In the United States, just because you are registered to do business in one state does not mean that you can legally do business in another state.  If you want to transact any serious business in a state other than the state in which your Corporation is registered, most likely you will have to register with the state in which you want to do business before you can legally conduct business there. 

For example, a Corporation that is registered in California wants to do business in Colorado.  The California Corporation is a "Domestic" Corporation in California and will be a "Foreign" Corporation in Colorado.

The California Foreign Corporation needs to register with the Colorado Secretary of State as a Colorado Foreign Corporation.

The use of the term Foreign in this case refers specifically to individual US states.  The US government, including the IRS, considers a Foreign Corporation to be a Corporation that is registered outside of the United States.

You want to do business in the state of Colorado but are registered as a "Domestic Corporation" in another state.  In order to legally conduct business in the state of Colorado you must register with the Colorado Secretary of State as a Foreign Corporation.  The process of registering as a Foreign Corporation in Colorado is called Colorado Corporation Foreign Qualification.

The process of Colorado Corporation Foreign Qualification is similar to the process of forming a Domestic Corporation in Colorado.  Your original Domestic Corporation formation documents (usually called Articles of Incorporation) and By Laws apply to your Colorado Foreign Corporation.  The Officers and Directors of your Domestic Corporation have the same roles in the Colorado Foreign Corporation.  Specific requirements to qualify as a Foreign Corporation in Colorado are explained below. 

Once you have made the decision to Qualify as a Foreign Corporation in Colorado, a Colorado lawyer can file your documents and act as a middle man for a few hundred dollars an hour; or you can use an online service provider like All Business Documents to perform these services.

The short answer is no.  The state of Colorado does not legally require a lawyer to form a Colorado Foreign Corporation.

Our detailed Foreign Corporation Information page may help you understand some of the implications of forming a Colorado Foreign Corporation.  However, if there is anything about forming a Foreign Corporation in Colorado that you're not sure about you should seek the advice of a competent Colorado lawyer, a Colorado accountant, or both before you form a Foreign Corporation in Colorado.

Once you have made the decision to form a Foreign Corporation in Colorado, a Colorado lawyer can file your documents and act as a middle man for a few hundred dollars an hour; or you can use an online service provider like All Business Documents to perform these services and save money that you can use in your new Colorado Foreign Corporation.

You are not legally required to reserve a Company Name for a new Colorado Foreign Corporation before you submit your application to Form a Foreign Corporation in Colorado.

The Foreign Corporation name that you have registered in your home state may or may not be available in Colorado.  In that case you need a different name your Colorado Foreign Corporation.  Whether or not you need to reserve a company name for your new Colorado Foreign Corporation depends entirely on your business situation.  The Colorado Secretary of State uses names on a first come first served basis.  So if you think that someone may snatch the Company Name that you have in mind, you may want to reserve that Colorado Foreign Corporation Name.

If the Name you have chosen for your new Colorado Foreign Corporation is already in use by a currently active Colorado Foreign Corporation or LLC then you will have to register a DBA Name with the Colorado Secretary of State.  "DBA" is an abbreviation for "Doing Business As."

In Colorado a DBA Name is called a Trade Name.

We verify that the Name you have chose for your new Colorado Foreign Corporation is available before we submit your Foreign Corporation filing to the Colorado Secretary of State.  If necessary we can register a Trade Name in Colorado for you so that you can open your new Colorado business as quickly as possible.

1. Prove that you are registered in a state other than Colorado as a Domestic Corporation
   In order to register as a Foreign Corporation in the state of Colorado, you must first prove that you are registered in another state as a Domestic Corporation. 
2. Choose a name for your Colorado Foreign Corporation
   You can use the same name in Colorado that you use in your home state, however, if the name of your Domestic Corporation is not available you need to choose another name.  Your Colorado Foreign Corporation name can identify the type of products and services your business will provide; or it may be the name of the founder; or it can be a combination of the two or something else.
   
