How To File Colorado Articles of Organization
If you’re looking to form your own Limited Liability Company in Colorado, the Colorado Articles of Organization is an essential form to fill out.
Steps To Fill Out The Colorado LLC Articles Of Organization
The Colorado Articles of Organization is the official document filed with the Colorado Secretary of State that establishes an LLC. This document lays out important information about the LLC, including its name, purpose, and member(s). It also includes information about the registered agent who will be responsible for receiving legal documents on behalf of the LLC.
I’ll walk through the 11 steps you need to take to fill out the Colorado LLC Articles of Organization online. To get started, visit the Colorado Secretary of State’s website.
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Step 1: Pick a Name for the LLC
The first question asks whether you are forming a professional service company. Services that are licensed by the state, such as accountants, attorneys, physical therapists, etc., will need to file for a Professional LLC and include a specific professional designator in their LLC name.
If your business isn’t regulated by the state, select “No.”
Next you will choose the name for your LLC.
When forming an LLC in Colorado, you must choose a unique name for your business that is not already being used by another company. You can do a Colorado LLC name search on the Secretary of State’s name database to see if your desired name is available.
The name of a Colorado Limited Liability Company must also include one of the following entity designators at the end of the name:
– Limited Liability Company
– Ltd. Liability Company
– Limited Liability Co.
– Ltd. Liability Co.
– Limited
– L.L.C.
– LLC
– Ltd.
If you have an LLC name picked out, but are not quite ready to file the Colorado LLC Articles of Organization, you can reserve a name for up to 120 days by filing the Statement of Reservation of Name form.
Step 2: Enter the Principal Office Address
The Articles of Organization must include the LLC’s principal office address. In this section, enter a physical street address, city, and zip cost of the LLC’s initial office address. This address can be the LLC’s physical address, or it can be the address where the business records are stored. You may not use a Post Office Box for the designated office address.
A mailing address can optionally be added if you prefer to have mail go to an address that is different from the principal office address. A PO Box is acceptable in this section.
Step 3: Appoint a Registered Agent
Every Colorado LLC must have a registered agent who is responsible for receiving legal documents on behalf of the LLC. The registered agent must be a Colorado resident or a business with a physical office in Colorado.
You can either appoint an individual such as yourself as the registered agent or appoint someone else, such as a friend, family member, or an entity such as a professional service. The main requirement to be a Colorado registered agent is that they have a physical address and are generally available at that address during normal business hours.
The registered agent must provide verbal or written consent to be appointed as the registered agent. To confirm their consent, check the box.
Enter the registered agent’s name and move to the next step.
Step 4: Select the Management of the LLC
The next step provides information regarding whether the LLC is Manager-Managed or Member-Managed.
A Member-Managed LLC is involved with the day-to-day operations of the business. Many LLCs are operated and run by the business owner, in which case would be Member-Managed.
A Manager-Managed LLC refers to a Limited Liability Company that hires a manager to run the business, similar to hiring a CEO of a corporation.
Related: What’s the difference between Member-Managed and Manager Managed?
Next, confirm that at least one member of the LLC has checked the box.
Step 5: Include the Organizer’s Information
Next, enter the name and mailing address of the LLC organizer(s) who are forming the entity. This can be an individual, entity (such as an LLC formation service), trust, state or other jurisdiction, or an estate.
If you are filling out this document to start an LLC, individual will normally be selected. If there will be more than one LLC member, click on the Yes button to include the names of all members.
Step 6: Enter any Additional Information
If there are additional items you wish to include regarding the formation of the LLC (not common), attach them in this section.
Step 7: Choose the Effective Date
Some filers will delay the effective date (starting date) of the LLC if they aren’t ready to start the business, but want the filing out of the way or if they are close to the end of a calendar year.
To choose today’s date for the start date of the LLC, select Yes, otherwise choose No. The start date of the LLC can be delayed for up to 90 days.
Step 8: Enter the Filer’s Information
The person filing the document, often the organizer. On this step, the filer will affirm they have read and agree to the statement.
Step 9: Notifications
The filer can opt into email and/or text notifications.
I would recommend doing this to receive important information regarding the LLC, especially for the reminder to file the Colorado periodic report.
Step 10: Review the Articles of Organization
Double-check the submitted information for errors. If everything checks out, submit payment and the Articles of Organization will be filed. Be sure to print a copy of the approved Articles of Organization for your records.
Step 11: File and Pay
File and pay to submit the Articles of Organization to the Colorado Secretary of State.
Colorado LLC FAQs
What is the LLC filing fee in Colorado?
The initial filing fee to start an LLC in Colorado is $1.
How long does it take for an LLC to be approved in Colorado?
After submitting the Articles of Organization to the Colorado Secretary of State, the LLC is approved within minutes.
Does the registered agent have to be located in Colorado?
Yes – Every LLC must have a registered agent and the agent must be physically located in Colorado and generally be available during normal business hours.
Related: What is a registered agent in Colorado?
Does Colorado require an LLC to have an operating agreement?
The operating agreement is an internal document that covers items like ownership rights, profit and loss distribution, member responsibilities, and more.
Colorado Revised Statutes § 7-80-108 state that a Colorado LLC operating agreement is optional for all LLCs. Despite the operating agreement not being required, it is recommended to have one as it can help to prevent disputes among members and protect the LLC’s legal status.
How do you know if your Colorado LLC name is available?
Every LLC must have a unique name and a quick search on the Colorado Secretary of State’s website will show if your name is available.
Do Colorado LLCs need an EIN?
Only Colorado LLCs that either have more than one member, will hire employees, or elect to be taxed as a partnership or corporation are required to get an Employer Identification Number (EIN).
The EIN or Employer Identification Number (also called a Federal Employer Identification Number or FEIN) is a unique 9-digit tax identification number that is assigned by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
If the LLC isn’t required to get an EIN (though you can still get one), the LLC will use the social security number of the owner.
Related: How to Apply for an EIN
What business licenses are needed in Colorado?
The requirements for business licenses and registrations in Colorado vary depending on what the business does and where it’s located.
Here is a list of common business licenses in Colorado.
Should I use an LLC formation service or do it myself?
Two of my top formation companies have a special offer where you can get your LLC formed without paying any additional fees (state fees still apply). Check out Zenbusiness and IncFile to learn more.
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