Connecticut LLC Filing Fees and Requirements

Filing fee: $120 (Certificate of Organization)

Processing time: [PROCESSING_TIME]

State agency: Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division

Annual report due: $80 per year, filed online at Business.CT.gov

State tax rate: Pass-through taxation by default; S Corp election available

Forming an LLC in Connecticut requires filing a Certificate of Organization with the Connecticut Secretary of the State and paying a $120 state fee. Beyond formation, you'll need to file an $80 annual report each year to stay in good standing. A registered agent is required, and most businesses will also need state or local licenses to operate.

How much does it cost to form an LLC in Connecticut?

The state fee to form a Connecticut LLC is $120, paid when you file your Certificate of Organization with the Connecticut Secretary of the State. You can file online through Business.CT.gov or by mail. There's no state-imposed expedited processing fee listed separately, but online filing is the faster route.

Connecticut doesn't charge a franchise tax on LLCs the way some states do, which keeps the ongoing cost relatively predictable. The $120 formation fee and the $80 annual report fee are the two recurring state costs most LLC owners will encounter.

• Certificate of Organization: $120
• Name reservation (optional, 120-day hold): [STATE_FEE]
• Certificate of Amendment (if you change your LLC name or structure later): $120
• Annual report: $80 per year
• Foreign LLC registration (Application for Registration): [STATE_FEE]

Required formation documents

The primary formation document for a Connecticut LLC is the Certificate of Organization. This form is provided by the Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division, and is available as a downloadable PDF or through the online filing portal at Business.CT.gov.

The form requires the exact LLC name — including a designator like "LLC," "L.L.C.," or "Limited Liability Company" — the principal office address, and the name and address of your registered agent. All required sections must be completed for the filing to be accepted.

Employer Identification Number (EIN)

Every LLC should get an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. You'll need it to open a business bank account, file federal taxes, and hire employees. The IRS issues EINs at no cost — you can apply at irs.gov/ein.

Getting an EIN early keeps your Social Security number off business documents and makes the rest of the setup — bank accounts, payroll, tax filings — go faster.

Annual report requirements

Connecticut LLCs must file an annual report with the Secretary of the State every year to stay in good standing. The filing fee is $80, and the report must be filed online through Business.CT.gov — Connecticut doesn't accept paper annual reports.

Missing the annual report deadline can put your LLC out of good standing, and the state can administratively dissolve your LLC if the filing goes unfiled long enough. You'll need to create an account or log in to Business.CT.gov to access the annual report system.

Foreign LLC registration in Connecticut

If your LLC was formed in another state but you want to do business in Connecticut, you'll need to register as a foreign LLC with the Connecticut Secretary of the State. This is a separate filing from the domestic Certificate of Organization, with its own form and fee.

Foreign LLCs registered in Connecticut are also subject to the $80 annual report requirement each year. A registered agent with a Connecticut address is required for foreign LLC registrations.

Connecticut business licenses and permits

Connecticut doesn't issue a single general business license — what you need depends on your industry, location, and the type of goods or services you sell. Some licenses are issued by the state, others by your city or town, and some industries are regulated at the federal level.

If your LLC sells taxable goods or services, leases taxable property, or operates a hotel or lodging facility, you'll need to register for a Sales and Use Tax Permit through the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. A tax professional can help you figure out which permits apply to your specific business.

Operating agreement

Connecticut does not require an LLC to have an operating agreement on file with the state. That said, having one in place is worth doing — it documents how your LLC is owned and managed, how profits are split, and how decisions get made. Without one, Connecticut's default LLC rules fill in the gaps, which may not match what you actually want.

Other fees and requirements

Beyond the core formation and annual report fees, a few other costs can come up during the life of your LLC depending on what changes or what your business does.

• Certificate of Amendment: $120 if you need to change your LLC name, registered agent, or other details in your Certificate of Organization
• Name reservation: optional filing that holds your chosen LLC name for 120 days before you're ready to form — fee is [STATE_FEE]
• Registered agent service: required ongoing cost if you use a third-party registered agent rather than listing yourself