Lesson 3 · Colorado
Foreign LLC Registration in Colorado (2026): a 4-Step Lesson and the 3 Best Services
Key facts
Lesson goals
- Whether Colorado registration applies to you
- The form and the fee
- The yearly upkeep
- Our graded picks and the reasoning
If you would like help with the filing
1. CO Registered Agent.org: best for an inexpensive Colorado filing
CO Registered Agent.org earns the highest mark because $199 added to the state fee, with the agent covered in year one, then $99 a year.
It costs less than Mainstay Filing over three years, and three-year cost is 32% of the grade.
What the price covers
- The registration filing
- One year of agent service
Marks in its favor
- $99 yearly from year two
- $199 to register
- A free first agent year
Where it loses points
- No help in other states
2. Colorado Registered Agent.co: best for Colorado registrations
For number 2 we picked Colorado Registered Agent.co: $199 added to the state fee, with the agent covered in year one, then $99 a year.
CO Registered Agent.org and this service charge the same.
What the price covers
- The registration filing
- One year of agent service
Marks in its favor
- $199 to register
- $99 yearly from year two
- A free first agent year
Where it loses points
- No help in other states
3. Mainstay Filing: best for companies adding a state
Taking third place is Mainstay Filing, where a $199 fee for the work plus Colorado's own fee, then $149 a year for the agent.
Three years run $100 higher than CO Registered Agent.org.
After year one, the agent costs $149 a year.
What the price covers
- Filing with the state
- The registered agent costs nothing in year one
- Any state at one price
Marks in its favor
- Any state at one fee
- $199 to register
- The first agent year is included
Where it loses points
- A bigger agent renewal ($149)
The 3 graded picks compared
| # | Service | First year | From year two | Three-year total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CO Registered Agent.org | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit CO Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | Colorado Registered Agent.co | $199 | $99/yr | $397 | Visit Colorado Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Mainstay Filing | $199 | $149/yr | $497 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
The steps
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Step
1Find out whether your LLC must register with Colorado
Doing business in Colorado through an LLC from another state calls for a foreign registration. Here is what happens if you skip it: The most the state can charge is $5,000.
Where this comes from: Class notes: coloradosos.gov (October 2026)
-
Step
2Find a registered agent with a Colorado address
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a physical address in Colorado, either a home or a usual place of business. P.O. boxes are not accepted.
Our graded picks all serve as the registered agent.
Where this comes from: Class notes: sos.state.co.us (October 2026)
-
Step
3Fill out and file the Statement of Foreign Entity Authority
That filing is the registration, and the state charges $100 for it.
Where this comes from: Class notes: coloradosos.gov (October 2026)
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Step
4Plan for the recurring filing
Once registered, file the periodic report for $25, once a year, by the end of the second month after your report month.
Costs, step by step
| Cost item | Goes to | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Registration fee | To the state | $100 |
| Periodic report | To the state | $25 |
| A service, if you use one | The provider | $199 in year one |
| State fees, years one to three | To the state | $150 |
How the grade worked out
Tuition over three years decided first place in Colorado. It is worth 32% of the grade, and the rest comes from homework the price handles, year-two price, fit with the state's lesson plan and pricing a beginner can read.
Count the first three years and CO Registered Agent.org comes out at $397, $100 cheaper than Mainstay Filing.
Short answers
What will I pay to get an out-of-state LLC registered with Colorado?
$100 at the state office. Service fees: $199.
Which form do I file to register?
Registration runs on one form, which the Colorado Secretary of State, Business Program receives.
What if the LLC does business there without registering?
The most the state can charge is $5,000.
What is due after registering?
Keep the registration alive by filing the periodic report; the fee is $25.
Which services are in this lesson?
The graded list holds CO Registered Agent.org, Colorado Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing, best grade first.
Which service should handle the registration?
By grade: CO Registered Agent.org, Colorado Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing. CO Registered Agent.org is first because it files the Colorado registration for $199 and includes a year of agent service, then renews at $99.
Class references
- Source for Colorado Secretary of State: sos.state.co.us, confirmed in August 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Colorado Secretary of State: sos.state.co.us, confirmed in August 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Colorado yearly filing: Periodic report, official source: coloradosos.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Colorado report due date: colorado.public.law, confirmed in August 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Colo: sos.state.co.us, confirmed in August 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Colorado formation fee: Filing fee, official source: coloradosos.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Colorado Secretary of State, foreign entity FAQ: coloradosos.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Sample Statement of Foreign Entity Authority: coloradosos.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 7: content.leg.colorado.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- Source for Registered agent requirements effective July 1, 2025: coloradosos.gov, confirmed in October 2026, and the reason our figures match the official ones.
- On November 13, 2026 we read the pricing page of CO Registered Agent.org
- On November 13, 2026 we read the pricing page of Colorado Registered Agent.co
- On November 13, 2026 we read the Colorado service page of Mainstay Filing