Wyoming is the most popular U.S. state for "anonymous LLCs" and asset-protection holding companies — and for good reason. Wyoming pioneered the LLC in 1977 (the first state to authorize the structure) and has the deepest LLC case law outside Delaware. Filing Articles of Organization with the Wyoming Secretary of State costs $100 online (or $102 by mail), with online approval through the Wyoming SOS Business Filing System in real time to 1 business day. The annual report is $60 minimum (or $0.0002 per dollar of Wyoming-located assets, whichever is greater) — for most LLCs without significant Wyoming assets, $60 is the actual cost. Wyoming has no personal income tax, no corporate income tax, no franchise tax, and uniquely strong charging-order protection for both single-member and multi-member LLCs (a rare combination — most states weaken charging-order protection for SMLLCs). Member names are not required on the Articles of Organization, making the public record effectively anonymous.
How much does a Wyoming LLC cost?
Wyoming is one of the cheapest states in the country to run an LLC — plan on roughly $309 in Year 1 and about $1,000 over five years. The breakdown: a $100 state filing fee gets your Articles of Organization processed in 5–7 business days, a registered agent service runs around $149 per year, and Wyoming's only ongoing obligation is a $60 minimum annual report. There is no state income tax and no corporate tax, so those numbers are the full picture. Compare that to states with hidden cost traps — California hits every LLC with an $800 annual franchise tax, Tennessee charges $300 per year, Massachusetts $500, and Nevada stacks fees to $325 or more annually. Wyoming has none of that. Five-year cumulative cost with a registered agent service comes to roughly $1,045, making it a standout choice for cost-conscious business owners.
Why form your LLC in Wyoming
The most popular state for "anonymous LLCs" and asset-protection holding companies. Wyoming offers strong charging-order protections for both single-member and multi-member LLCs — a rare combination.
- No personal income tax
- No corporate income tax
- No franchise tax
- Strong charging-order protection for both SMLLCs and multi-member LLCs
- Member names not required on public Articles — anonymous LLC
- Pioneered the LLC structure in 1977 — deepest case law outside Delaware
Best fit for: Holding companies & asset protection · Energy (coal, oil, gas) · Tourism (Yellowstone, Grand Teton)
Don’t want to file yourself? Northwest Registered Agent files your Wyoming LLC for $39 + state fee and acts as your registered agent the first year free.
How to form a Wyoming LLC in 7 steps
- 1Search the Wyoming business name database
Use the Wyoming SOS Business Filing System to search names. The name must include "Limited Liability Company", "Limited Company", "L.L.C.", "L.C.", "LLC", or "LC". Reserve a name for $50 (held 120 days) if needed.
- 2Appoint a Wyoming registered agent
Required to have a physical Wyoming street address. Most non-Wyoming founders use a commercial Wyoming registered agent service ($50–$300/year). For anonymous LLC structures, the commercial RA is essential — their address appears on the public record, not yours.
- 3File Articles of Organization
File online through Wyoming SOS Business Filing System for $100 (or $102 by mail). Approval is real time to 1 business day. The Articles include LLC name, registered agent, principal office, and (optionally) management structure. Wyoming is unique in NOT requiring members or managers to be named on the Articles — this is the basis of the "anonymous LLC."
- 4Draft an Operating Agreement
Not required by Wyoming law but strongly recommended — and Wyoming allows freedom-of-contract Operating Agreements that override most default rules (similar to Delaware). The Operating Agreement is private (not filed with the state), so it can list members and managers without public disclosure.
- 5Apply for an EIN with the IRS
Free at irs.gov, takes 10 minutes online. Required for opening a business bank account, filing federal taxes, and (for non-resident LLCs) demonstrating a federal tax presence.
- 6File FinCEN Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI)
As of 2024, all U.S. LLCs must file beneficial ownership information with FinCEN within 30 days of formation. Even though Wyoming keeps member info off the public state record, FinCEN requires you to disclose beneficial owners (anyone with 25%+ ownership or substantial control) to the federal government. True anonymity is no longer possible at the federal level.
- 7Calendar the annual report
Wyoming LLC annual reports are due in the LLC's anniversary month each year. The fee is $60 minimum (or $0.0002 per dollar of Wyoming-located assets, whichever is greater). For most LLCs without significant WY assets, $60 is the actual cost.
File directly with Wyoming Secretary of State →
Wyoming LLC taxes & compliance
No income tax of any kind. $60 annual report is one of the lowest. Wyoming pioneered the LLC in 1977 and has the country’s deepest LLC case law outside Delaware.
