What's changing?

1. Individual residency verification - individuals designated as a registered agent must confirm Colorado residency by either:
   • Submitting a current, valid state-issued Colorado identification card or driver’s license; or
   • Completing the department’s alternative address verification process.
2. Entity eligibility - entities designated as a registered agent, must be registered with our office and in good standing.

Also, your registered agent:

• Can be either one individual or an entity.
• Must consent to being listed as your registered agent.
• Can't be the Secretary of State.

An entity is my registered agent

The entity must:

• Be in good standing with the Colorado Secretary of State. Business entity search.
• Have a usual place of business in Colorado

An individual is my registered agent

The individual must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Hold a current, valid Colorado driver’s license or identification card
• Have either their primary residence in Colorado (i.e., they must live in Colorado) or a usual place of business in Colorado

For verification, the filer must enter the registered agent's name and ID number exactly as they appear on the license or ID card as part of the filing. Are you saving the driver's license information?

No Colorado driver's license or ID card?  Use our alternate identification verification process by requesting an agent passcode. Selecting this option will delay the filing process.

Filers must:

• Request an agent passcode by entering the registered agent's name and physical street address
• The passcode will be mailed to the registered agent
• Once received, the filer must return to the website to enter the passcode to proceed with the filing
• Passcodes will expire 45 days after being requested

Also see our frequently asked questions about registered agents.

Why is this happening?

In 2024, the Colorado General Assembly passed, and the Governor signed House Bill 24-1137, incorporating recommendations from the Fraudulent Business Filings Working Group to enhance protections against business fraud activity. In addition to other changes to business filing requirements, a key objective of the bill is to confirm Colorado residence for registered agents, in order to reduce fraudulent business filings.

Are you saving the driver's license information?

Any Colorado driver’s license or identification card information entered during a business filing will not be retained long term or associated with business registrations beyond what is required by the filing system to ensure an entity is properly registered and free of system errors. Your privacy is important to us and the capture and retention of business filing data is limited to what is required by Colorado law or voluntarily provided.

What is a usual place of business?

A usual place of business located in Colorado means that the registered agent has a physical street address located in Colorado and that the place is customarily open during normal business hours. This is a place where the registered agent can physically in person accept documents for the entity.

Commercial or P.O. Box addresses cannot be used as a registered agent’s physical street address and need to located in Colorado when listed as an entity’s physical mailing address.