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Founder Primer

LLC paperwork, boiled down for founders.

Primer 3 · Colorado

Foreign LLC Registration in Colorado (2026): 4 Moves and the 3 Best Services

If you are hiring for registering an LLC from another state in Colorado in 2026, we rank Colorado Registered Agent.co ($199), CO Registered Agent.org ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), in that order. 4 moves and a $100 state fee; later reports cost $25 each.
From the Founder Primer desk

Need to know

Cost to register
$100
Source page coloradosos.gov, October 2026
Annual filing
$25
Periodic report
What the state collects in 3 years
$150
Service fees excluded
Moves
4
In order

Primer goals

  • When the rule applies
  • The filing, its fee and its office
  • Staying in good standing
  • How the picks compare

If you want someone else to file

Marked on the scoring page: three-year cost (27%), to-dos cleared (38%), renewal, fit with Colorado's rules and readable pricing.

Start with this $199 plus the $100 state fee, then $99 a year

1. Colorado Registered Agent.co: best for a low yearly agent cost

First place goes to Colorado Registered Agent.co because $199 on top of the state fee, then $99 a year.

It costs less than Mainstay Filing over three years, and three-year cost is 27% of the mark.

Inside the price
  • Registration filing
  • One year of agent service
In its favor
  • A $199 service fee
  • A free first agent year
  • $99 a year for the agent after
Against it
  • Serves only Colorado
Visit Colorado Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Colorado specialist $199 plus the $100 state fee, then $99 a year

2. CO Registered Agent.org: best for a local filer

Second place is CO Registered Agent.org, because $199 on top of the state fee, then $99 a year.

It costs the same as Colorado Registered Agent.co.

Inside the price
  • Registration filing
  • One year of agent service
In its favor
  • A $199 service fee
  • $99 a year for the agent after
  • A free first agent year
Against it
  • Serves only Colorado
Visit CO Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Upkeep included $199 plus the $100 state fee, then $149 a year

3. Mainstay Filing: best for multiple registrations

Mainstay Filing is a fair third choice: it files the Colorado registration for $199 plus the state's fee, and the first agent year is on the house.

A $100 gap to Colorado Registered Agent.co over three years settles its place.

Once the free year ends, expect $149 a year for the agent whichever state it covers.

Inside the price
  • We prepare and file the registration
  • Registered agent free in year one
  • Any state, one price
In its favor
  • Year-one agent included
  • One price anywhere
  • A $199 service fee
Against it
  • A pricier agent renewal ($149)
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Marks and prices together

# Service First year From year two Three-year total
1 Colorado Registered Agent.co $199 $99/yr $397 Visit Colorado Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 CO Registered Agent.org $199 $99/yr $397 Visit CO Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Mainstay Filing $199 $149/yr $497 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices come from each company's own site, read November 13, 2026. Each row still needs Colorado's $100 registration fee.

The Colorado registration, in order

  1. Move 1

    Is Colorado registration needed?

    An LLC formed in another state registers with Colorado before doing business there. Operating unregistered costs you: and as much as $5,000.

    Where this comes from: Source page coloradosos.gov, October 2026

  2. Move 2

    Line up a Colorado registered agent

    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 picks cover this.

    Where this comes from: Source page sos.state.co.us, October 2026

  3. Move 3

    Prepare the Statement of Foreign Entity Authority

    That filing is the registration, and it costs $100.

    Where this comes from: Source page coloradosos.gov, October 2026

  4. Move 4

    Look at the recurring filing

    The repeat item is the periodic report at $25, once a year, by the end of the second month after your report month.

What each move costs in Colorado

Move Payee Amount
Registration fee Paid to the state $100
Periodic report Paid to the state $25
Optional service Your service $199 for year one
Three-year state total Paid to the state $150

Filing plus the reports in years two and three plus any minimum tax: that is the state's three-year total. Sources are listed below.

How we ordered the Colorado picks

won on founder outlay over three years (27% of the mark), with close behind.

Colorado Registered Agent.co totals $397 across three years, saving $100 next to Mainstay Filing.

Colorado questions

What does an LLC from elsewhere pay to register in Colorado?

$100 at the state office. The services here charge $199 extra.

Which form do I file to register?

Foreign LLCs file this form with the Colorado Secretary of State, Business Program.

What if the LLC does business there without registering?

and as much as $5,000.

What is due after registering?

After registering, the LLC files the periodic report; each one costs $25.

Which services are in this lesson?

Colorado Registered Agent.co, CO Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing; prices are in the table above.

Which service should handle the registration?

Pick Colorado Registered Agent.co: $199 plus state fees to register; the agent is paid through year one. Behind it: CO Registered Agent.org and Mainstay Filing.

Related primers

Sources, so you can check us

  1. Proof for Colorado Secretary of State: the claims lean on sos.state.co.us, which we last read in August 2026. Open it and compare.
  2. Proof for Colorado Secretary of State: the claims lean on sos.state.co.us, which we last read in August 2026. Open it and compare.
  3. Proof for Colorado yearly filing: Periodic report, official source: the claims lean on coloradosos.gov, which we last read in October 2026. Open it and compare.
  4. Proof for Colorado report due date: the claims lean on colorado.public.law, which we last read in August 2026. Open it and compare.
  5. Proof for Colo: the claims lean on sos.state.co.us, which we last read in August 2026. Open it and compare.
  6. Proof for Colorado formation fee: Filing fee, official source: the claims lean on coloradosos.gov, which we last read in October 2026. Open it and compare.
  7. Proof for Colorado Secretary of State, foreign entity FAQ: the claims lean on coloradosos.gov, which we last read in October 2026. Open it and compare.
  8. Proof for Sample Statement of Foreign Entity Authority: the claims lean on coloradosos.gov, which we last read in October 2026. Open it and compare.
  9. Proof for Colorado Revised Statutes 2024, Title 7: the claims lean on content.leg.colorado.gov, which we last read in October 2026. Open it and compare.
  10. Proof for Registered agent requirements effective July 1, 2025: the claims lean on coloradosos.gov, which we last read in October 2026. Open it and compare.
  11. pricing page at Colorado Registered Agent.co, pulled November 13, 2026
  12. pricing page at CO Registered Agent.org, pulled November 13, 2026
  13. Colorado service page at Mainstay Filing, pulled November 13, 2026