Ongoing compliance checklist
- Annual report — $60 minimum, due in anniversary month
- No state income tax
- No franchise tax
- Sales and use tax filings (Wyoming DOR) — only if you sell taxable goods/services
- Federal income tax (Form 1065 multi-member, Schedule C SMLLC)
- FinCEN BOI updates if beneficial ownership changes
Registered agent rules
Required — WY street address.
Hidden costs new Wyoming LLC owners forget
- Wyoming registered agent required ($50–$300/year for commercial service)
- Annual report: $60 minimum (or $0.0002 per dollar of WY assets)
- Foreign LLC qualification in your home state if you don't live in WY
- 4% statewide sales tax + local add-ons (averaging 5.36%)
- FinCEN BOI reporting still required (federal anonymity is no longer absolute)
- Some industries require state-specific licensing
Should you use a formation service in Wyoming?
You can absolutely file directly with the Wyoming Secretary of State for the $100 state fee. The reasons most Wyoming owners use a service anyway are (1) registered-agent privacy — keeping their home address off public filings — and (2) calendar reminders for ongoing compliance.
Have Northwest form your Wyoming LLC for $39 + state fee
Free registered agent for the first year. Real human support. Privacy-by-default — your home address stays off public filings.
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See the real 5-year cost of a Wyoming LLC
Filing fee · registered agent · annual report · franchise tax — all calculated, year by year.
Open cost calculator for Wyoming →Wyoming's asset-based annual report fee: what it really costs
Wyoming is the original LLC state — it invented the structure in 1977 — and it has spent decades refining the environment to stay attractive. The headline numbers look cheap: a $100 filing fee and a $60 minimum annual report. But that $60 minimum applies only to LLCs whose Wyoming-located assets are $300,000 or less. Above that threshold, the fee is $0.0002 multiplied by the value of assets located in Wyoming, so an LLC holding $2 million in Wyoming real estate pays $400 per year, not $60. Members are not required to be disclosed on any public filing — Wyoming's Secretary of State records show only the registered agent and organizer — making it one of the few states where genuine anonymous ownership is achievable through a single-member LLC with a nominee organizer. There is no state corporate income tax, no personal income tax, and no franchise tax based on authorized shares or capital, unlike Delaware, which charges a minimum $175 franchise tax annually. Wyoming courts also follow a strong charging-order-only remedy, meaning a creditor of a single member cannot force a dissolution — a protection that several states still do not extend to single-member LLCs.
Year 1: $100 (state filing fee) + $149 (registered agent) + $0 (annual report not due until the first anniversary) = $249 total. Year 2 onward: $60 (minimum annual report, assuming Wyoming assets under $300,000) + $149 (registered agent) = $209/yr. By Year 5: approximately $249 + (4 × $209) = $1,085 total — among the lowest five-year costs of any U.S. state.
Owners who hold Wyoming real estate or physical assets inside their LLC often assume the $60 annual report fee is flat. It is not — it scales at $0.0002 of Wyoming-sited assets. An LLC holding a $500,000 ranch owes $100 annually, not $60. Failing to calculate this correctly leads to underpayment, a $25 late penalty, and eventual administrative dissolution if left uncorrected.
Wyoming LLC: frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to start an LLC in Wyoming?
Wyoming SOS charges $100 online (or $102 by mail) to file Articles of Organization. The annual report is $60 minimum. Add a Wyoming registered agent ($50–$300/year). Realistic year-one cost: $150–$400 (filing + first-year RA). Ongoing yearly cost: $110–$360 (annual report + RA).
How long does it take to form an LLC in Wyoming?
Online filings through Wyoming SOS Business Filing System approve in real time to 1 business day. Mail filings take 5–7 business days. Wyoming's online portal is one of the most efficient in the U.S.
Why is Wyoming popular for anonymous LLCs?
Wyoming Articles of Organization don't require member or manager names to appear on the public filing — only the registered agent and principal office. Combined with a commercial registered agent (whose address appears, not yours), the public Wyoming record can be effectively anonymous. However, since 2024 all U.S. LLCs must file beneficial ownership information with FinCEN — true federal anonymity is no longer possible. Wyoming anonymity now means "off the public state record" but visible to the federal government.
Why is Wyoming popular for asset protection?
Wyoming has unusually strong charging-order protection — and uniquely extends that protection to single-member LLCs (most states weaken charging-order protection for SMLLCs, allowing creditors to seize the LLC entirely). Wyoming also has favorable trust laws, no state income tax, and the deepest LLC case law outside Delaware (Wyoming created the LLC in 1977). This combination makes Wyoming the go-to jurisdiction for asset-protection holding companies.