   In any case, the Colorado Foreign Corporation name that you choose must be distinguishable from the name of any other registered Colorado Corporation or other business entity and the name must also be different from any reserved names on record with the state of Colorado.  Your Colorado Foreign Corporation name must not imply that it was formed for a purpose other than that stated in the Your Colorado Foreign Corporation name must not be a name that is likely to mislead the public.
   
   The name of a Colorado Foreign Corporation must include the word "Foreign Corporation" or "Incorporated" or an abbreviation of one of these words.
   
   It's important to choose a good name for your Colorado Foreign Corporation because if you want to change it after you qualify you will have to file amended documents with the Colorado Secretary of State (and pay a fee).
   We will check to make sure that your requested Colorado Foreign Corporation name is available and conforms to all state of Colorado Foreign Corporation naming regulations.
3. Select an official address and a Registered Agent for your Colorado Foreign Corporation
   Every Colorado Foreign Corporation must have an address that is physically located in the state of Colorado.  This address is "registered" with the Colorado Secretary of State.  The Registered Address cannot be a PO Box and is where official and legal correspondence can be delivered.
   
   The individual or company that is registered with the state of Colorado to receive all correspondence on behalf of the Colorado Foreign Corporation is called a "Registered Agent".  You may act as your own Registered Agent, however, many Colorado Foreign Corporations hire a Registered Agent because they don't have a physical address within the state of Colorado or to provide a distinct level of privacy.
   We provide Registered Agent services in Colorado as well as all other states and the District of Columbia.
4. File Registration Documents with the Colorado Secretary of State
   In order to Qualify as a Foreign Corporation in Colorado you must file Registration Documents with the Colorado Secretary of State.  In Colorado the registration documents are named "Statement of Foreign Entity Authority".
   
   The registration documents must include certain specific information about your Colorado business.  If the Registration Documents do not conform exactly to state of Colorado requirements they will be rejected. 
   
   If you need to change any of the information on your registration documents after your Colorado Foreign Corporation has been approved, you may amend the registration documents for your Colorado Foreign Corporation but you will have to pay a fee to the state of Colorado in order to make the changes official.
   
   
5. Determine how you want your Colorado Foreign Corporation to be taxed
   The Colorado Corporate Income Tax Rate is %.  You may choose that your Colorado Foreign Corporation to be taxed as a C Corporation or S Corporation. 
   
   A C Corporation is what you may think of as a traditional Corporation like General Electric or Ford.  C Corporations pay a Corporate income tax to the state if that state taxes Foreign Corporations. 
   
   You may choose to have your Colorado Foreign Corporation taxed as a S Corporation.  S Corporations "pass through" all corporate profits to the shareholders (owners) who then pay tax at their applicable personal rate.  S Corporations do not pay any Colorado Corporate Income Tax.
   If you choose to be taxed as an S Corporation, we can prepare the S Corporation election form for your Colorado Foreign Corporation and include it with your final Foreign Corporation documents package.

1. Obtain Business Licenses from the cities and counties in which you plan to do business
2. File the required reports for your Colorado Foreign Corporation
3. Keep proper records of your Colorado Foreign Corporation on file
4. Pay your taxes to the state of Colorado

1. Obtain Business Licenses from the cities and counties in which you plan to do business
   Note that forming a Colorado Foreign Corporation does not take the place of obtaining a local business license, tax registration certificate, or other required business permits.  A Colorado Foreign Corporation merely creates an ownership structure that limits the owners' personal liability.  You may still need to take care of getting set up to do business with your local government.
   
   Depending on the nature of the business and the location of your Colorado Foreign Corporation within Colorado you may need to get one or more local business licenses or permits.  The business licenses or permits that are required for your Colorado Foreign Corporation vary depending on your business activities and the specific locations within the state of Colorado in which you want to conduct business.
   
   If your Colorado Foreign Corporation will be selling products in Colorado you may be required to obtain a Reseller's Permit from the appropriate Colorado state agency.  If your Colorado Foreign Corporation will be selling products in Colorado you will also be responsible for all applicable local and state of Colorado sales taxes if there are any.
   We have the expertise to find out exactly which state and local permits that you need for your specific business.
2. File the required reports for your Colorado Foreign Corporation
   All Colorado Corporations must file an initial report with the Colorado Secretary of State by the end of the second calendar month following date of Incorporation.  In addition each Colorado Corporation must file an annual report with the Colorado Secretary of State every year thereafter.
   
