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How to start a business in Connecticut

The fees, filing links and deadlines for forming and registering a business in Connecticut, with the official page for each step.

Last verified October 24, 2026 General information, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Each fee shows the date we checked it on the official page. Fees change, so confirm on the official page before you pay.

LLC filing fee: $120
LLC, first year (state fees): $120
$80 annual report due by March 31 next year
Corporation filing fee: $250
Annual report: $80
DBA filed with: Municipal
General state license: No
Newspaper notice: No

How much does it cost to form an LLC or corporation in Connecticut?

To form an LLC, file Certificate of Organization with the Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division for $120 (checked Oct 24, 2026). You can file online. A corporation files Certificate of Incorporation for $250 (checked Oct 24, 2026). That filing fee is not the whole bill: see what it costs in the first year.

What does an LLC really cost in its first year in Connecticut?

Filing fees are only part of the cost. Here is every state fee and minimum tax we found that a new LLC must pay to form and stay in good standing for its first year. Example: Single-member LLC filed online at standard speed, operating from day one with no employees; licenses every business must hold are counted, sales tax permits are listed separately.

State fee	Cost	When	Checked
Certificate of Organization	$120	at filing	Oct 24, 2026

First-year total: $120 in state fees.
$80 annual report due by March 31 next year Formation $120. The first $80 annual report, due January 1 to March 31 of the year after you form, is shown below the total, not counted in it. There is no state entity tax on LLCs. Excludes local licenses, registered agent service and optional items like name reservation ($60) and expedite ($50).

After the first year: An $80 annual report every year between January 1 and March 31.

Fees that apply only in some cases

State fee	Cost	When	Checked
Sales and use tax permit (DRS) If you sell or rent taxable goods or services	$100	before you start making sales	Oct 24, 2026
Town trade name certificate Only if the LLC does business under a name other than its registered name	$20 Fee from town clerk pages; state page says cost varies by town.	before using the name	Oct 24, 2026
Pass-through entity tax Optional yearly election; depends on income	Note Confirm this on the official page before you rely on it.	with the yearly return if elected	Oct 24, 2026

Not included: city or county licenses, a registered agent service if you hire one, and optional extras such as expedited filing. Fees can change after the date shown; confirm on the official page before you pay.

Do I need to register a DBA in Connecticut?

If you do business under a name that isn’t your legal name, register it as an assumed name (DBA) with the municipal for $20 (checked Oct 24, 2026) The $20 fee (from January 1, 2025, valid five years) is stated on several town clerk pages, which cite Public Act 23-111.

How to file a DBA

Does Connecticut require an annual report?

Yes. The fee is $80 (checked Oct 24, 2026) The LLC January 1 to March 31 window is on the state's current LLC fee pages. The corporation anniversary-month rule appears only on older state pages, and the due-date page says to check your account.. LLCs: each year between January 1 and March 31, starting the year after formation. Corporations: by the last day of the anniversary month of formation.

Does Connecticut have a franchise or privilege tax?

LLCs pay no state entity-level tax. The business entity tax ended for tax periods beginning after December 31, 2018. The pass-through entity tax is optional: an entity can elect it each year. Corporations pay the Connecticut corporation business tax each year with a $250 minimum, and stock corporations also pay a one-time minimum franchise tax at incorporation that is built into the $250 filing fee for up to 20,000 authorized shares.

How do I register for state taxes in Connecticut?

Register with the state revenue agency for sales tax and withholding, and open an unemployment insurance account once you hire your first employee.

Does Connecticut require a general business license?

No. Connecticut doesn’t issue one general business license; what you need depends on your activity and where you operate.

The state's licensing pages say required licenses depend on the type of business and do not describe a general state business license. Many state licenses are applied for, renewed and verified on the eLicense site (elicense.ct.gov), which can also list the state licenses your business needs. Registering to collect sales and use tax through myconneCT costs $100. No statewide local lookup found; check with your town.

What local licenses will I need in Connecticut?

Cities and counties set their own licenses, zoning and permits. Call your city or county clerk with your business type and address before you open.

Bridgeport (city)
Town Clerk trade name (DBA) certificate: corporations and LLCs file with the CT Secretary of the State first, and the original signed form goes to the Town Clerk (no online filing mentioned) with a $20 fee. No city general business license page was found, and this page does not address one.

When do I need workers’ comp in Connecticut?

1 or more employees.

The Workers' Compensation Commission says nearly all Connecticut employers must insure their employees, and out-of-state employers must cover staff working in Connecticut. A sole proprietor is covered only if they elect to accept the Act. Corporate officers, LLC members and partners may elect to be excluded. The page does not address construction, domestic or agricultural workers; it points to C.G.S. 31-275 for who counts as an employer and employee.

What else should I know about starting a business in Connecticut?

Sole proprietors, general partnerships and corporations using an assumed name file a trade name certificate with the town clerk where the business is based (a local town office, not a county). Since January 1, 2025 the fee is $20 and the certificate is valid for five years. An LLC doing business under its registered name does not need one. Stock corporations also file a $150 Organization and First Report, so state fees to incorporate total about $400. The corporation annual report is $150 (nonstock $50), and all annual reports must be filed online. Expedited service is $50 per online filing, and an optional name reservation is $60. An amended annual report costs $25, and withdrawing a pending filing costs $120.

What to double-check for Connecticut?

A few details below aren't spelled out on the state's own pages. Confirm them on the official page before you file.

Note The corporation annual report due date (last day of the anniversary month) appears only on older state pages. The LLC window is on the state's current LLC fee pages, though the domestic page is dated 2021.
Note State pages list the $150 Organization and First Report for stock corporations but do not say whether it must be filed at formation or by what date.
Note The $20 town trade name fee (from January 1, 2025, valid five years) comes from town clerk pages citing Public Act 23-111.
Note No state page says outright that newspaper publication is not required. None of the formation pages mention it.
Note Confirm this on the official page before you rely on it.
Note Confirm this on the official page before you rely on it.
Note Confirm this on the official page before you rely on it.
Note Whether Bridgeport requires a general city business license was not found.

What to do next

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Sources

Official pages checked on October 24, 2026.