Does Wyoming have an LLC franchise tax?
No franchise tax. No state income tax. No corporate income tax. Wyoming is one of the most owner-friendly tax environments in the U.S. — the only ongoing state-level cost is the $60 minimum annual report.
When is the Wyoming LLC annual report due?
In the LLC's anniversary month each year. The fee is $60 minimum, or $0.0002 per dollar of Wyoming-located assets (whichever is greater). For most non-Wyoming LLCs without significant WY assets, $60 is the actual cost. File through Wyoming SOS Business Filing System.
Can a non-resident form an LLC in Wyoming?
Yes — and it's extremely common. Wyoming has no residency requirement for LLC members or managers. You only need a Wyoming-based registered agent (commercial RA service is the standard answer). Note: if you do business in another state, that state will likely require you to register your Wyoming LLC as a foreign LLC and pay its fees too — eliminating the Wyoming tax savings for many use cases.
Is Wyoming a good state to form an LLC?
For asset-protection holding companies, anonymous LLCs (off the public state record), or Wyoming residents: yes — Wyoming is one of the strongest jurisdictions in the U.S. For solo founders who actually do business in another state, the foreign-LLC qualification fees in your home state usually wipe out the Wyoming tax savings. Form in Wyoming when you have a specific reason (asset protection, holding structure, anonymity from public records); form in your home state for everyday operating businesses.
Is Wyoming a good state to form an LLC?
Wyoming is widely regarded as one of the best states for LLC formation due to its combination of zero state income tax, low annual fees, and strong asset protection statutes. The Wyoming LLC Act provides charging order protection as the exclusive remedy for creditors, meaning a judgment creditor cannot seize your LLC membership interest or force a liquidation. Wyoming also imposes no franchise tax and no requirement to disclose member names in public filings. For small businesses and solo founders, the $60 annual report fee and minimal regulatory burden make Wyoming genuinely cost-effective, not just a marketing claim.
Should I form my LLC in Wyoming or my home state?
If you operate your business physically in your home state — meaning you have employees, an office, or regularly conduct business there — you will likely need to register as a foreign LLC in that state anyway, which means paying fees and taxes in both states. In that case, forming at home is usually simpler and cheaper. Wyoming becomes advantageous when you operate an online business, hold investment assets, or want a privacy-first holding structure with no physical nexus in any state. Running the numbers matters: compare Wyoming's $60 annual report plus your home state's foreign registration fee against simply forming locally.
What are Wyoming LLC annual report requirements?
Wyoming LLCs must file an Annual Report with the Secretary of State each year on the first day of the anniversary month of formation. The fee is $60 minimum, calculated as $0.0002 per dollar of assets located and employed in Wyoming, with a $60 floor. Most single-member online LLCs with no Wyoming-based assets pay exactly $60. The report is filed online through the Wyoming Secretary of State's portal and requires the registered agent's address and a list of governors (managers or members). Failure to file results in administrative dissolution after 60 days.
Does a Wyoming LLC need a registered agent?
Yes, every Wyoming LLC must maintain a registered agent with a physical street address in Wyoming — a P.O. box is not acceptable. The registered agent receives official legal notices, service of process, and state correspondence on behalf of your LLC. You can appoint a professional registered agent service (typically $49–$150 per year) or any individual who is a Wyoming resident and consents to the role. Using a commercial registered agent also keeps your personal address off public state records, which is a key reason many founders choose Wyoming for privacy.
How private is a Wyoming LLC?
Wyoming offers some of the strongest LLC privacy protections in the United States. The Articles of Organization do not require you to list member or manager names — only the registered agent and organizer appear on public record. Wyoming has no operating agreement filing requirement, so ownership structure stays entirely private. Additionally, Wyoming has no information-sharing agreements with the IRS that require disclosure of beneficial owners beyond federal FinCEN requirements. For maximum privacy, pair a Wyoming LLC with a professional registered agent so no personal addresses appear anywhere in the public record.
Can a non-resident or foreigner form a Wyoming LLC?
Yes, Wyoming imposes no residency or citizenship requirement to form or own an LLC. Non-U.S. residents and foreign nationals can be the sole member and manager of a Wyoming LLC. You will need a U.S. registered agent in Wyoming, and for federal tax purposes, a non-resident alien single-member LLC is taxed as a foreign-owned disregarded entity, which requires filing IRS Form 5472 and Form 1120 annually — a step many non-residents overlook. Obtaining an EIN as a foreign person requires calling the IRS international line or submitting Form SS-4 by fax since online EIN applications require a valid SSN or ITIN.