   The Colorado Corporation Periodic Report includes basic information about your Colorado Foreign Corporation including information on your Officers and Directors.
   
   Failure to submit a properly completed Colorado to the Colorado Secretary of State on or before the due date may subject the Colorado Foreign Corporation to being administratively dissolved in the state of Colorado or having its authority to transact business in the state of Colorado revoked by the Colorado Secretary of State.
   
   Penalties may accrue if you fail to file any Colorado Foreign Corporation to the Colorado Secretary of State by the due date.
   
   
3. Keep proper records of your Colorado Foreign Corporation on file
   Keep the following records on file and available at the principal business office of your Colorado Foreign Corporation:
   • Names and addresses of all Directors and Officers of the Colorado Foreign Corporation
   • Foreign Corporation formation documents and any Amendments to them
   • Corporate Bylaws and any Amendments to them
   • List of current shareholders of the Foreign Colorado Foreign Corporation.  If shareholders change, keep a record of old shareholders and how stock was transferred.
   • Minutes of all Meetings of Shareholders and Directors
   • Copies of any Corporate Resolutions which have been adopted by the Colorado Foreign Corporation
   • Copies of all tax returns and Annual Reports for the Colorado Foreign Corporation for the last 3 years
   
   
   
4. Pay your taxes to the state of Colorado
   Foreign Corporations that either do business in the state of Colorado or that derive income from sources within the state of Colorado are subject to Colorado and federal tax laws.  If you are engaged in intrastate business and derive income from other states besides Colorado, you must allocate the amount of income derived from the state of Colorado in order to determine your Colorado state taxes.

In order to Incorporate in Colorado you'll need the following information about your new Company:

• The name of your new Colorado Foreign Corporation along with your second choice of a name in case the name that you want is not available
  
• Physical address of the Foreign Corporation office in Colorado (not a PO Box)
  
• A description of the nature of the business you are planning to operate with the Colorado Foreign Corporation
• When the Colorado Foreign Corporation will start and when it will cease to exist (normally the Foreign Corporation starts on the date the application is filed and will exist perpetually)
• Names and addresses of the initial Directors of the Colorado Foreign Corporation

Remember - ALL the information that you provide when you Form a Foreign Corporation in Colorado becomes part of the public record.  Our data entry forms include the absolute minimum amount of information that is required in order to Form a new Foreign Corporation in Colorado.

Processing times for new Colorado Foreign Corporation applications vary depending on the work load of the Secretary of State's staff.  We've found that normal processing of new Colorado Foreign Corporation applications takes the state around 1-2 business days.  Add 2-3 days for the time period for shipping the final documents by mail.  Choosing our Express Mail option can shave a couple of days off the total processing time for your new Colorado Foreign Corporation.

The Colorado Secretary of State reserves the right to extend expedite periods in time of extreme volume, staff shortage or equipment malfunction.  We are dependent on, and have no control over, the staff and systems of the Colorado Secretary of State.

In our experience 1-2 business days is the time it usually takes the Colorado Secretary of State to process a new Colorado Foreign Corporation application. We get your Colorado Foreign Corporation application to the CO Secretary of State ASAP. Once it is at the state we have no control over the new Colorado Foreign Corporation application process.

The state of Colorado charges $105.00 to Form a Foreign Corporation in CO.  If you choose us to help you Form your Foreign Corporation in Colorado our processing fees are $145.00.  This includes:

• Same day processing of your new Colorado Foreign Corporation order
• CO Name Check and Reservation
• Prepare Statement of Foreign Entity Authority
• File Formation Documents with the Colorado Secretary of State
• Certified Copies of Formation Documents
• Colorado Foreign Corporation Checklist
• Priority Mail Delivery
• Unlimited Customer Support