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Registration guide

Should I register for sales tax in Colorado?

Before you register for sales tax in Colorado, check whether you actually have to. Registering when you don't owe just adds a recurring return — here's exactly when Colorado requires it.

By John DoeReviewed by Jane Doe, CPAUpdated June 2026How we verify
Economic threshold
$100,000 in sales
Measured over
previous or current calendar year
In effect since
December 2018
Marketplace sales count?
No
Registration fee
$16

Source: Colorado Department of Revenue — Taxation Division

When you must register

You must register in Colorado if you have physical presence there (inventory, staff, an office) or you cross $100,000 in sales (previous or current calendar year). Below that, with no physical presence, you generally don't have to.

Nexus & savings calculator

Estimate whether you still have nexus in Colorado — and what canceling could save.

$

Colorado no longer counts transactions — only sales matter here.

$
  • Physical presence
  • Sales over $100,000
  • Transactions (not counted here)
Likely eligible to cancel

Based on these numbers you likely no longer have nexus in Colorado. You can usually deregister after clearing the trailing-nexus window and filing your final return.

Trailing nexus: Colorado has limited or no trailing-nexus window — you can generally deregister once your nexus has ended and final returns are filed.

You could stop paying

$600/ yr

How to cancel in Colorado →

Estimate only — general education, not tax advice. Confirm with Colorado's tax authority before you register or deregister.

When registration is required in Colorado

Colorado requires registration once you cross $100,000 in sales, measured over previous or current calendar year. Colorado used to trigger nexus at 200 transactions but removed that count in April 2019 — only the sales figure matters now.

Physical presence registers you regardless of sales. Any physical presence in Colorado creates nexus immediately, including offices, employees, warehouses, or stored inventory (e.g., Amazon FBA fulfillment centers).

The marketplace nuance most sellers miss

If you sell only through a marketplace like Amazon or Etsy, the marketplace facilitator generally collects and remits Colorado tax for you, so you may not need your own permit. In Colorado, facilitated sales do not count toward your own threshold.

How to register in Colorado

Register through Revenue Online (MyBizColorado for new entities); the fee is $16. In-state businesses with a physical location pay a $16 two-year license fee per location, plus a refundable $50 deposit held as security (refunded after $50 in state sales tax has been remitted).

Don't over-register

Most over-registered sellers signed up defensively across many states after 2018. If you're under Colorado's threshold with no physical presence, registering early just creates a recurring zero-dollar return. Register when you truly must — and track the states where you can stop.

Where TrailingZero fits

TrailingZero connects to your store read-only, maps where you actually have nexus state by state, and flags when you genuinely cross Colorado's threshold — and where you've already dropped below and can deregister. During any wind-down it can file the zero-dollar returns so nothing lapses — and you only pay for the states you genuinely keep. Run a free audit anytime; this page is free education either way.

Colorado Should I register FAQ

Do I need to collect sales tax in Colorado?
Only once you have nexus: physical presence, or crossing $100,000 in sales over previous or current calendar year. Under that, with no physical presence, you generally don't.
Does Colorado still count transactions?
Colorado used to trigger nexus at 200 transactions but removed that count in April 2019 — only the sales figure matters now.
Do marketplace sales count toward the Colorado threshold?
No — facilitated sales do not count toward your own threshold in Colorado.
Is this tax advice?
No. This page is general education built from public sources and the rules change often. Confirm your specific situation with the state's tax authority or your accountant before you register or deregister.

More on Colorado sales tax

See what you can stop paying in Colorado

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Other states

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Sources

Primary sources reviewed for this page. Data current as of June 2026.

TrailingZerois software, not a CPA or law firm, and this page is general education — not tax or legal advice. State rules and thresholds change frequently; confirm your situation with the state's tax authority or your accountant before you register or deregister. See how we research and review this data in our editorial & accuracy policy.