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How to start an LLC in Connecticut: checklist (2026)
To start an LLC in Connecticut, file the Certificate of Organization with the Connecticut Secretary of State for $120, name a registered agent, get a free EIN and check your local licenses. Mainstay Filing, our best overall pick, does the filing, the agent, the EIN application and the report for $199 a year.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
Connecticut checklist
- File the formation document. Certificate of Organization, Connecticut Secretary of State, $120.
- Name a registered agent. Required. A Connecticut resident, or a business entity formed in Connecticut or registered there. The agent signs to accept the appointment.
- Get an EIN. Free from the IRS online.
- Check licenses. Connecticut Business Portal (business.ct.gov) says: “provides licenses and permits for industries such as accounting, real estate, construction, retail, and more” (depends on the business).
- Keep it current. Annual Report, yearly: $80, due on or before march 31.
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year, same at renewal
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Connecticut?
The state filing fee is $120 for the Certificate of Organization. The first Annual Report later costs $80.
Do I need a registered agent in Connecticut?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Do I need a business license in Connecticut?
Connecticut Business Portal (business.ct.gov) says: “provides licenses and permits for industries such as accounting, real estate, construction, retail, and more” (depends on the business).
Sources
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 34-247 (Formation of limited liability company; certificate of organization); fee set by § 34-243u(a)(3) (multira state research spine): www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_613a.htm, checked August 12, 2026
- Connecticut formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: business.ct.gov/knowledge-base/articles/domestic-limited-liability-companies-forms-and-fees, checked October 1, 2026
- Connecticut formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: business.ct.gov/-/media/businessonestop/fee-schedule-revised-712020.pdf, checked October 1, 2026
- Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division (multira state research spine): business.ct.gov/business-services/file-annual-report, checked August 12, 2026
- Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division (multira state research spine): business.ct.gov/knowledge-base/articles/annual-report/file-an-annual-report, checked August 12, 2026
- Connecticut yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source read 2026-10-01: business.ct.gov/knowledge-base/articles/domestic-annual-report-forms-and-fees, checked October 1, 2026
- Connecticut Secretary of State: portal.ct.gov/sots, checked October 20, 2026
- IRS: Get an employer identification number: www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/get-an-employer-identification-number, checked October 21, 2026
- Connecticut Business Portal (business.ct.gov) (business license statement): business.ct.gov/licenses-and-permits, checked October 21, 2026