schedule lists no paper fee. sos.state.co.us, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Colorado corporation's name must contain the term or abbreviation corporation, incorporated, company, limited, corp., inc., co. or ltd. leg.colorado.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- 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. leg.colorado.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Colorado board has one or more directors, with the number set in the bylaws. leg.colorado.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Colorado's periodic report costs $25, and a late filing carries a $50 penalty. sos.state.co.us, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Colorado C corporation pays a corporate rate that the Department lists as 4.4% for tax year 2025 (4.25% for 2024). tax.colorado.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- Colorado does not tax a valid S corporation at the corporate level; its shareholders owe Colorado income tax on the S corporation's income. tax.colorado.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- IRS: Form 2553 instructions irs.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
Last verified Nov 7, 2026.
This page explains the rules; it is not legal or tax advice.