Start an LLC in Connecticut

First and foremost, decide the name of your LLC. Connecticut has some rules you’ll need to follow to make sure your name is valid (those rules are covered in CT Gen Stat § 34-243k.) Basically, you need to know the following things when choosing the name of your Connecticut LLC:

• Your name needs to be available to use in Connecticut
• Your name must contain the phrase or abbreviations: “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.”
• Your name can’t include any words or abbreviations that suggest a different entity type, such as “Incorporated,” “Corp,” or “Limited Partnership.”

We provide a directory of state business name availability guides you can use to check if your LLC name is available for use in Connecticut.

Tip: Connecticut LLC names can be reserved for up to 120 days by submitting an Application of Reservation of Business Name to the Connecticut Secretary of State along with a $60 fee.

The next thing you’ll want to do is get a domain name for your business website. A domain name is sort of like a street address for your website: it’s the way people find your business online. Ideally, your business domain name should match or otherwise make a clear connection to your business name or what the business does.

There are several benefits to registering your domain early:

• Credibility: A professional domain name demonstrates your commitment to crafting an online presence that potential customers connect to and trust.
• Consistency: When your domain name resonates with your business name, you reinforce your business brand, which aids customer recognition in remembering your business.

Another benefit of getting a domain name? You get access to a professional business email address. This email is available even before you put your business website together.

Tip: We provide a free year of domain registration and business email when you hire us to help you form your business.

For the third step in creating your Connecticut LLC, you’ll need to submit a Certificate of Organization to the Secretary of State online, by mail, or in person. This officially forms your LLC with the state. Here’s what the form asks for.

Note: All of the information on this form will become part of the public record.

How do I submit my Certificate of Organization?

To submit your Connecticut Certificate of Organization to the Connecticut Business Services Division, you can file online, in person, or by mail.

By mail:
Business Services Division
Connecticut Secretary of the State
P.O. Box 150470
Hartford, CT 06115-0470

In person:
Business Services Division
Connecticut Secretary of the State
165 Capitol Avenue, Suite 1000
Hartford, CT 06106

Online:
Connecticut Online Business Registration

An operating agreement is an internal document that determines the way your LLC runs. It defines important information for your business, like what was contributed financially and by who, how to make important decisions, and what should be done if things don’t go as planned.

While Connecticut does establish rules for what an operating agreement can include, technically, you aren’t required to have one. However, drafting an operating agreement is a wise choice for legal protection for your LLC, and for otherwise keeping everything running at an even keel. Besides, if you don’t have one, your business will instead operate under Connecticut’s default LLC laws, and wouldn’t you rather make your own decisions about member voting rights and profit allocation?

Tip: We provide an attorney-drafted Connecticut operating agreement template you can use for free.

An EIN (employer identification number) identifies your business for the Internal Revenue Service. It’s also important if you have multiple members, intend to hire employees, or open a business bank account. You can apply for an EIN for free directly from the IRS online, or hire us to get an EIN for you.

LLCs enjoy limited liability because they’re treated as a separate legal entity from their owners. So if you mix personal and business funds, a court might decide your LLC isn’t actually a separate entity. This is why it’s important for your LLC to have its own bank account.

When you go to the bank to open that account, make sure you’ve got these essentials with you:

• A copy of your Connecticut LLC Certificate of Organization
• Your LLC’s operating agreement
• The EIN (employer identification number) for your LLC

If your LLC has more than one member, you may need to provide an LLC Resolution to Open a Bank Account.

Connecticut LLCs are required to file an annual report every year. Filing your annual report ensures that the state has up-to-date contact information for your business, and that they know if your LLC has changed ownership. In Connecticut the filing fee for annual reports is $80.

Connecticut annual reports are due for LLCs on March 31, starting with the year after your business forms.

Tip: Worried you’ll forget? Let us file your Connecticut annual report for you.

As of 2024, there is a new federal filing for most Connecticut LLCs called the Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report. In the BOI Report, you’ll provide some details about your company applicant and all the LLC’s beneficial owners with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. You can handle this filing yourself, or if you find it overly complicated, you can hire us to do it for you.

*This is informational commentary, not advice. This information is intended strictly for informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice or a substitute for legal counsel. This information is not intended to create, nor does your receipt, viewing, or use of it constitute, an attorney-client relationship. More information is available in our Terms of Service.