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Biz Formation Academy

A plain textbook on LLC paperwork, one state per chapter.

Unit 2 · Colorado

Colorado Registered Agent Chapter (2026): 6 Sections and the 3 Best Agents

In 2026 the services this chapter recommends for appointing a registered agent in Colorado are CO Registered Agent.org ($99 a year), Colorado Registered Agent.co ($99 a year) and Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), best first. Section 1 states the Colorado rule on a registered agent; the other sections apply it, 6 in all.
Written by the Biz Formation Academy editorial board

Key facts for this chapter

Is a registered agent required? Yes Reference: sos.state.co.us, consulted October 2026
Agent price range $99 to $149 a year Taken from each company's price page
Periodic report $25 a year Reference: coloradosos.gov, consulted October 2026
Chapter sections 6 First to last

You will be able to explain

  • What the law provides
  • Who can act as agent
  • Recording the agent
  • How the recommended agents compare

Who we recommend in Colorado

Three-year cost and paperwork completed carry the most weight; how we grade lists all five.

1. CO Registered Agent.org: best for owners watching costs

Top recommendation
Year one $99; renewal $99

In Colorado, CO Registered Agent.org heads the list: an office address inside the state at $99 per year.

Its three-year total is below Mainstay Filing's, which earns first place because cost carries 34%.

Price covers

  • A physical address in Colorado
  • Online copies of legal papers

Advantages

  • $99 each year with no increase
  • Costs less each year than Mainstay Filing

Limitations

  • Another state means another agent
  • The owner completes the periodic report
Visit CO Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

2. Colorado Registered Agent.co: best for a local alternative

Single-state plan
Year one $99; renewal $99

Entry number 2 is Colorado Registered Agent.co, where an office address inside the state at $99 per year.

On price, it matches CO Registered Agent.org.

Price covers

  • A physical address in Colorado
  • Online copies of legal papers

Advantages

  • $99 each year with no increase
  • Costs less each year than Mainstay Filing

Limitations

  • Another state means another agent
  • The owner completes the periodic report
Visit Colorado Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. Mainstay Filing: best for LLCs that may expand to other states

Handles the most paperwork
Year one $149; renewal $149

Mainstay Filing is ranked third: a single yearly charge of $149 follows the company if it registers in a second state.

CO Registered Agent.org is $150 lower across three years, which keeps this service out of first place.

Price covers

  • A street address for the registered office
  • Any papers served on the company get scanned for you at no cost
  • Three government mailings a year are scanned at no cost to you
  • Also serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs

Advantages

  • Price $149; renews at $149
  • The same provider anywhere

Limitations

  • Higher by $50 a year
  • An agent-only plan with no report filing
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

The Colorado rankings compared

#ServiceAnnual priceRenewal priceThree-year total
1 CO Registered Agent.org $99$99/yr$297 Visit CO Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 Colorado Registered Agent.co $99$99/yr$297 Visit Colorado Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Mainstay Filing $149$149/yr$447 Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Taken from each company's price page on November 13, 2026. Changing agents does not alter what the state charges.

Appointing a Colorado registered agent, section by section

  1. Section 1

    Begin with the legal rule

    Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

    Reference: Reference: sos.state.co.us, consulted October 2026

  2. Section 2

    Eligibility to serve

    A person 18 or older whose home or usual place of business is in Colorado (since July 1, 2025 the person has to hold a Colorado driver's license or ID or otherwise verify residency), or a business entity in good standing with a usual place of business in Colorado. The agent has to consent. The rule appears in C.R.S. § 7-90-701.

  3. Section 3

    Choose a qualifying office 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.

    Each recommended service provides a Colorado office address.

  4. Section 4

    Acting personally or hiring

    A qualified owner can be the agent. Those who prefer not to can pay $99 to $149 a year to a recommended agent.

  5. Section 5

    Name the agent in the filing

    For a newly formed Colorado LLC, the Articles of Organization identifies the agent. A switch afterward is filed on its own with the Colorado Secretary of State.

    Reference: Reference: coloradosos.gov, consulted October 2026

  6. Section 6

    Review the record each year

    Annually the periodic report confirms the agent's details for $25, by last day of the entity's anniversary month. A late filing costs $50.

    Reference: Reference: coloradosos.gov, consulted October 2026

Colorado agent costs

Line itemRecipientSum
A professional agent The service$99 to $149 a year
Renewal The service$99 to $149 a year
Periodic report Filing office$25 every year

The three-year state row is computed as the filing fee, plus the report in each of years two and three, plus any yearly minimum tax. Service fees have their own rows.

How the ranking came out

Tuition over three years accounts for 34% of the ranking, and led on it in Colorado.

Add up years one to three with CO Registered Agent.org and the sum is $297; the same period at Mainstay Filing runs $150 higher.

Common questions

May a Colorado LLC operate without a registered agent?

Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Can I be my own registered agent?

Yes, when both the eligibility rule and the address rule in sections 2 and 3 are satisfied.

Can I change my registered agent later?

Yes; the Colorado Secretary of State accepts change filings, and section 5 lists what to send.

What does a registered agent cost in Colorado?

Across the ranked agents the yearly price is $99 to $149.

What does the LLC pay the state each year?

The state charges $25 for the periodic report each time.

Which registered agent would you choose?

Choose CO Registered Agent.org: $99 yearly, with scans of served papers placed in an online account. Next are Colorado Registered Agent.co and Mainstay Filing.

More chapters

Bibliography and primary texts

  1. Footnote for Colorado Secretary of State: see sos.state.co.us (August 2026).
  2. Footnote for Colorado Secretary of State: see sos.state.co.us (August 2026).
  3. Footnote for Colorado yearly filing: Periodic report, official source: see coloradosos.gov (October 2026).
  4. Footnote for Colorado report due date: see colorado.public.law (August 2026).
  5. Footnote for Colo: see sos.state.co.us (August 2026).
  6. Footnote for Colorado formation fee: Filing fee, official source: see coloradosos.gov (October 2026).
  7. CO Registered Agent.org, pricing page: consulted November 13, 2026
  8. Colorado Registered Agent.co, pricing page: consulted November 13, 2026
  9. Mainstay Filing, Colorado service page: consulted November 13, 2026