State hub · Colorado
Colorado LLC true cost (2026)
Colorado state side: $50 formation filing, $25 for Periodic Report in the 3-year model, ~$125 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #12 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Colorado state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Colorado Secretary of State. Filings go through www.sos.state.co.us.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $50 | Articles of Organization — Colorado SOS Business Organizations Fee Schedule $50 (online only; paper n/a) |
| Periodic Report | $25 | Fee increased from $10 to $25 effective 2024-07-01. Late filing penalty $50. Continued non-filing leads to Noncompliant then Delinquent status; Statement Curing Delinquency $100. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $125 | Articles $50 + Periodic Report $25×3 |
When Colorado actually bills you
Colorado's recurring filing is due Assigned periodic report month; on-time window is 2 months before through 2 months after that month — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Colorado charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $50 | $50 |
| Year 1 cycle | Periodic Report | $25 | $75 |
| Year 2 cycle | Periodic Report | $25 | $100 |
| Year 3 cycle | Periodic Report | $25 | $125 |
Provider + Colorado state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Colorado state subtotal of $125.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $414 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $622 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $423 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $872 |
Partner link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices above are researched from public pages, not supplied by the provider. How this site makes money.
How Colorado ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Colorado sits at #12 — the 12th cheapest three-year state charter — at $125 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $90 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $155 below the $280 median, and $2,385 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Colorado lands in the cheaper half of the table.
- Just cheaper: Utah ($113), South Carolina ($110).
- Just pricier: Michigan ($125), Indiana ($127).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (Colorado)
- Colorado registered agent required; can be individual or commercial service with Colorado address.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Colorado state fees is $125, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not Colorado, is about 70% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- Online-only filings for Articles and Periodic Reports
- Five-month on-time window then late penalty — delinquency can endanger entity name after prolonged lapse
- No franchise tax on LLCs at SOS level; Colorado income tax still applies to members on pass-through income
Who Colorado is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Low-cost formation and modest annual SOS compliance; Colorado residents and local businesses
Often a poor fit when…
- Filers who cannot manage anniversary-based online renewals
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Colorado LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Colorado?
$50 to Colorado Secretary of State for the formation filing. Articles of Organization — Colorado SOS Business Organizations Fee Schedule $50 (online only; paper n/a) That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing Colorado LLC fees after year one?
$25 for the Periodic Report, due Assigned periodic report month; on-time window is 2 months before through 2 months after that month. Fee increased from $10 to $25 effective 2024-07-01. Late filing penalty $50. Continued non-filing leads to Noncompliant then Delinquent status; Statement Curing Delinquency $100. Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a Colorado LLC really cost over three years?
$125 in Colorado state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $414 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $872 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Colorado.
Do I need a registered agent in Colorado?
Yes. Colorado registered agent required; can be individual or commercial service with Colorado address. Confirm Colorado's DIY-versus-commercial agent rules with Colorado Secretary of State before you file — a home address here becomes public record. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every Colorado figure above.
Is Colorado a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Colorado ranks #12 of 51 at $125 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the Colorado three-year number is built
Articles $50 + Periodic Report $25×3 Figures are re-derived from the cited Colorado sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Colorado state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- Provider checkout upsells: see the national comparison page.
- Re-check live Colorado Secretary of State fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- Colorado SOS — Business Organizations Fee Schedule (Articles $50, Periodic Report $25)
- Colorado SOS — Periodic Report FAQs
- Colorado SOS — Press release Periodic Report fee $25 (2024-07-01)
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Colorado's $125 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Colorado math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.