Forming a Colorado limited liability company

Forming a Colorado limited liability company is pretty simple. Check out the instructions below if you need some assistance with getting the LLC paperwork filed to create the business.  If you’d like a bit more information, like instructions on getting an EIN for banking and tax purposes as well as sample LLC operating agreements, check out our kit, available for $34.95 at the button below.

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1. Check if the LLC name you want is available

To search for all businesses registered in Colorado, it is necessary to do a search with both the Department of Revenue and the Secretary of State. The Colorado Department of Revenue has an online service where you can check to see if a trade name for sole proprietors and general partnerships is already registered. Visit the Colorado Department of Revenue’s website at

Colorado Secretary of State Business Center

Or call the Colorado Department of Revenue at (303) 238-FAST (3278). The Secretary of State will provide information on trade names registered by corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships, or trademarks filed in the State of Colorado.

2. Open Colorado’s LLC online application form

The state of Colorado now only allows applications for limited liability companies to be done online.

http://www.sos.state.co.us/biz/FileDocNameAvailCriteria.do?transTyp=ARTORG_LLC

3. Enter your new LLC’s name

State the name of the limited liability company. (I used the example name, “Acme Explosives LLC.”) The name of a limited liability company must contain the term or abbreviation “limited liability company”, “ltd. liability company”, “limited liability co.”, “ltd. liability co.”, “limited”, “llc”, “l.l.c.”, or “ltd.”  Any of the following would be correct:

• Acme Explosives Limited Liability Company
• Acme Explosives Ltd. Liability Company
• Acme Explosives Limited Liability Co.
• Acme Explosives Ltd. Liability Co.
• Acme Explosives Limited
• Acme Explosives LLC
• Acme Explosives L.L.C.
• Acme Explosives Ltd.

4. List the address of your LLC

The address of your LLC is called the Principal Office address. List the complete street address (not a P.O. box) of the entity’s principal office, including zip code. If mail cannot be delivered to the street address, please provide an address where mail may be delivered (This can be a P.O. box).

5. List the registered agent

A registered agent must be an individual age 18 years or older whose primary residence or usual place of business is in Colorado, a domestic entity having a usual place of business in Colorado or a foreign entity authorized to transact business or conduct activities in Colorado that has a usual place of business in Colorado. If the entity has a usual place of business in Colorado, it may serve as its own registered agent.  You will need to provide both the street address and mailing address (if different from the street address) for the registered agent.

It is required that the person appointed as the registered agent in the document has consented to being so appointed. Be sure to check the box indicating this.

6. List the names and addresses of the persons forming the LLC

Next you will need to list the name and address of each person (only one is required) who is forming the entity. Each such person must be a natural person who is 18 years or older or a business entity. If there are more than three such people, mark the box and include an attachment stating the true names and mailing addresses of all additional persons forming the limited liability company.

7. Name the type of management

Indicate whether the limited liability company is operated by managers, or its members. If you are going to manage it yourself, choose “the members.”

8. Mark the box indicating that there is at least one member of the limited liability company

Mark the box indicating that there is at least one member of the limited liability company.

9. Check box if additional information is included

If additional information pursuant to Title 12 or other organic statutes is to be included, mark the box and include an attachment stating the additional information.

10. Specify a delayed effective date (optional)

You have the option to delay the effective date of this document up to 90 days. The delayed effective date may also specify a particular time of day Mountain Time. If no time of day is specified, it defaults to close of business on that date. Close of business is 11:59:59 PM Mountain Time.

11. Provide your e-mail

Enter the e-mail address where official notices should be sent. Starting January 1, 2012 the secretary of state will be providing notices only via e-mail.

12. Fill out the filing information

State the name and address of the individual causing this document to be delivered for filing. This information is required for the Colorado Secretary of State to deliver notice if the filing of the document is refused.

13. Click submit

After you complete the Articles of Organization questionnaire, click Submit.

You will be charged a $50 filing fee.

Documents filed online are real-time, which means that the document is processed immediately after being submitted.