Connecticut · Corporation
How to Start a Corporation in Connecticut
Connecticut asks for two filings up front and one expedite fee can cover both.
See the stepsShort answer
To start a corporation in Connecticut, file a Certificate of Incorporation online with the Secretary of the State for $250. At checkout that is $400 for Connecticut plus $123.75 for our formation, $523.75 before card processing. You also file an Organization and First Report for $150. After that, the annual report is $150 each year. Expedited service adds $50 per transaction.
Last checked .How do I incorporate in Connecticut, step by step?
Connecticut asks for two filings at the start. The Certificate of Incorporation costs $250 and creates the corporation. The Organization and First Report costs another $150. If you file both together for expedited service, only one $50 expedite fee applies. Expedited service is online only.
Choose and check the name
Search the Secretary of the State's business records on Business.CT.gov before you file. See the Connecticut name search guide.
Name a registered agent
Every corporation needs one in the state (the rule). Ours is $74.25 a year.
File certificate of incorporation
File the Certificate of Incorporation with Connecticut. The fee at our checkout is $400. 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 Connecticut board has one or more directors, and one individual may hold more than one office. 5 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 Connecticut annual report page and the filings below.
How much does it cost to incorporate in Connecticut?
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| State fees (what our checkout charges) | $400 | At filing |
| Our formation, bylaws included | $123.75 | At filing |
| Total for the filing | $523.75 | Before card processing |
| With our registered agent for a year (Formation + Registered Agent) | $578.20 | At filing |
| With the Day-One Bundle | $622 | At filing |
| Annual Report (each year) | $150 7 | annually |
| Registered agent after the first year | $74.25 a year | Optional |
Card processing is added at checkout and shown before you pay. State fees: $250 certificate of incorporation + $150 Organization and First Report = $400.
Connecticut at a glance
| Question | Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Formation filing and state fee | Certificate of Incorporation, $250 1 |
| Expedited filing | expedited service (online filings only) $50 2 |
| Name rule | Must contain corporation, incorporated, company, Societa per Azioni or limited, or an abbreviation (corp., inc., co., S.p.A., ltd.) 3 |
| Registered agent | Must continuously maintain a registered office in Connecticut and a registered agent there (resident individual or authorized entity) 4 |
| Directors and officers | At least 1 director; officers: offices set by bylaws or board; one individual may hold more than one office 5 |
| First report after filing | Organization and First Report, $150, due may be filed together with the Certificate of Incorporation 6 |
| Annual report | Annual Report, $150, due annually 7 |
| Corporate income tax | 7.5% flat, minimum $250 8 |
Do I need a registered agent in Connecticut?
A Connecticut corporation must continuously maintain a registered office in the state and a registered agent at that office. 4 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. Connecticut registered agent rules.
What goes in the Connecticut certificate of incorporation?
File the Certificate of Incorporation online through your Business.CT.gov account for $250. Expedited service adds $50 per transaction. File the Organization and First Report ($150) at the same time to pay one expedite fee for both.
Which annual reports and franchise taxes will a Connecticut corporation owe?
After the first filings, the annual report costs $150 when filed online each year. Paper forms mailed in cannot be expedited.
How do I start an S corp in Connecticut?
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) 10. Connecticut does not tax an S corporation under the corporation business tax; it treats it as a pass-through entity. 9
We file Form 2553 for $165. Run your own numbers in the calculator or read Connecticut: S corp or C corp.
Should I form a corporation or an LLC in Connecticut?
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 Connecticut.
Raising venture money? Investors usually ask for a Delaware C corporation, which you then register in Connecticut as a foreign corporation. See how to start a corporation in Delaware.
What do I do after filing in Connecticut?
- 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 Connecticut corporation
We file it for $123.75 plus the state fee ($400), 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 Connecticut?
$250 for the Certificate of Incorporation, filed online, plus $150 for the Organization and First Report.
What is the Connecticut Organization and First Report?
A separate filing for a new stock corporation. It costs $150 and can be filed together with the Certificate of Incorporation.
How much is expedited service in Connecticut?
$50 per transaction, on top of the filing fee. Only one applies when both filings go in together.
How much is the Connecticut corporation annual report?
$150 for a domestic stock corporation filing online.
Sources 10 links, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Connecticut charges $250 to file a Certificate of Incorporation for a stock corporation, online. business.ct.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Connecticut's expedited service costs $50 per transaction on top of the filing fee, and only one expedite fee applies when the Certificate of Incorporation and the Organization and First Report are filed together. business.ct.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Connecticut corporation's name must contain the word corporation, incorporated, company or limited, or an abbreviation such as corp., inc., co. or ltd. cga.ct.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Connecticut corporation must continuously maintain a registered office in the state and a registered agent at that office. cga.ct.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Connecticut board has one or more directors, and one individual may hold more than one office. cga.ct.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Connecticut also charges $150 for the Organization and First Report. business.ct.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- Connecticut's annual report for a domestic stock corporation costs $150 when filed online. business.ct.gov, checked Nov 7, 2026
- A Connecticut C corporation pays 7.5% of net income (a capital base tax applies if larger), with a $250 minimum. portal.ct.gov, checked Nov 6, 2026
- Connecticut does not tax an S corporation under the corporation business tax; it treats it as a pass-through entity. portal.ct.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.