Colorado Articles of Incorporation
Colorado articles of incorporation form a corporation by filing online with the Secretary of State for $50, setting the name, agent, and shares. Attorney review available.
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Introduction
Colorado accepts incorporation filings only online, so you create a for-profit corporation as a separate legal entity by filing the Articles of Incorporation for a Profit Corporation through the Secretary of State website. Filing brings the corporation into existence so it can own property, sign contracts, and give its owners limited liability for the corporation debts. Colorado law requires the articles to set forth the corporation name, an initial registered agent, the principal office address, and the shares the corporation is authorized to issue (C.R.S. 7-102-102, 7-106-101). Colorado requires the articles to be filed online, and the filing fee is $50. The registered agent named in the articles must have a Colorado street address, not a post office box, and must have a primary residence or usual place of business in Colorado or be an entity authorized to do business there (C.R.S. 7-90-701). Colorado does not charge a franchise tax; corporations pay Colorado corporate income tax on income, but there is no flat minimum. To stay in good standing, a Colorado corporation files a Periodic Report with the Secretary of State each year, with a $25 fee since July 1, 2024, due during the three-month period that begins on the first day of the corporation anniversary month (C.R.S. 7-90-501). DocDraft builds your Colorado articles of incorporation from your facts, with attorney review available before you file.
Key Things to Know
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Colorado keeps a corporation, once created as a separate legal entity, in good standing through an annual Periodic Report and charges no franchise tax. You form a for-profit corporation by filing the Articles of Incorporation for a Profit Corporation.
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You file the articles online with the Colorado Secretary of State and pay a $50 filing fee. Colorado requires the filing to be done online, and the Secretary of State is the filing office for forming a Colorado corporation.
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Colorado requires the articles to set forth the corporation name, an initial registered agent, the principal office address, and the shares the corporation is authorized to issue (C.R.S. 7-102-102, 7-106-101).
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The registered agent named in the articles must have a Colorado street address, not a post office box, and must have a primary residence or usual place of business in Colorado or be an entity authorized to do business there (C.R.S. 7-90-701).
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Colorado does not charge a franchise tax or a minimum annual entity tax. Corporations pay Colorado corporate income tax on income, but there is no fixed minimum entity tax.
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A Colorado corporation files a Periodic Report with the Secretary of State each year, with a $25 fee since July 1, 2024 (C.R.S. 7-90-501). It reports the entity name, the registered agent, and the principal office address.
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The Periodic Report is due during the three-month period that begins on the first day of the corporation anniversary month of formation. Filing on time keeps the corporation in good standing.
Key decisions before you file
Before you file a Articles of Incorporation in Colorado, a few decisions shape the document: which option to choose and what each one means. The Articles of Incorporation guide walks through them.
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Colorado Requirements for Articles of Incorporation
File the Articles Online With the Secretary of State
A Colorado for-profit corporation is formed by filing the Articles of Incorporation for a Profit Corporation online with the Colorado Secretary of State. The filing fee is $50, and Colorado requires the filing to be done online. The corporation legally exists once the Secretary of State files the articles.
Corporate Name With a Designator
The corporation name in the articles must include a designator such as Corporation, Incorporated, Company, or Limited, or an abbreviation, and must be distinguishable from other entities on file with the Colorado Secretary of State.
Registered Agent and Registered Office
The articles must name a registered agent with a Colorado street address, not a post office box. The agent must have a primary residence or usual place of business in Colorado, or be an entity authorized to do business there, and must consent (C.R.S. 7-90-701).
Required Contents
The articles must set forth the corporation name, registered agent, principal office address, the person forming the corporation, and the authorized shares (C.R.S. 7-102-102).
Authorized Shares
The articles must state the total number of shares the corporation is authorized to issue. If more than one class or series is authorized, the articles must state the terms of each class or series (C.R.S. 7-106-101).
Periodic Report
A Colorado corporation files a Periodic Report with the Secretary of State each year, with a $25 fee since July 1, 2024, due during the three-month period that begins on the first day of the corporation anniversary month (C.R.S. 7-90-501).
No Franchise Tax
Colorado does not charge a franchise tax or a minimum annual entity tax on corporations. A corporation may owe Colorado corporate income tax based on income, but there is no flat minimum entity tax.
Corporation Versus LLC
Articles of incorporation form a corporation. To form a Colorado limited liability company you file articles of organization instead. Corporate bylaws are a separate internal document the corporation keeps rather than files with the state.