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 LLC 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 LLC that is registered in California wants to do business in Connecticut.  The California LLC is a "Domestic" LLC in California and will be a "Foreign" LLC in Connecticut.

The California LLC needs to register with the Connecticut Secretary of State as a Connecticut Foreign LLC.

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

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

The process of Connecticut LLC Foreign Qualification is similar to the process of forming a Domestic LLC in Connecticut.  Your original home LLC formation documents (frequently called Articles of Organization) and By Laws apply to your Connecticut Foreign LLC.  The Officers and Directors of your home LLC will have the same roles in the Connecticut Foreign LLC.  Specific requirements to qualify as a Foreign LLC in Connecticut are explained below. 

Once you have made the decision to Qualify as a Foreign LLC in Connecticut, a Connecticut 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 Connecticut does not legally require a lawyer to form a Connecticut Foreign LLC.

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

Once you have made the decision to form a Foreign LLC in Connecticut, a Connecticut 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 Connecticut Foreign LLC.

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

The LLC name that you have registered in your home state may or may not be available in Connecticut.  In that case you need a different name your Connecticut Foreign LLC.  Whether or not you need to reserve a company name for your new Connecticut Foreign LLC depends entirely on your business situation.  The Connecticut Secretary of State uses LLC 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 Connecticut Foreign LLC Name.

If the Name you have chosen for your new Connecticut Foreign LLC is already in use by a currently active Connecticut Corporation or LLC then you will have to register a DBA Name with the administrative clerk in each Connecticut city or town in which you want to do business. "DBA" is an abbreviation for "Doing Business As."

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

1. Choose a name for your Connecticut Foreign LLC
2. File Registration Documents with the Connecticut Secretary of State
3. Determine how you want your Connecticut Foreign LLC to be taxed

1. Choose a name for your Connecticut Foreign LLC
   
   You can use the same name in Connecticut that you use in your home state, however, if the name of your Domestic LLC is not available you need to choose another name.  Your Connecticut Foreign LLC 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 Connecticut Foreign LLC name that you choose must be distinguishable from the name of any other registered Connecticut LLC or other business entity and the name must also be different from any reserved names on record with the state of Connecticut.  Your Connecticut Foreign LLC name must not imply that it was formed for a purpose other than that stated in the Articles of Organization for your Domestic LLC and your Connecticut Foreign LLC name must not be a name that is likely to mislead the public.
   
   The name of a Connecticut Foreign LLC must include the word "Limited Liability Company" or or the abbreviation "LLC" or "L.L.C.".
   
   It's important to choose a good name for your Connecticut Foreign LLC because if you want to change it after you qualify you will have to file amended documents with the Connecticut Secretary of State (and pay a fee).
   We will check to make sure that your requested Connecticut Foreign LLC name is available and conforms to all state of Connecticut Limited Liability Company naming regulations.
2. File Registration Documents with the Connecticut Secretary of State
   
   In order to Qualify as a Foreign LLC in Connecticut you must file Registration Documents with the Connecticut Secretary of State.  In Connecticut the registration documents are named "Application for Registration".
   
   The registration documents must include certain specific information about your Connecticut business.  If the LLC Registration Documents do not conform exactly to state of Connecticut Foreign LLC requirements they will be rejected. 
   
   If you need to change any of the information on your registration documents after your Connecticut Foreign LLC has been approved, you may amend the registration documents for your Connecticut Foreign LLC but you will have to pay a fee to the state of Connecticut in order to make the changes official.
   
   
3. Determine how you want your Connecticut Foreign LLC to be taxed
   
   The Connecticut Corporate Income Tax Rate is 7.5%.  You may choose that your Connecticut Foreign LLC is 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 Corporations. 
   
   You may choose to have your Connecticut Foreign LLC 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 Connecticut Corporate Income Tax.
   
   All Connecticut C Corporations are required to pay Corporate Income Tax for all years in which the Corporation is registered with the Connecticut Secretary of State.

   If the amount of tax due is less than $250, the Connecticut Corporation must pay the Alternative Minimum Tax of $250.

