How to Start a Limited Liability Company in Colorado
Starting a limited liability company, or LLC, in Colorado can be completed by filing the appropriate formation documents with the Colorado Secretary of State. Business owners that start an LLC in Colorado benefit from personal asset protection and management flexibility. Once the Colorado Secretary of State approves the LLC's formation documents, the company is treated as a separate legal entity from the members and managers of the business.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Verify that the name you've selected for the Colorado LLC is available for business use. The name of the Colorado LLC must be distinguishable from other business entities that are registered with the Colorado Secretary of State. The name of the company can't be too similar to other entity names that are active or held on reserve with the Colorado Secretary of State. Visit the Colorado Secretary of State website to confirm name availability online. Add the phrase "limited liability company" or the abbreviation "LLC" to the legal name of the Colorado LLC.
-
2
Complete the Colorado articles of organization. Fill out the articles of organization online or print fill-in-the blank articles of organization through the Colorado Secretary of State website. Contact a representative at 303-894-2200 to have articles of organization sent by mail. Provide information about the company, such as the date when the Colorado LLC will dissolve, or state that the company has an unlimited existence. List the name and address of each organizer who's responsible for filing the articles of organization with the Colorado Secretary of State. State the name and physical address of the Colorado LLC's registered agent, the business or adult that accepts tax and legal documents served against the Colorado LLC. Indicate whether nonmembers will manage the business, or if members of the company will assume the managerial duties of the business.
-
-
3
Submit articles of organization to the Colorado Secretary of State. File the articles of organization online through the website, in person or by mail. The filing method is left to the preference of the company's owners. Send the articles of organization by mail, or deliver the documents in person to 1700 Broadway, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80290. As of 2010, there's a $50 filing fee associated with filing articles of organization.
-
4
Prepare an operating agreement that establishes internal rules and regulations for operating the company. Colorado doesn't impose specific requirements regarding the contents of an LLC's operating agreement. Colorado LLCs are allowed to tailor the company's operating agreement to meet the specific needs of the business. Include information in the operating agreement such as each member's ownership interest in the business, procedures for accepting new members and buyout policies for members of the company that depart the business. Maintain the operating agreement at the Colorado LLC's principal office.
-
1
