Petition entities, circulators & proponents home page

Petition entity licensing requirements

Q1. What is a petition entity?

A1. Any person or issue committee that provides compensation to a circulator to circulate a statewide initiative or referendum petition, statewide or county candidate petition, or statewide or county recall petition. [1-4-905.5(1)(c) & [1-40-135(1), C.R.S.]

Q2. Do I need to be licensed?

A2. Yes, a petition entity is required to be licensed prior to compensating circulators for circulating any statewide initiative or referendum petition, statewide or county candidate petition, or statewide or county recall petition.

Q3. How do I get a license?

A3. To get a license, a petition entity representative must:

1. Complete the petition circulator training and exam on our eLearning portal - create an account to get started.
2. Create a petition entity account
3. Log in to file a petition entity license application and pay the filing fee.
4. Wait for approval - We'll review and process your license application within 10 business days and send you an email to let you know if we need more information or if your license is approved.
   
   Do NOT pay circulators to collect signatures until approved by our office.

Q: How do I update the contact information for a petition entity I manage?

A: Click here

Q4. Any additional requirements?

A4. A licensed petition entity must complete the Petition registration form for licensed entities (PDF) prior to compensating circulators for circulating any statewide initiative or referendum petition, statewide or county candidate petition, or statewide or county recall petition.

Petition registrations

Q: How do I register petitions that a petition entity I manage wants to circulate?

A: Click here

Circulators

How often do circulators need to update their training?

A: Annually – circulators should save a copy of their training certificate upon completion.

Q: I have registered which petitions a petition entity I manage intends to circulate. How do I then list which petitions a circulator is going to circulate?

A: Click here

Q: Can the petition entity I manage train their circulators in-house?

A: No, circulators must take the online training provided free of charge on the Colorado Secretary of State’s eLearning platform and save a copy of their certificate to provide to the petition entity for registration.

Effective December 1, 2025 Election Rule 15.2 states circulator training must be completed on our eLearning platform.

 

Q: In the past, people compensating circulators had to be licensed and registered prior to paying circulators and not before. Has that changed?

A: Yes – as of 2024 Election Rule 15.2 states that entering into an agreement with a circulator to provide them with compensation for collecting petition signatures in Colorado requires registration with our office of what petitions a petition entity is circulating. Therefore, petition entities must be both licensed, and registered to circulate a petition, prior to hiring circulators.

Designated agents

What is a designated agent?

A representative for the petition entity that is responsible for ...

Q: As the designated agent of a petition entity, how often do I need to update my training?

A: Annually – save a copy of your training certificate upon completion.

Q: As a designated agent, how do I update my training in the portal?

A: Click here

 

 

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 Existing A1: “any person or committee that directly or indirectly provides payment to a circulator to circulate a petition to nominate a candidate, to recall an elected officer in accordance with article 12 of this title 1, or to create a minor party in accordance with part 13 of this article 4.” [1-4-905.5(1)(c) & [1-40-135(1), C.R.S.]

Existing A2: “A petition entity that intends to pay petition circulators must obtain a petition entity license, pay a fee, and register with the Secretary of State’s Office before circulating initiative, candidate, and recall petitions.” (we are trying to add the other petition types in current rulemaking)

General / eFiling

Q: Can I submit physical paperwork?

A: No, all paperwork is processed through the petition entity portal.

Q: Can I pay for a license application or license renewal in person?

A: No, all payments are processed through the petition entity portal.