An "anonymous LLC" is a Limited Liability Company where the owner's name is not publicly listed on the state filing. The Articles of Organization typically only require the LLC name, registered agent, and principal office — but in most states, member or manager names are also part of the public record. In Wyoming, New Mexico, and Delaware, they're not. That's the full extent of what state-level "anonymity" means.
Side-by-side comparison
| State | Filing fee | Annual report | Online time | Notable tax | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming WY | $100 | $60 annual report or $0.0002 per dollar of WY assets, whichever is greater | Immediate to 1 business day (online) | No income tax of any kind. | Guide → |
| New Mexico NM | $50 | $0 | 1–3 business days (online) | No annual report at all is the standout feature. | Guide → |
| Delaware DE | $110 | No annual report for LLCs — but a $300 annual franchise tax instead | 1–2 business days | No state sales tax. | Guide → |
Wyoming: best overall for anonymity + asset protection
Wyoming pioneered the LLC structure in 1977 and has the deepest LLC case law outside Delaware. The Articles of Organization don't require members or managers to be named on the public filing. Pair that with a commercial registered agent and the public Wyoming record can be effectively anonymous.
What sets Wyoming apart from New Mexico is its asset protection. Wyoming uniquely extends strong charging-order protection to single-member LLCs — most states weaken this protection for SMLLCs, allowing creditors to seize the LLC entirely. Wyoming also has no state income tax, no corporate income tax, and no franchise tax.
- Filing fee: $100 online ($102 by mail)
- Annual report: $60 minimum ($0.0002/dollar of WY assets if higher)
- Required: Wyoming registered agent ($50–$300/year)
- No state income tax, corporate income tax, or franchise tax
- Strongest single-member LLC charging-order protection in the U.S.
New Mexico: cheapest anonymous option
New Mexico has no annual report requirement at all — once your LLC is formed, you have no recurring Secretary of State filing obligation. Combined with a $50 filing fee and member-name privacy on the Articles, it's the cheapest path to a publicly anonymous LLC in the U.S.
The trade-off is the Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) — New Mexico's tax on gross business income at 4.875% statewide plus local rates. If your LLC actually does business in New Mexico, GRT applies broadly to nearly all revenue (including B2B services). For pure holding-company structures with no NM operations, GRT doesn't apply and New Mexico is genuinely the cheapest option.
- Filing fee: $50
- Annual report: $0 — no recurring SOS filing required
- No state franchise tax
- GRT applies to NM-source business income (4.875% statewide + local)
- No charging-order strength comparable to Wyoming
Delaware: best for sophisticated structures
Delaware's anonymity is similar to Wyoming's — Articles of Formation don't require member or manager names. But Delaware's real value isn't anonymity; it's the Delaware Court of Chancery, a 200-year-old specialized business court that handles corporate disputes faster and more predictably than general civil courts. The Delaware LLC Act also explicitly favors freedom of contract, letting Operating Agreements override most default rules.
For solo founders just wanting privacy on a small LLC, Delaware's $300 flat annual franchise tax + mandatory Delaware registered agent ($50–$300/year) usually makes Wyoming or New Mexico cheaper. Delaware is the right choice when you have an ownership structure complex enough that the Court of Chancery's case law actually matters — VC-backed startups, multi-member LLCs with potential disputes, or holding structures with significant assets.
What "anonymous" actually means in 2026
After the 2024 FinCEN Beneficial Ownership Information rule, the right framing is: state-level anonymity is still available, federal anonymity isn't. Practical implications:
- Your name is not on the public state Articles → true in WY, NM, DE.
- Your name is not on the LLC's public annual report → true in WY (only RA + office), true in NM (no annual report), partially true in DE.
- Your name is not in FinCEN's database → false. Every U.S. LLC owner with 25%+ control must file BOI within 30 days of formation. The database is not public, but is accessible to law enforcement, banks during onboarding, and regulators.
- Your name is not connected via tax records → false. Your EIN application links you to the LLC. Bank account opening links you. State tax registrations may or may not be public.
