LLC Formation in Connecticut (2026): 7 Moves and the 3 Best LLC Services
Short answer for Connecticut, 2026: use CT Registered Agent.org ($199), Connecticut Registered Agent.co ($199) and Mainstay Filing ($199), ranked best to worst, if you want help starting an LLC. 7 moves, $120 to the state, then the annual report every year.
Each company's listed price on November 13, 2026. Add the $120 state fee to every row.
How a Connecticut LLC gets formed
Move 1
Choose a name
Do not file under a name someone else holds. the Connecticut Secretary of State lets you check in a minute.
Look up the matching domain at the same time.
Move 2
Put a registered agent in place
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. A Connecticut resident, or a business entity formed in Connecticut or registered there. The agent signs to accept the appointment.
The address has to be a Connecticut street address that is not a P.O. box, plus a Connecticut mailing address, which can be a P.O. box.
Every pick above takes the registered agent role.
Where this comes from: Source page cga.ct.gov, October 2026
Move 3
DIY or hire help
DIY costs the $120 state fee and your time. A service adds $199 and does the forms; our ranking says which.
Move 4
Submit the Certificate of Organization
the Connecticut Secretary of State forms the LLC when it accepts the Certificate of Organization with $120, under Conn. Gen. Stat. § 34-247. Processing, per the state: Most online filings automatically accepted.
Where this comes from: Source page business.ct.gov, October 2026
Move 5
Request an Employer Identification Number
The IRS issues EINs, not Connecticut. Apply after approval and hand the number to your bank. The Mainstay Filing package already includes this move.
Move 6
Write an operating agreement
Who owns what, who decides what: that lives in the operating agreement, an internal paper outside the Connecticut filing.
Move 7
Plan for year two
What repeats is the annual report ($80, every year, by on or before March 31).
Where this comes from: Source page business.ct.gov, October 2026
Costs, move by move
Move
Pay to
Total
Forming the LLC
The state
$120
Annual report
The state
$80 every year
Service fees (optional)
Your service
$199 to begin
Three-year state total
The state
$280
State fees come from the official pages in the sources. Three years means the filing, two years of reports and the minimum tax where one applies.
Why this order
Founder outlay over three years decided first place in Connecticut. It is 27% of the mark; the rest is to-dos the price takes off you, year-two price, fit with the state's rules and pricing you can read at once.
CT Registered Agent.org totals $397 across three years, saving $200 next to Mainstay Filing.
Short answers
How big is the Connecticut formation fee?
The state fee is $120. Hire help and add $199.
Which form creates the LLC?
Look for the Certificate of Organization; the Connecticut Secretary of State is the office.
Is a registered agent required?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
How long does Connecticut take to process the filing?
Count on Most online filings automatically accepted.
What does Connecticut require each year?
Every year the LLC files the annual report: $80, due on or before March 31.
Can I form the LLC without a service?
The state accepts filings directly from owners, so you need no service. Expect $120 and a registered agent.
Which LLC service should a first-time founder use?
CT Registered Agent.org, since $199 up front and no agent fee in year one; $99 a year from year two. Then Connecticut Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing.