Connecticut keeps LLC formation simple: one online filing, a $120 state fee, and no newspaper notice. The obligation that catches owners off guard comes every winter afterward, when the state expects an $80 annual report filed online from January 1 to March 31. Connecticut also no longer charges the old business entity tax, so the annual report fee is the main recurring state cost for a typical LLC.
Connecticut LLC at a glance
Fees and deadlines from official state sources| Formation document | Certificate of Organization |
|---|---|
| State filing fee | $120 |
| Processing and expedite | No standard processing time is published; the state says most online filings are accepted automatically. Expedited service is $50 per transaction, online filings only. |
| Annual report | $80, filed online from January 1 to March 31, starting the year after you form |
| State LLC tax | None. The business entity tax ended for tax periods beginning after 12/31/2018. |
| Registered agent | Required; a Connecticut resident or a qualifying business entity with a Connecticut address |
| Newspaper publication | Not required |
| Where to file | Business.CT.gov online filing |
Step 1Pick a name Connecticut will accept
Your LLC’s name has to include a designator such as “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.” The state also accepts shortened forms like “Limited Liability Co.,” “Ltd. Liability Company,” and “Ltd. Liability Co.” If your LLC will provide professional services, the name must instead say “Professional Limited Liability Company,” “PLLC,” or “P.L.L.C.”
The name also has to be distinguishable from other business names already on the Secretary of the State’s records, and it can’t suggest the LLC was organized for a purpose the law doesn’t allow (for example, an LLC can’t be formed to carry on the business of a Connecticut bank). Check what’s taken with the state’s free Business Records Search, which covers both Connecticut and out-of-state entities on file.
Not ready to file yet? An Application for Reservation of Name costs $60 and holds the name for your exclusive use for 120 days.
Step 2Line up a registered agent
Every Connecticut LLC must designate and maintain a registered agent in the state to accept legal papers and official notices. You have two options:
- An individual who lives in Connecticut. This can be you or another member or manager. The agent lists a Connecticut residence address and a Connecticut mailing address.
- A business entity, such as a Connecticut corporation or LLC, or an out-of-state company registered to do business in Connecticut, with a Connecticut business address.
The LLC cannot act as its own agent, and the agent signs the certificate to accept the appointment. If you change agents later, the state charges $50 for the change.
Step 3File the Certificate of Organization
The Certificate of Organization is the document that legally creates your LLC. Expect it to ask for:
- The LLC’s name, including the designator
- A principal office street address (no P.O. box) plus a mailing address
- Your registered agent’s details and signature
- At least one member or manager, with name, title, business address and residence address
- An email address for the business (or a box checked for “none”)
- A six-digit NAICS code describing the business activity
- The organizer’s name and signature
The fee is $120. Filing online through Business.CT.gov is the fastest route; the state notes that most online filings are accepted automatically. You can also mail the paper form, with a check payable to “Secretary of the State,” to the Business Services Division at P.O. Box 150470, Hartford, CT 06115-0470.
If you need speed, expedited service is offered at the end of the online filing for $50 per transaction. It is not available for paper forms sent by mail.
Step 4Keep up with the annual report
Connecticut LLCs file an annual report every year, beginning in the calendar year after formation. Reports are filed online only, from January 1 to March 31, and the fee is $80. The report confirms basic information such as addresses, a member or manager, your registered agent, and your NAICS code. It doesn’t ask for revenue or other financial figures.
The state says it emails the address on file about a month before the report is due, or mails a postcard to the business address if no email was given. If you skip the report, the Secretary of the State may dissolve your LLC. An overdue report also means you can’t get a Certificate of Legal Existence, which banks, lenders and some customers may ask for.
Step 5Finish the rest of your setup
- Operating agreement. Connecticut doesn’t ask you to file one, but a written agreement explaining ownership, voting and what happens if a member leaves is worth having, even for a single-member LLC.
- EIN. Get a free Employer Identification Number from the IRS. You’ll need it for hiring, banking and most state tax registrations.
- State tax registration. If you will sell goods or taxable services, you must hold a sales and use tax permit before making any sales. You register for that and other state tax types through the Department of Revenue Services’ myconneCT system.
- Local licenses. Check with your city or town for any permits that apply to your type of business or location.
What a Connecticut LLC costs
| Certificate of Organization (one-time) | $120 |
|---|---|
| Expedited service (optional, one-time) | $50 |
| Name reservation (optional, one-time) | $60 |
| Annual report (yearly) | $80 |
| State LLC tax (yearly) | None |
| EIN | Free |
How Connecticut compares
State filing fee to form an LLC, next to neighboring states. The national median is $100.
National median · Fees from each state's official sources; some states charge a different amount online or by mail. If you live and run your business in Connecticut, forming your LLC in another state usually means also registering it here as a foreign LLC, so you pay both states' fees.
Connecticut taxes to know about
Connecticut used to charge LLCs a business entity tax. According to the Department of Revenue Services, Public Act 19-117 ended that tax for any tax period beginning after December 31, 2018, so a new LLC doesn’t owe it.
LLCs taxed as partnerships or S corporations may hear about Connecticut’s pass-through entity tax. The state describes it as optional: an eligible LLC chooses each year whether to elect it, and once made, the election for that year can’t be undone. Because the decision affects how members are taxed personally, it’s one to review with a tax professional. Separately, sales tax and payroll withholding apply based on what your LLC does, not on the fact that it’s an LLC.
File it yourself or use a formation service?
Connecticut’s online system is straightforward, and if you file yourself you pay only the state fee of $120. A formation service charges its own fee on top of that in exchange for handling the paperwork, and many also offer registered agent service and annual report reminders. That can make sense if you don’t live in Connecticut, want an agent address that isn’t your home, or would rather not track deadlines yourself. If you have a Connecticut address and the time to fill in one form, doing it yourself works fine.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to form an LLC in Connecticut?
The state doesn’t publish a standard processing time. It says most online filings on Business.CT.gov are accepted automatically, and expedited service is available online for $50.
When is my first Connecticut annual report due?
In the year after you form the LLC, from January 1 to March 31. It repeats every year after that.
Can I be my own registered agent?
Yes, if you are a Connecticut resident. A member or manager can serve as agent. The LLC itself cannot.
Does Connecticut require me to publish a notice in the newspaper?
No. Filing the Certificate of Organization with the Secretary of the State is all it takes to form the LLC.
Does a Connecticut LLC pay an annual state tax just for existing?
No. The business entity tax ended for tax periods beginning after 2018. The recurring state cost is the $80 annual report fee.
Sources
- Business.CT.gov: Domestic Limited Liability Companies forms and fees
- Connecticut Secretary of the State: Certificate of Organization form (PDF)
- Business.CT.gov: Expedited services
- Business.CT.gov: Domestic annual report forms and fees
- Business.CT.gov: Annual report due date
- Business.CT.gov: Overdue annual report
- Business.CT.gov: Annual report fraudsters
- Business.CT.gov: Business Records Search
- Business.CT.gov: File a Certificate of Organization online
- Connecticut General Statutes, Chapter 613a (Uniform Limited Liability Company Act)
- Connecticut DRS: Business Entity Tax Return (tax ended)
- Connecticut DRS: Pass-Through Entity Tax information
- Connecticut DRS: Registering your business with DRS
- IRS: Get an Employer Identification Number