Personal Trainer Permit Requirements in Denver, CO

1. EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   Required if you have employees or operate as an LLC/corporation. Free from the IRS, obtained instantly online.

   Official government source

   Free·Immediate (online application)

   Free

   Immediate (online application)

1. Colorado Secretary of State — LLC Registration (Articles of Organization)

   Registering a legal entity is optional for a sole-proprietor personal trainer but common for liability protection. File Articles of Organization for an LLC online with the Colorado Secretary of State; Colorado requires this document to be filed online (no paper option). Every registered entity must then file a Periodic Report each year to stay in good standing. A sole proprietor operating under a business name instead files a Statement of Trade Name.

   Official government source

   $50 to file Articles of Organization online, plus $25 for the Periodic Report due every year (a $50 late penalty applies if it is filed late). Statement of Trade Name for a sole proprietorship is $20.·Immediate — the Secretary of State files online documents in real time once payment is confirmed

   $50 to file Articles of Organization online, plus $25 for the Periodic Report due every year (a $50 late penalty applies if it is filed late). Statement of Trade Name for a sole proprietorship is $20.

   Immediate — the Secretary of State files online documents in real time once payment is confirmed

2. Colorado Sales Tax License (if selling merchandise)

   Required if you sell supplements, branded merchandise or other tangible goods. Personal training services are not subject to Colorado sales tax — Colorado does not tax services (§39-26-102(15)(a)(I) C.R.S.). Issued by the Colorado Department of Revenue; Denver is home rule and issues its own separate (free) tax license.

   Official government source

   $16 for the two-year license period when applying January–June of an even year, prorated to $12, $8 or $4 later in the cycle, plus a one-time refundable $50 deposit for a new account ($66 total for a first location); the deposit is refunded once $50 in state sales tax has been remitted·Immediate when filed online through MyBizColorado or Revenue Online

   $16 for the two-year license period when applying January–June of an even year, prorated to $12, $8 or $4 later in the cycle, plus a one-time refundable $50 deposit for a new account ($66 total for a first location); the deposit is refunded once $50 in state sales tax has been remitted

   Immediate when filed online through MyBizColorado or Revenue Online

1. Denver — No General Business License Required

   Denver does not issue a general or blanket business license. Its Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (formerly the Department of Excise and Licenses) publishes a License Directory of exactly 68 category-specific licenses (body art establishment, massage business, retail food, kennel, short-term rental, alarm business and similar). Personal training is not among them, so no Denver business license applies. Trainers selling supplements or merchandise must register for Denver's Retailer's Sales, Use and Lodger's Tax License, which Denver issues at no charge.

   Official government source

   $0 — no Denver business license exists for personal training·Not applicable

   $0 — no Denver business license exists for personal training

   Not applicable

2. Certificate of Occupancy (for a fitness studio)

   Required when opening a dedicated fitness studio space. Issued by Denver Community Planning and Development after the space passes building, fire and zoning inspections for the intended use.

   Official government source

   Denver charges no fee for the Certificate of Occupancy itself. The cost is the building permit and plan review fees, set by project valuation in Table 1 of Denver's Building and Related Fees policy (ADMIN 125/138): $20 for work valued up to $500; $35 up to $2,000; $35 plus $8 per additional $1,000 up to $25,000; $220 plus $8 per $1,000 up to $50,000; $420 plus $7 per $1,000 up to $100,000; $770 plus $5.60 per $1,000 up to $500,000 — plus a plan review fee equal to 50% of the permit fee on work valued over $2,000. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy costs $200 and a Certificate of Compliance $25.·The Certificate of Occupancy issues after the permitted work passes final inspection by all reviewing disciplines; Denver publishes no fixed processing window.

   Denver charges no fee for the Certificate of Occupancy itself. The cost is the building permit and plan review fees, set by project valuation in Table 1 of Denver's Building and Related Fees policy (ADMIN 125/138): $20 for work valued up to $500; $35 up to $2,000; $35 plus $8 per additional $1,000 up to $25,000; $220 plus $8 per $1,000 up to $50,000; $420 plus $7 per $1,000 up to $100,000; $770 plus $5.60 per $1,000 up to $500,000 — plus a plan review fee equal to 50% of the permit fee on work valued over $2,000. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy costs $200 and a Certificate of Compliance $25.

   The Certificate of Occupancy issues after the permitted work passes final inspection by all reviewing disciplines; Denver publishes no fixed processing window.

Official Sources

• Denver Excise & Licenses
• Colorado Secretary of State: Business Registration
• Denver Community Planning and Development

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