Best Registered Agent Services in Connecticut

The state lists the name and street address of every Connecticut LLC's agent. Anyone can run that search, because every document filed with the Secretary of the State is public record. Connecticut does not offer anonymous LLC formation. The one exception is narrow. A founder who would be in danger if an address were published can send a letter explaining why when registering and ask the office to keep the business address confidential. For everyone else, a commercial agent is the practical fix. Its office address goes on the record in place of yours.

The annual report costs $80. The window runs January 1 to March 31, and you file it online with the Secretary of the State. Connecticut does not fine you for a late report. It mails a Notice of Intent to Dissolve instead. From that notice you get 90 days to file every report you owe. Miss that and a Notice of Forfeiture follows. The name goes back on the shelf.

Switching agents later costs $50. Connecticut charges $50 for a Change of Agent filing. It charges $50 again to change that agent's address, and $50 to record a resignation. Count that fee once, up front. It is why a flat yearly price beats a cheap first year here.

Forming costs $120, and your agent is named on that same Certificate of Organization. So year one favors a bundle. Bizee and Inc Authority both include the first year of agent service free when they form your LLC. Year two is where you actually choose. Bizee renews at $149 and Inc Authority at $249. ZenBusiness goes from $99 to $199, and Harbor Compliance from $99 to $159. Northwest charges $125 in both years. Run the two year total before you take the free year.

Switching instead? Add $50 for the state Change of Agent filing, on top of what the new agent charges. That fee is the whole case for a flat priced agent in a state that charges you to change your mind.

Connecticut's compliance calendar is short. One annual report, filed online between January 1 and March 31. No post formation filings. No franchise tax. You do not need a compliance suite for that. Still choosing a formation service? Read our guide to the best LLC formation services in Connecticut.

• Renewal price jumps - ZenBusiness goes from $99 to $199 after year one, and Harbor Compliance from $99 to $159. Bizee and Inc Authority give the first year away when they form your LLC, then bill $149 and $249 a year. Read the renewal line on each card.
• The $50 change of agent fee - Connecticut charges $50 for a Change of Agent. Another $50 changes that agent's address. Another $50 records a resignation. A cheap first year that makes you switch later costs you all of it.
• Connecticut only agents price lower - Agents that serve this state and nowhere else advertise $49 a year. That is the honest answer for a founder certain Connecticut is their only state. Expansion changes it. Anyone who might file elsewhere buys a second agent later, a second renewal date, and the $50 change fee here.
• Document scanning fees - Some providers charge extra to scan and forward regular mail. Northwest includes same day scanning.
• Cancellation timing - Most providers do not refund mid year. Name the new agent before you cancel. Otherwise you leave a gap.

1. Confirm the agent on the state business search. Look up your LLC after formation. Check that the name and address are right.
2. Apply for your EIN with the IRS. It is free. It takes about 10 minutes online at irs.gov. You need it for a bank account and for taxes.
3. Open a business bank account. Connecticut banks ask for the Certificate of Organization, the EIN letter, and an operating agreement. Keep the money separate. That is what protects the liability shield.
4. Draft an operating agreement. Connecticut law does not require one. Banks and investors expect it anyway. It settles ownership and profit splits before anyone argues.
5. Mark March 31 on the calendar. Your first report is due the year after you form. The fee is $80. An unfiled report starts the dissolution clock.
6. Set up alerts with your agent. Most services offer email or text notices. Turn on forwarded documents and report reminders.