FAQ · Straight answers to the questions Connecticut LLC owners ask most.
Connecticut LLC — Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions Connecticut business owners ask most about forming and running an LLC — from how long filing takes and who can be a registered agent, to how the state's online-only annual report works and what happens if you fall behind.
One price: $199.00/yr covers your formation, your registered agent, and your annual report, plus the $120.00 state filing fee, at cost.
State agency: Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division
Annual report due: March 31 · Processing: 2-3 business days
✓ No hidden fees ✓ No second-year price hikes ✓ No missed filings
State facts
Connecticut LLC
Forming Your Connecticut LLC
What document creates a Connecticut LLC?
The Articles of Organization. This is the formation filing you submit to the Connecticut Secretary of the State through the Business One Stop portal at business.ct.gov. Once the state processes it, your LLC legally exists and appears in the public business record. The Articles capture your LLC's name, principal and mailing addresses, registered agent, and management structure.
How long does formation take?
Online filings generally process in about two to three business days. Filing by mail takes longer — roughly seven to ten business days. The LLC is active once the state posts the filing and it shows up in the online business search. If a lease, loan, or contract depends on the LLC existing, file online and give the state a few business days of margin.
Can I form a Connecticut LLC if I live in another state?
Yes. Connecticut has no residency requirement for members or the organizer. You can live in any state or country and form a Connecticut LLC. The sole thing that must physically sit in Connecticut is your registered agent, who needs a real street address in the state. A commercial registered agent service covers that for out-of-state owners.
Do I need a lawyer to form an LLC?
No. Formation is an administrative filing, and most owners complete it without an attorney or through a filing service. An attorney becomes valuable for questions that are genuinely legal — structuring ownership between partners, complex agreements, or whether your out-of-state activity requires qualification. For the paperwork itself, a lawyer is not required.
Registered Agents
Does my Connecticut LLC need a registered agent?
Yes, at all times. Connecticut requires every LLC to appoint a registered agent at formation and keep one for the life of the company. The agent has a physical Connecticut street address, is available during business hours, and receives legal documents and state notices on the LLC's behalf.
Can I be my own registered agent?
Yes, if you have a physical Connecticut street address and are available during normal business hours. The trade-offs: your address goes on the public record, and you have to be present to receive hand-delivered documents. Owners who travel, work from client sites, or want their home address private often use a commercial service instead.
Can I use a P.O. box as the agent address?
No. The registered agent address must be a physical street address where documents can be hand-delivered. A P.O. box does not qualify. You can use a home address, an office, or a commercial agent's Connecticut address.
How do I change my registered agent later?
You file a change of registered agent with the Secretary of the State through Business.CT.gov, naming a new agent who meets the Connecticut requirements. Line up the new agent before dropping the old one so there is never a gap, and confirm the public record updates before treating the change as complete.
Costs, Taxes, and Fees
What does it cost to form a Connecticut LLC?
There is a state filing fee for the Articles of Organization, set by the Secretary of the State and listed on the forms and fees page. Beyond the state fee, your costs depend on whether you use a filing or registered agent service and whether you add anything optional like a name reservation. The state fee is the only mandatory formation cost.
Is there an annual fee?
Yes — Connecticut LLCs file an annual report each year, and the state charges a fee for it. The current amount is on the Secretary of the State's fee schedule. The report is separate from any taxes you owe and is required to keep the LLC in good standing.
How is a Connecticut LLC taxed?
By default, a single-member LLC is a disregarded entity reported on your personal Schedule C, and a multi-member LLC is taxed as a partnership, with income passing through to members' personal returns. Connecticut taxes that income at the individual level and administers a Pass-Through Entity Tax that many multi-member LLCs interact with. You can also elect S-corp treatment with the IRS. An accountant can tell you which path fits your numbers.
Does Connecticut have a business entity tax?
Connecticut previously levied a separate biennial Business Entity Tax, but that tax was repealed and no longer applies. Your recurring state obligation as an LLC is the annual report and its fee, plus any income and sales taxes tied to your activity.
Annual Compliance and Changes
When is the annual report due?
Between January 1 and March 31 each year. Connecticut's annual report can only be filed online through Business.CT.gov — the state does not accept a paper version. The report updates your registered agent, addresses, and member or management information. It is not a financial statement.
What happens if I miss the annual report deadline?
Your LLC falls out of good standing. Left unaddressed long enough, the state can administratively dissolve the company. You can usually reinstate by filing the overdue reports and paying the associated fees, but that is more expensive and disruptive than simply filing on time each year.
Do I need an operating agreement?
Connecticut does not require you to file one, but you should have it. For a single-member LLC it reinforces that the company is a separate entity, which matters for the liability shield. For a multi-member LLC it is essential, because without it Chapter 613a's default rules govern ownership, profits, and member exits — and those defaults rarely match what owners intend.
Do I file my DBA with the state?
No. In Connecticut, trade names — also called fictitious or assumed names — are filed with the town clerk in the town where you do business, not with the Secretary of the State or the county. Registrations run five years, and each town has its own process. You only need one if you operate under a name other than your LLC's legal name.
Names, EINs, and Winding Down
How do I check if my LLC name is available?
Use the Connecticut online business search. Search your proposed name and its close variants. Your name must include an LLC designator ("LLC," "L.L.C.," or the full phrase) and be distinguishable from every other business name already on file. If it conflicts, the state can reject your Articles, so check before filing.
Do I need an EIN?
You need one if your LLC has more than one member, hires employees, or elects corporate tax treatment, and most banks require it to open a business account. A single-member LLC with no employees can technically use the owner's Social Security number, but getting an EIN keeps that number off business paperwork. The IRS issues EINs for free through its online assistant, usually immediately.
How do I close a Connecticut LLC?
You dissolve it. That means winding up the business — settling debts, handling final taxes, and distributing what remains to the members — and filing dissolution paperwork with the Secretary of the State so the LLC is formally closed. Dissolving properly stops the annual report obligation and the fees that come with leaving an LLC open. Simply abandoning the LLC without dissolving keeps the compliance clock running.
Can I reopen an LLC I let lapse?
Often yes. If the state administratively dissolved your LLC for missed reports, reinstatement is usually available by filing the overdue reports and paying the outstanding fees. The specifics depend on how long it has been dissolved. It is almost always cheaper to stay current than to reinstate.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reserve a name before I form my Connecticut LLC?
Yes. Connecticut lets you reserve an available name for a set period through the Secretary of the State for a small state fee. A reservation holds the name while you get everything else ready, but it does not form the LLC — you still file the Articles of Organization to create the company.
Is the annual report the same as a tax return?
No. The Connecticut annual report is a compliance filing that updates your registered agent, addresses, and management information. It is not a financial disclosure and is separate from your federal and state tax returns. You file the annual report with the Secretary of the State and your tax returns with the IRS and the Department of Revenue Services.
How quickly does an LLC name get locked in once I file?
Your chosen name is secured to your LLC once the Articles of Organization are processed and the entity appears in the public record — generally a couple of business days for an online filing. Until then, another filer could claim a conflicting name, which is why checking availability and filing promptly both matter.
Does a single-member LLC still get liability protection in Connecticut?
Yes. A single-member LLC provides the same liability separation as a multi-member one, as long as you run it as a genuine separate entity — separate bank account, clean books, contracts in the company's name. Having a written operating agreement, even for one owner, helps reinforce that separation if the shield is ever challenged.
Ready to form your Connecticut LLC?
Formation, your registered agent, and your annual report. One price, $199.00/yr, with the state fee passed through at cost.
Form Your Connecticut LLC ($199.00/yr All-In)