Best LLC Service by State › Connecticut
Best LLC Formation Service in Connecticut (2026): Year-One and Year-Two Cost Compared
Our pick: Mainstay Filing. $199 a year covers forming your Connecticut LLC, your registered agent all year, your EIN application and your Connecticut annual report, and it renews at the same $199. Connecticut’s filing fee ($120, set by the Connecticut Secretary of State) is passed through at cost.
- Official sources, checked October 20, 2026
- Provider prices checked October 2026
Mainstay Filing
$199 / year + $120 state fee
- LLC formation, prepared and filed
- Registered agent, all year
- EIN application (with an SSN or ITIN)
- Annual report filed every year it is due where the state requires one
- Compliance reminders and stored documents
Price from the Mainstay Filing pricing and FAQ pages, checked October 21, 2026. State fees are passed through at cost and shown before you pay.
Year-one and year-two cost in Connecticut
| Provider | Year 1 | Year 2 | 3-year total | What the price covers | Renewal terms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstay Filing | $319 | $279 | $877 | Formation filing, registered agent, EIN application and every annual report filed | $199 a year, the same at renewal |
| Northwest Registered Agent | $159 | $205 | $569 | Formation; agent included year 1; annual report filing is an extra $100 plus the state fee | $125 a year |
| ZenBusiness | $219 | $279 | $777 | Starter formation; agent bought separately; Pro ($199 a year) adds EIN and annual-report filing | $199 a year agent |
| Bizee | $120 | $229 | $578 | Basic formation with a free first year of its agent; Standard is $199 and Premium $299 | $149 a year agent |
| LegalZoom | $369 | $329 | $1,027 | Basic formation; agent bought separately at $249 for first-time agent customers (Pro $249, Premium $299) | $249 a year agent |
Which service fits which owner
Side hustle
The worry is what the LLC costs you every year while the income is small. Here that is $199 with Mainstay Filing plus $80 to Connecticut Secretary of State when the report is due. Bizee is lower in year 1 ($120 against $319), but check its year-2 cell before you take the saving.
First-time owner
Most of the work comes after the filing: the EIN, an operating agreement, an agent address and the Annual Report, due On or before March 31. Mainstay Filing prepares and files the formation and the report, applies for the EIN, and has no operating-agreement upcharge.
Online business
You will probably be asked for a business address by a bank or a payment processor. The registered agent address is on the public record and is not a business mailing address; Mainstay Filing says its address can’t stand in for one, so plan a separate mailing address. Required registered agent in Connecticut: A Connecticut resident, or a business entity formed in Connecticut or registered there. The agent signs to accept the appointment.
Startup with co-founders
Two things to settle before filing: who owns what, in an operating agreement, and who is responsible for the yearly paperwork. With Mainstay Filing the agreement is not an extra charge and the report is filed for you, so the $877 three-year figure above is the whole budget apart from legal advice you choose to buy.
Non-US owner
Mainstay Filing applies for the EIN as part of formation. It charges a one-time $99 for founders with no SSN or ITIN (a faxed Form SS-4), on top of the $199 and the $120 Connecticut filing fee.
Connecticut facts
- Filing
- Certificate of Organization, $120, filed with the Connecticut Secretary of State
- Yearly report
- Annual Report, every year, $80 Due: On or before March 31.
- Registered agent
- Required. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Should you file it yourself?
You can. File the Certificate of Organization with the Connecticut Secretary of State for $120, get the EIN free from the IRS, name a registered agent, and calendarthe Annual Report. What a service adds is the address on the public record, the reminders and a single yearly price. The steps and what is left after filing.
Questions
Do I need an operating agreement in Connecticut?
Whether Connecticut requires one is a legal point we have not checked state by state; with more than one owner, a written agreement settles who decides what. Mainstay Filing does not charge extra for one.
Can I be my own registered agent in Connecticut?
A Connecticut resident, or a business entity formed in Connecticut or registered there. The agent signs to accept the appointment. Check the rule above before assuming you can.
What does an LLC cost after year one in Connecticut?
Mainstay Filing: $199 plus the $80 state report fee in year 2. The others vary: Northwest Registered Agent $205, ZenBusiness $279, Bizee $229, LegalZoom $329.
Sources
- Conn. Gen. Stat. § 34-247 (Formation of limited liability company; certificate of organization); fee set by § 34-243u(a)(3) (multira state research spine): www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_613a.htm, checked August 12, 2026
- Connecticut formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: business.ct.gov/knowledge-base/articles/domestic-limited-liability-companies-forms-and-fees, checked October 1, 2026
- Connecticut formation fee: Filing fee, official source read 2026-10-01: business.ct.gov/-/media/businessonestop/fee-schedule-revised-712020.pdf, checked October 1, 2026
- Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division (multira state research spine): business.ct.gov/business-services/file-annual-report, checked August 12, 2026
- Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division (multira state research spine): business.ct.gov/knowledge-base/articles/annual-report/file-an-annual-report, checked August 12, 2026
- Connecticut yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source read 2026-10-01: business.ct.gov/knowledge-base/articles/domestic-annual-report-forms-and-fees, checked October 1, 2026