There is no single Connecticut business license. To get legally set up here, you file formation documents with the Secretary of the State, register for the state tax accounts that fit what you sell, and add any professional license or local permit your industry and location require. Learning how to get a Connecticut business license really means working through that short stack of filings in the right order.
What follows is the sequence most new owners actually need, with the agencies, forms, and costs attached.
Form Your Business Entity
Start by deciding whether you’ll operate as a sole proprietor, partnership, LLC, or corporation. That choice drives your paperwork, your taxes, and whether your personal assets sit behind the business or beside it. Most small owners in Connecticut form an LLC or a corporation to put a legal entity between themselves and the business.
Before you file anything, check that your name is available. The Secretary of the State’s business records search at Business.CT.gov will tell you whether another entity already holds a name too close to yours.
An LLC files a Certificate of Organization under C.G.S. § 34-247. The certificate must include the company name, principal office address, the name and address of a Connecticut registered agent, at least one manager or member, a valid email address, and the company’s NAICS code.1Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 613a – Uniform Limited Liability Company Act The NAICS requirement took effect January 1, 2025. Filing the Certificate of Organization costs $120.2Justia. Connecticut General Statutes 34-243u – Fees Payable to Secretary of the State
A corporation files a Certificate of Incorporation under C.G.S. § 33-636 instead, following the Business Corporation Act’s requirements.3Justia. Connecticut Code 33-636 – Certificate of Incorporation Check the current fee schedule at Business.CT.gov before filing.
Both entity types need a registered agent with a physical Connecticut street address who has consented to accept legal papers for the company. The agent can be you, another Connecticut resident, or an authorized commercial agent.
File everything at Business.CT.gov. Most online filings are accepted automatically, so confirmation usually arrives in minutes.
Get a Federal EIN
Apply for an Employer Identification Number from the IRS before you touch state tax registration. The nine-digit EIN is how the IRS and Connecticut link your filings, payroll, and bank accounts to your entity.4Internal Revenue Service. IRS Publication 1635 – Understanding Your EIN The online application at irs.gov issues the number immediately. A sole proprietor with no employees can sometimes use a Social Security number instead, but most banks and state agencies will ask for an EIN anyway.
Register for Connecticut Taxes
Tax registration runs through myconneCT, the Department of Revenue Services portal.5Connecticut State Department of Revenue Services. myconneCT You’ll need your EIN or SSN, your legal business name, your business address, and bank information for any permit fees.6CT.gov. Registering Your Business With DRS Register for each tax type that applies.
Sales and Use Tax Permit
If you sell tangible goods or taxable services, you need a Sales and Use Tax Permit under C.G.S. § 12-409.7Justia. Connecticut Code 12-409 – Sales and Use Tax Permit The standard Connecticut sales tax rate is 6.35% on most goods.8Connecticut State Department of Revenue Services. Tax Information Collecting sales tax without the permit is illegal, and failing to collect it when required leaves you on the hook for the back tax plus penalties.
Withholding Tax
Hire even one employee and you must register with DRS to withhold Connecticut income tax from paychecks. Add the withholding tax type during initial registration or later through myconneCT. If you’re buying an existing business, you cannot inherit the prior owner’s tax registration number — you need your own.6CT.gov. Registering Your Business With DRS
Check Whether Your Profession Needs a License
Many industries require a separate occupational license through the Department of Consumer Protection before you can legally operate. Home improvement contracting, electrical work, plumbing, cosmetology, and a long list of professional services all fall under DCP.9Department of Consumer Protection. Occupational and Professional Licensing Division Check the DCP site early. Some licenses require passing an exam or completing specific training before you can even apply, and some require a surety bond or proof of insurance as a condition of licensure.
Fees vary. Simpler trade licenses can run under $100; more heavily regulated professions reach several hundred dollars. The DCP page for your occupation lists the exact requirements.
File a Trade Name Certificate If You Use a Different Name
If you do business under any name other than the one on your formation documents, file a trade name certificate with the town clerk under C.G.S. § 35-1d.10Justia. Connecticut General Statutes 35-1d – Trade Name Certificates If your LLC or corporation operates under the exact name on file with the Secretary of the State, you do not need a trade name certificate at all. The filing only matters when you’re trading under a different name.
Confirm Local Zoning Before You Sign a Lease
Connecticut leaves land-use rules to the towns. Under C.G.S. § 8-2, each municipality sets its own zoning regulations controlling where different types of businesses can operate.11Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 124 – Zoning Call your town’s zoning enforcement officer before you commit to a location, including a home-based setup. No building permit or certificate of occupancy will issue without written certification that your use conforms to local zoning. Discovering the problem after you’ve paid for a buildout is an expensive way to learn this.
If You’re Hiring Employees
Hiring triggers several overlapping obligations at once. Treat these as a checklist. Missing any of them exposes you to fines or personal liability.
Workers’ Compensation
Connecticut requires workers’ compensation coverage as soon as you have one employee. The definition of “employer” under C.G.S. § 31-275 covers any person or entity “using the services of one or more employees for pay.”12Connecticut General Assembly. Connecticut General Statutes Chapter 568 – Workers’ Compensation Act You either carry a policy or satisfy the Workers’ Compensation Commission that you can pay claims directly. Narrow exceptions apply to household workers employed fewer than 26 hours per week and to corporate officers who file a written election to opt out.
Minimum Wage
Connecticut’s minimum wage is $16.94 per hour as of January 1, 2026. The rate is indexed to the federal employment cost index under a 2019 state law and adjusts annually.13CT.gov. Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut’s Minimum Wage Will Increase The federal minimum of $7.25 is lower, so the state figure is what governs your payroll.
Form I-9 and FUTA
Complete a Form I-9 for every new hire to verify identity and work authorization.14U.S. Department of Labor. I-9 Central You also owe federal unemployment tax (FUTA) at a standard rate of 6.0% on the first $7,000 of each employee’s annual wages. Credits for state unemployment taxes paid typically bring the effective rate down to 0.6%.15Internal Revenue Service. Topic No. 759 – Form 940 FUTA Tax Return
Keep the Business in Good Standing
Registration isn’t a one-time event. Several recurring filings keep your entity in legal shape.
Annual Report
Every LLC and corporation files an annual report with the Secretary of the State. Skip it and the state can dissolve your entity under C.G.S. §§ 33-890 (corporations) or 34-267g (LLCs). A dissolved entity also cannot obtain a Certificate of Legal Existence, a document banks, landlords, and business partners routinely ask to see.16Business.CT.gov. Overdue Annual Report File through Business.CT.gov.
Business Personal Property Declaration
Connecticut municipalities tax business personal property — office furniture, computers, equipment, supplies. Under C.G.S. § 12-41, you file a declaration with your local assessor by November 1 each year listing everything in use. If you don’t file, the assessor will estimate the value from whatever information they have, which rarely favors you.
Estimated Taxes
Income that isn’t subject to withholding generally requires quarterly estimated tax payments to both the IRS and Connecticut DRS. For 2026, federal due dates are April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15, 2027.17Taxpayer Advocate Service. Making Estimated Payments Missed deadlines trigger underpayment penalties that compound quarterly.
You Can Skip the FinCEN BOI Report
If an older guide tells you to file a Beneficial Ownership Information report with FinCEN under the Corporate Transparency Act, that step no longer applies. As of March 2025, FinCEN removed the BOI reporting obligation for all U.S.-formed companies and their U.S. beneficial owners. The requirement now reaches only foreign companies registered to do business in the United States.18FinCEN.gov. FinCEN Removes Beneficial Ownership Reporting Requirements for US Companies and US Persons