Learn the steps to form an LLC in Connecticut – from choosing your name to filing your Certificate of Organization. $1 + $120 state fee. Start today.
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Filing fee: $120 (Certificate of Organization)
Processing time: 2-3 business days for online filings; 7-10 business days by mail, plus mail time
State agency: Connecticut Secretary of the State (filed through the Business.CT.gov portal)
Annual report due: March 31 every year ($80), filed online between January 1 and March 31. Your first report is due the calendar year after formation.
State tax rate: No LLC franchise tax — the old $250 Business Entity Tax was eliminated in 2020; pass-through income is taxed at personal rates of 2%-6.99%, and the statewide sales tax is 6.35%
Start your U.S. business journey today. Form your company with confidence and let Brio handle the paperwork.
Forming an LLC in Connecticut takes 5 steps: choose and check your business name, appoint a Registered Agent with a physical Connecticut address, file a Certificate of Organization online or by mail, draft an operating agreement, and get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. The state filing fee is $120.
Connecticut eliminated its $250 Business Entity Tax in 2020, so there’s no franchise tax on LLCs — profits simply pass through to your personal return, taxed at rates from 2% to 6.99%. An LLC gives you personal liability protection and pass-through taxation without the administrative overhead of a corporation — a combination that works well for most Connecticut entrepreneurs.
Ongoing paperwork is manageable too: one $80 annual report filed online each year, and no general statewide business license. Owners who want a federal tax edge can opt into Connecticut’s elective 6.99% Pass-Through Entity Tax, and if you sell taxable goods or services you’ll add a $100 Sales and Use Tax Permit — but the overall compliance burden stays lighter than in many other states.
Unlike some states, Connecticut doesn’t require you to reserve your name before filing — you simply claim it when you file your Certificate of Organization. If you’re not ready to file yet, you can optionally reserve a name through the Secretary of the State. The fee is $60, and the reservation holds your name for 120 days and can’t be renewed.
Your LLC name must be distinguishable from other registered businesses in Connecticut and must include a designator like “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.” Check the state’s business records search on Business.CT.gov before you file to avoid a rejection.
Every Connecticut LLC must have a registered agent — a person or entity designated to receive legal notices and government documents on behalf of the business. The agent must have a physical street address in Connecticut (a P.O. box doesn’t count) and be available during regular business hours.
You can serve as your own registered agent if you’re a Connecticut resident with a physical address in the state and can be there during business hours. Many business owners use a professional registered agent service instead — it keeps your personal address off public records and ensures someone is always available to receive documents. Either way, the agent must accept the appointment — for online filings, they get a confirmation link and 72 hours to say yes.
The Certificate of Organization is the document that legally creates your Connecticut LLC. You file it with the Connecticut Secretary of the State through the Business.CT.gov portal. Online filing is the fastest option — processing takes 2-3 business days. You can also mail a paper form, which takes 7-10 business days plus time in the mail.
The Certificate must include your LLC’s name, its principal office and mailing addresses, a business email address, a NAICS code describing your business activity, the name and address of at least one member or manager, and your registered agent’s name and Connecticut street address. The state filing fee is $120.
Connecticut doesn’t require you to file an operating agreement with the state, but you should have one. It’s the internal document that defines how your LLC is managed — who owns what, how profits are distributed, and how decisions get made. Without one, Connecticut’s default LLC statutes fill in the gaps, which may not reflect what you actually want.
Your operating agreement should specify whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed. In a member-managed LLC, all owners share day-to-day authority. In a manager-managed LLC, a designated manager handles operations while other members retain economic rights. A written agreement is the version that holds up when disputes arise.
An Employer Identification Number (EIN) is a 9-digit federal tax ID issued by the IRS. Your Connecticut LLC needs one to open a business bank account, hire employees, and file federal taxes. Applying online at irs.gov is free and issues your EIN immediately after you complete the application.
To use the IRS online application, the responsible party must have a valid Social Security Number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), and the business must have its principal place of business in the United States. The IRS does not charge a fee for issuing an EIN.
Connecticut LLCs file one report with the Secretary of the State: an $80 Annual Report, due between January 1 and March 31 every year. The deadline is the same March 31 date for every LLC — it’s not tied to your formation anniversary — and your first report is due the calendar year after your LLC is formed. It can only be filed online through Business.CT.gov.
There’s no monetary late fee for missing March 31, but the consequences still bite: your LLC falls out of good standing, the state won’t issue a Certificate of Legal Existence, and an LLC more than a year behind on its reports can be administratively dissolved. If you sell taxable goods or services, keep your $100 DRS Sales and Use Tax Permit current as well.
The required Connecticut state fee is $120 to file the Certificate of Organization with the Secretary of the State. After that, the Annual Report costs $80 per year, reserving your name before filing is optional at $60, and businesses selling taxable goods or services pay $100 for a Sales and Use Tax Permit from the Department of Revenue Services. There’s no additional state fee to get your EIN; the IRS issues EINs for free.
Yes. Connecticut allows a single person to form and own an LLC – this is called a single-member LLC. You can complete the Certificate of Organization filing online through Business.CT.gov without an attorney. You’ll still need to appoint a registered agent with a physical Connecticut address, but that can be yourself if you qualify.
No. Connecticut charges a $120 Certificate of Organization fee – that’s a required state fee you can’t avoid. What you can avoid is overpaying for formation help. We handle your Connecticut LLC filing for $1; you only pay the required state fees.
Yes – every Connecticut LLC files an $80 Annual Report with the Secretary of the State, due between January 1 and March 31 each year starting the calendar year after formation. The report can only be filed online. There’s no late fee for missing the deadline, but your LLC loses good standing and can be administratively dissolved if it falls more than a year behind.
Yes, every Connecticut LLC is required to have a registered agent. A registered agent is a person or entity that receives legal notices and official government documents on behalf of your LLC. The agent must have a physical street address in Connecticut — not a P.O. box — and be available during regular business hours. You can serve as your own registered agent or use a professional service.
The mistakes that come up most often are missing the March 31 Annual Report deadline (it’s the same date for every LLC, not your formation anniversary), letting an online filing stall because the registered agent didn’t confirm the appointment within 72 hours, using a P.O. box for the registered agent address (not allowed), and not having a written operating agreement. A lot of business owners also start selling before getting the $100 Sales and Use Tax Permit from the Department of Revenue Services — the penalty starts at $250 for the first day.
Online filings through Business.CT.gov are processed in 2-3 business days – you can download your approved Certificate of Organization as soon as it’s accepted. Paper filings by mail take 7-10 business days plus time in the mail, often 3-4 weeks in total. If speed matters, file online; a $50 expedited option is available for online filings only.
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