How to form a US LLC from abroad

We earn a commission if you buy through some links on this page, at no extra cost to you. It never affects the order. How we make money.

Also in: EspañolPortuguês

You can own and run a US limited liability company (LLC) without living in the United States or having a Social Security number. Most non-US founders do it online in a few weeks. This guide covers the steps, the yearly costs and the filings people most often miss.

Why founders abroad choose a US LLC

A US company lets you sell to US customers, open accounts with US payment processors and banks, and sign up for platforms that only accept US entities. An LLC is the simplest form: one owner (a single-member LLC) is enough, there is no minimum capital, and the paperwork is light. If you plan to raise money from venture investors, they usually want a Delaware C corporation instead; formation services can set up either.

Step 1: choose the state

You do not have to form the company in a state where you live or work. What differs is the fee to form it and the fee to keep it every year. Wyoming and New Mexico are popular because their yearly costs are low; Delaware is the default for companies that may raise investment. Compare every state in our LLC cost by state table, or work out your own first-year and yearly total with the LLC cost calculator.

Step 2: register the LLC and appoint a registered agent

Every LLC needs a registered agent: a person or company with a physical address in the state that accepts legal mail for you. As a non-resident you will pay a service for this, usually yearly. You then file the formation document (often called Articles of Organization) with the state and adopt an operating agreement. A formation service does all of this in one order:

Prices from vendor websites, checked 2026-10-12; they update automatically.

Read what each price includes: some bundle the state fee and the first year of registered agent service, others add them on top. The company formation ranking shows the details.

Step 3: get an EIN

Your LLC needs an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS to open a bank account and file taxes. Without a Social Security number you cannot use the IRS online application, but you can apply by phone or fax with Form SS-4. Our guide How to get an EIN without an SSN walks through it. Many formation services include the EIN application.

Step 4: open a bank account

With the formation documents, the EIN letter and your passport you can apply for a US business account online. See how to open a US business bank account from abroad for which providers accept non-resident founders.

Step 5: keep it in good standing

• State report and fee. Most states require a yearly or two-yearly report with a fee. Miss it and the state can dissolve the company.
• Registered agent. Renew it every year.
• Form 5472 and a pro forma Form 1120. A single-member LLC owned by a non-US person must file these with the IRS every year, even if it had no income. The penalty for not filing is USD 25,000 per form, per year, so this is the filing to never miss.
• Beneficial ownership (BOI) report. Companies created in the United States no longer have to file one with FinCEN; the exemption was made final in 2026.

Questions