   Since the 1990s, Connecticut has enacted wide-ranging corporation business tax exemptions, deductions and credits that reduce dramatically the tax liability of many Connecticut Corporations.

   All Connecticut S Corporations are required to pay an annual Business Entity Tax of $250.
   
   If you form a Single Member Connecticut Foreign LLC and do not specify to the IRS how you want to be taxed your Single Member Connecticut Foreign LLC will be taxed as a Sole Proprietorship.  If you form a Multiple Member Connecticut Foreign LLC and do not specify to the IRS how you want to be taxed your Multiple Member Connecticut Foreign LLC will be taxed as a Partnership.
   
   Click here for more Connecticut Corporate Tax Information .
   If you choose to be taxed as an S Corporation, we can prepare the S Corporation election form for your Connecticut Foreign LLC and include it with your final Foreign LLC documents.

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

1. Obtain Business Licenses from the cities and counties in which you plan to do business
   
   Note that forming a Connecticut Foreign LLC doesn't take the place of obtaining a local business license, tax registration certificate, or other required business permits.  A Connecticut Foreign LLC 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 Connecticut Foreign LLC within Connecticut you may need to get one or more local business licenses or permits.  The business licenses or permits that are required for your Connecticut Foreign LLC vary depending on your business activities and the specific locations within the state of Connecticut in which you want to conduct business.
   
   If your Connecticut Foreign LLC will be selling products in Connecticut you may be required to obtain a Reseller's Permit from the appropriate Connecticut state agency.  If your Connecticut Foreign LLC will be selling products in Connecticut you will also be responsible for all applicable local and state of Connecticut 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 Connecticut Foreign LLC
   
   The Connecticut Annual Report includes basic information about your Connecticut Foreign LLC including information on your business location as well as the names of the Officers and Directors.
   
   Failure to submit a properly completed Connecticut Annual Report to the Connecticut Secretary of State on or before the due date may subject the Connecticut Foreign LLC to being administratively dissolved in the state of Connecticut or having its authority to transact business in the state of Connecticut revoked by the Connecticut Secretary of State.
   
   Penalties may accrue if you fail to file any Connecticut Foreign LLC Annual Report to the Connecticut Secretary of State by the due date.
   
   
3. Keep proper records of your Connecticut Foreign LLC on file
   
   Keep the following records on file and available at the principal business office of your Connecticut Foreign LLC:
   • Names and addresses of all Members and Managers of the Connecticut Foreign LLC
   • Foreign LLC formation documents and any Amendments to them
   • Connecticut Foreign LLC Operating Agreement and any Amendments to them
   • Copies of any LLC Resolutions which have been adopted by the Connecticut Foreign LLC
   • Copies of all tax returns and Annual Reports for the Connecticut Foreign LLC for the last 3 years
   
   
4. Pay your taxes to the state of Connecticut
   
   Foreign LLCs that either do business in the state of Connecticut or that derive income from sources within the state of Connecticut are subject to Connecticut and federal tax laws.  If you are engaged in intrastate business and derive income from other states besides Connecticut, you must allocate the amount of income derived from the state of Connecticut in order to determine your Connecticut state taxes.

In order to Form a Foreign LLC in Connecticut you'll need the following information about your LLC:

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

Remember - ALL the information that you provide when you Form a Foreign LLC in Connecticut 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 LLC in Connecticut.

Processing times for new Connecticut Foreign LLC applications vary depending on the work load of the Secretary of State's staff.  We've found that normal processing of new Connecticut Foreign LLC 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 Connecticut Foreign LLC.

The Connecticut 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 Connecticut Secretary of State.

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

The state of Connecticut charges $175.00 to Form a Foreign LLC in CT.  If you choose All Business Documents to help you Form your Foreign LLC in Connecticut our processing fees are $145.00.  This includes:

• Same day processing in of your new Connecticut Foreign LLC order
• CT Name Check and Reservation
• Prepare Application for Registration
• File Formation Documents with the Connecticut Secretary of State
• Certified Copies of Formation Documents
• Connecticut Foreign LLC Checklist
• Priority Mail Delivery
• Unlimited Customer Support