Common use cases for an anonymous LLC
- Real estate investors who don't want their home address on every property's deed
- Public figures (authors, journalists, executives) who want privacy on side businesses
- Founders building competitive products who don't want their next venture publicly known
- High-net-worth families using holding structures for asset protection
- Privacy-conscious owners protecting against doxxing, harassment, or stalking
Use cases where an anonymous LLC won't help
- Hiding ownership from creditors after a debt is owed (this is fraudulent conveyance)
- Avoiding taxes — the LLC owner still owes federal/state income tax on profits
- Avoiding FinCEN BOI reporting — non-filing carries $500/day civil penalties + criminal exposure
- Avoiding being sued — service of process still goes through the registered agent
Our recommendation by use case
- Solo owner, asset protection focus → Wyoming
- Solo owner, lowest possible cost → New Mexico (if no NM operations)
- Multi-member, complex Operating Agreement → Delaware
- Holding company for multiple properties → Wyoming or Delaware Series LLC
- You actually do business in CA/NY/TX → form in your home state and get your privacy through other means (LLC owner trust, commercial RA)
Don’t want to file yourself? Northwest Registered Agent files your LLC for $39 + state fee and acts as your registered agent the first year free.
Frequently asked questions
Is an anonymous LLC actually legal?
Yes. Wyoming, New Mexico, and Delaware all explicitly allow LLC owners to keep their names off the public Articles of Organization. There's nothing illegal about state-level anonymity. The 2024 FinCEN BOI rule requires you to disclose ownership to the federal government in a non-public database — that's separate from state anonymity and applies to every U.S. LLC, anonymous or not.
Can I form an anonymous LLC if I live in California or New York?
You can form a Wyoming or New Mexico LLC, but if you actually do business in your home state, you'll likely have to register it as a foreign LLC there — and that registration may require disclosing the underlying ownership. California, in particular, requires the Statement of Information to list managers, which often defeats the anonymity. The cleanest setup is a Wyoming LLC owned by a Wyoming holding entity, with a commercial registered agent in your home state — but talk to an attorney before relying on this.
How much does an anonymous LLC cost to maintain?
Wyoming: ~$110/year ($60 annual report + $50–$300 commercial RA). New Mexico: ~$50/year (just the RA — no annual report). Delaware: ~$350–$600/year ($300 franchise tax + $50–$300 RA). For a single-member operation, New Mexico is cheapest, Wyoming is best balance of cost and protection, Delaware is overkill unless you need the legal infrastructure.
What is FinCEN BOI reporting and how does it affect anonymous LLCs?
The Corporate Transparency Act (effective January 1, 2024) requires every U.S. LLC, corporation, and similar entity to file Beneficial Ownership Information with FinCEN within 30 days of formation. The filing identifies anyone with 25%+ ownership or substantial control. The database is not public — but it's accessible to law enforcement and banks. You can't opt out, regardless of what state you form in.
Will my bank know who owns my anonymous LLC?
Yes. Banks are required by FinCEN's Customer Due Diligence (CDD) rule to identify and verify beneficial owners during account opening. You'll provide ID and ownership disclosure to the bank, even if your name isn't on the public state filing. Anonymity protects you from the public, not from your bank.
Can I use a Wyoming or New Mexico LLC to hide assets from a lawsuit?
No. Transferring assets to an LLC after a creditor claim arises is fraudulent conveyance and can be unwound by a court. Asset protection LLCs work prospectively — you set them up before any claim exists, and they make it harder for future creditors to reach assets through charging-order limitations. They don't make existing assets disappear.
Is New Mexico or Wyoming better for an anonymous LLC?
New Mexico if cost is the priority and you don't need asset protection — $50 to file, $0 annual report. Wyoming if you want strong single-member-LLC charging-order protection and the deepest LLC case law — $100 to file, $60/year. For a holding-company use case, Wyoming is typically worth the extra ~$60/year.
Is Delaware still worth it for a solo anonymous LLC?
Usually no. Delaware's $300 annual franchise tax and mandatory DE registered agent make it materially more expensive than Wyoming or New Mexico. Delaware is worth it when you have a complex Operating Agreement, plan to raise venture capital, or expect potential ownership disputes that would benefit from Court of Chancery jurisdiction. For pure anonymity, Wyoming wins on cost.