How to Start a Business in Connecticut (2026 Guide)

Here is the short version of how to start a business in Connecticut: choose an entity, register it online through the state’s business portal at business.ct.gov ($120 for an LLC’s Certificate of Organization, $250 for a stock corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation), get an EIN, then register with the Department of Revenue Services (DRS) through myconneCT and apply for any licenses through eLicense. LLCs then file an $80 annual report each year between January 1 and March 31.

Sole proprietors don’t register with the Secretary of the State but should file a trade name certificate with their town clerk if they use a business name. Details and official links follow, current as of October 2026.

Updated October 2026.

Best Business Formation Services in Connecticut (2026)

Here are our top picks for forming a business in Connecticut, ranked. Mainstay Filing comes first for its flat yearly price; the two Connecticut registered agent services below it are options if you only need an agent.

1. Mainstay Filing

Mainstay Filing is our top pick in Connecticut. It costs $199/year + state fee at cost and covers lLC formation filing, registered agent for the year, EIN application, annual report preparation and filing. The price stays the same every year, with no add-on menu.

2. CT Registered Agent.org

CT Registered Agent.org is a Connecticut registered agent service at $99/year. It provides $99 per year, flat; in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.

3. Connecticut Registered Agent.co

Connecticut Registered Agent.co is a Connecticut registered agent service at $99/year. It provides in-state street address for the registered office; legal documents served on the company are scanned and sent to the owner online. It’s a fit if you only need a registered agent rather than full formation help.

What it costs to start a business in Connecticut

What type of business entity should you form in Connecticut?

The entity you pick decides your first-year cost in Connecticut more than in many states, because corporations pay noticeably more up front and every year.

Sole proprietorships and partnerships

Neither registers with the Secretary of the State. You report profits on your personal return and carry personal liability for business debts. A trade name certificate with the town clerk covers you if you trade under a name other than your own.

LLCs

For most small businesses the LLC is the efficient choice in Connecticut: $120 to form, $80 a year to maintain, and liability protection for the owners. Our Connecticut LLC guide goes deeper on the Certificate of Organization.

Corporations

A stock corporation costs $250 to incorporate plus $150 for the Organization and First Report, and its annual report is $150. The extra cost buys a structure that investors and stock-option plans expect. S corporation status is a federal tax election you make with the IRS after forming either a corporation or an LLC.

Comparing first-year state fees

Using the Secretary of the State’s posted fees, an LLC that skips the name reservation pays $120 to form and then $80 for its first annual report, or $200 in total. A stock corporation pays $250 plus $150 for the Organization and First Report and later $150 for its annual report, or $550. Optional extras such as a $60 name reservation, town trade name fees and license fees come on top in either case.

How do you check if a business name is available in Connecticut?

Use the state’s online business search to look for existing entities with the same or a confusingly similar name. Your LLC name needs an LLC designator such as “LLC” or “Limited Liability Company,” and a corporation needs “Inc.,” “Corp.” or a similar ending.

To hold a name before you file, submit an Application for Reservation of Name online for $60. Our Connecticut business name search guide explains how to interpret near-matches.

Try the Namechk business name generator if you need options, and check the matching domain and social handles on Namechk before you announce the name.

Trade names

Connecticut trade names are filed with the town clerk where the business is primarily transacted, using the Secretary of the State’s trade name application, and the filing fee is $20. Since January 1, 2025, town clerks use these state-prescribed forms, and the Secretary of the State offers a statewide trade name search on business.ct.gov. Sole proprietors and partnerships using a business name file one, and so do LLCs or corporations operating under a name other than their registered name.

Do you need a registered agent in Connecticut?

Yes. Connecticut calls it a statutory agent for service, and the appointment is part of the Certificate of Organization; the state’s fee list describes the certificate as “required, including appointment of statutory agent.” The agent can be a Connecticut resident or a business authorized to act as an agent, with an in-state address where legal papers can be delivered.

Owners who are Connecticut residents can serve themselves, but the LLC can’t name itself, the agent’s residential address becomes public, and someone must be there during business hours. Switching agents later takes a Change of Agent filing (BUS-09), which costs $50 and needs the new agent’s signed acceptance. Mainstay Filing bundles a year of registered agent service into its formation package. See our Connecticut registered agent guide for who can serve.

How do you register an LLC or corporation with the state?

Everything starts on business.ct.gov:

1. Create a business account on the portal.
2. Choose Register Your Business and select the entity type.
3. For an LLC, complete the Certificate of Organization, naming your statutory agent, principal office and at least one member or manager, and pay $120.
4. For a stock corporation, file the Certificate of Incorporation ($250), then the Organization and First Report ($150), which lists directors and officers.
5. Keep the filing confirmation for your bank and tax registrations.

After filing, adopt an operating agreement (LLC) or bylaws (corporation). Connecticut doesn’t collect them, but they settle ownership and decision-making questions before they become disputes. For a full breakdown of costs, see Mainstay’s Connecticut LLC cost guide.

How do you get an EIN?

Apply on the IRS website. The EIN is free and issued at the end of the online application. Connecticut’s DRS and Department of Labor registrations ask for it.

Connecticut companies also don’t need to file a federal BOI report. The FinCEN final rule in effect since August 14, 2026 exempts companies created in the United States.

What Connecticut taxes do you register for?

The Department of Revenue Services handles state business taxes through myconneCT. According to the state’s business portal, you may need to register for sales and use tax if your business sells, rents or leases goods or services, or runs a lodging establishment.

• Sales and use tax permit: register in myconneCT before your first taxable sale.
• Withholding: register before your first Connecticut payroll.
• Unemployment insurance: register with the Connecticut Department of Labor once you have employees.
• New hires: the state says new employees must be reported within 20 days of hiring, as required by federal and state rules. You can report new hires online.

The state’s business tax page links to DRS tax guides by business type.

What licenses and permits does a Connecticut business need?

Connecticut has no general statewide business license, but many activities are licensed. The state recommends running its New Business Checklist, which tells you which licenses apply, then applying or renewing through eLicense.

Agencies that license businesses include the Department of Consumer Protection (from accounting firms to home improvement contractors), the Department of Public Health (healthcare and personal services), the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Banking and DEEP for environmental permits. Towns handle zoning, building and health-district approvals.

What should you set up before your first sale?

• Business bank account: open it in the entity’s name using your filing confirmation and EIN, and keep personal spending out of it.
• Insurance: general liability for most businesses, professional liability for services, and workers’ compensation once you hire.
• Business address: decide whether to list your home, a leased office or a virtual address, since the principal office appears in the public business record.
• Bookkeeping: set up accounting software from day one so sales tax and annual filings are straightforward.
• Website and domain: secure a domain that matches your name and launch a simple site.

How do you keep a Connecticut business compliant?

• File the annual report every year. LLC reports are filed online between January 1 and March 31 for $80. Corporations pay $150, file their first report within 90 days of incorporating and then on their anniversary date. There’s no late fee, but the state won’t issue a Certificate of Legal Existence while a report is overdue and can dissolve an entity more than a year in default. The state emails a reminder about a month before the due date, and you can check your due date anytime in the business search.
• Be wary of unofficial mailers. The state warns that some companies send notices offering to file your annual report for a fee.
• File DRS sales and withholding returns on schedule.
• Renew professional and business licenses through eLicense.

FAQs

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