Connecticut new business checklist (2026)

A free guide from Direct-Me LLC.

Please read this first. This is general information. It is not legal advice. It is not tax advice. Rules change. Every item below shows the official page we used and the day we checked it. Before you act, check that page or call the agency. For your own situation, talk to a lawyer, an accountant, or the agency.

You filed your business with the Connecticut Secretary of the State. Good. Now what? Here are the next steps, in plain words.

Part 1: Your first 30 days

1. Get your free EIN from the IRS

2. Know about the federal “BOI” report

  • You may hear you must file a “beneficial ownership” report with FinCEN.
  • FinCEN now says U.S. companies are exempt. A final rule took effect August 14, 2026.
  • Companies formed in another country, and registered to do business here, may still have to file.
  • Watch out for scam letters about this report.
  • Source: https://www.fincen.gov/boi (checked 2026-10-08)

3. Register with the Department of Revenue Services (DRS)

  • You register in myconneCT, the DRS website. Pick “New Business/Need a CT Registration Number?”
  • Have these ready: your EIN (or your SSN if you are a sole owner), your legal name, any other business name, your address, the names and Social Security Numbers of the responsible owners or officers, and your bank information to pay any fee.
  • Source: https://portal.ct.gov/drs/businesses/new-business-resource-center/registering-with-drs (checked 2026-10-08)

Do you sell, rent or lease goods? Sell a taxable service? Run a hotel, motel, lodging house or bed and breakfast? Then you need a Sales and Use Tax Permit before you sell. – Building contractors: this means you. DRS says all building contractors, including subcontractors, must get this permit before doing any work. That is true even if your work is not taxable. – The fee is $100. – You need a permit for each location. – The permit runs for two years. DRS renews it for free as long as your account is active and in good standing. – Sources: https://portal.ct.gov/drs/sales-tax/tax-information (checked 2026-10-08); https://portal.ct.gov/drs/sales-tax/other-helpful-information (checked 2026-10-08)

Will you have employees? Then you register for withholding tax with DRS. – It is free to register. – Payments and returns must be filed electronically. – Sources: https://portal.ct.gov/drs/withholding-taxes/new-employer-information (checked 2026-10-08); https://portal.ct.gov/drs/withholding-taxes/tax-information (checked 2026-10-08)

Old tip you may hear: the Business Entity Tax. DRS says it no longer exists. – Source: https://portal.ct.gov/DRS/DRS-Forms/Current-Year-Forms/Business-Entity-Tax-Return (checked 2026-10-08)

4. Hiring? Register with the CT Department of Labor.

5. Find the licenses your kind of work needs

  • Use the state’s New Business Checklist tool. It lists licenses and permits for your type of business.
  • Use CT eLicense to apply for, renew or check a license.
  • Source: https://business.ct.gov/licenses-and-permits (checked 2026-10-08)

6. Check your town

  • Towns can have their own rules, like zoning and permits. Call your town hall. (Check with your town – we did not find one state page that lists town rules.)
  • Using a different name? That is a “trade name.” You file it with the town clerk where you mostly do business. The fee is $20, paid to the town clerk.
  • An LLC or corporation using a name other than its registered name files one too. Your business must be active and current on all annual reports first.
  • Forms filed on or after October 1, 2026 must be hand signed and notarized.
  • Source: https://business.ct.gov/knowledge-base/articles/trade-names (checked 2026-10-08)

7. Home improvement work? Register with Consumer Protection first.

8. Insurance: ask an agent

  • Ask a licensed insurance agent what your business needs.
  • Good questions to ask: “Do I need general liability?” “Do I need workers’ comp?” “Does my home or car policy cover business use?”
  • Home improvement contractors have a set minimum (step 7). Ask your agent if more makes sense.
  • (General tip.)

9. Open a business bank account

  • Keep business money apart from your own money.
  • Ask your bank what papers it needs. It may ask for your state filing papers and your EIN.
  • (Our tip. No government source.)

Part 2: Dates to put on your calendar

Your yearly Connecticut annual report

Sales tax returns (if you have a permit)

Withholding returns (if you have employees)

  • DRS tells you if you pay weekly, monthly or quarterly. Ask DRS which one you are.
  • Weekly payers: the due date depends on your payday. See the DRS page below.
  • Monthly payers: pay by the 15th of the next month.
  • Quarterly filers: the return is due the last day of the month after the quarter. Example: January-March is due April 30.
  • Every employer, once a year, on top of the above: send Form CT-W3 with your W-2 forms by January 31.
  • Source: https://portal.ct.gov/drs/withholding-taxes/tax-information (checked 2026-10-08)

Unemployment tax and wage reports (if you have employees)

Federal estimated taxes (if you expect to owe)

Home improvement registration (contractors)

Part 3: Help people find you

These steps are free or cheap. Do them in your first month.

  1. Claim your Google Business Profile. It is free. Search for your business in Google Maps. If it is there, claim it. If not, add it. Then verify it.
  2. Source: https://support.google.com/business/answer/2911778 (checked 2026-10-08)
  3. Make a simple website. One page is fine to start. Say what you do, where you work, and how to reach you. (Our tip. No government source.)
  4. Use the same name, address and phone number everywhere. Use them the same way on your website, your Google profile, and every listing. Small differences can confuse people and search tools. (Our tip. No government source.)
  5. Ask your first customers for a review. Ask right after a good job. Make it easy. Send them the link. (Our tip. No government source.)
  6. Check what AI tools say about you. Buyers sometimes ask AI tools when they look for help. Find out if those tools know your business. We make a free check. It asks ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity about your business. You give us your email to get the results. One AI tool is not the whole picture, because each one answers differently. https://direct-me.org/free-check/ (This one is our own tool, not a government page.)

Direct-Me LLC. General information only, not legal or tax advice. Each item that shows a source link was checked on that page on 2026-10-08. Where we could not read a source, we say so next to the item. Items marked “our tip” have no government source. Rules can change after that date. Always confirm with the agency.

Want the “get found” part done for you?

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