Incorporate in the USA (Wyoming LLC)
Last updated: July 2026
A Wyoming LLC is among the cheapest structures to maintain: no state income tax on profits, annual licence often around $60, online formation. It grants no US visa or residency, and US residents trigger GILTI and federal taxation.
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Who it fits
- Non-US residents wanting a light wrapper for non-US activity
- Founders testing a market without Dubai licence or Singapore secretary budgets
- Holding or IP with non-US flows and accepted federal compliance (Form 5472, etc.)
When to skip
- US tax residents. GILTI and the federal chain apply
- Need for premium EU banking credibility without EIN and a solid US file
- Material US-client activity without federal and state tax planning
Business scores
See the numbers
| Criterion | USA: Wyoming (LLC) |
|---|---|
| Setup | 10.0 |
| Banking | 6.5 |
| Labour | 8.0 |
| Reputation | 9.0 |
| E-gov | 7.5 |
| Holding | 9.5 |
| CFC | 3.0 |
| Substance | 7.0 |
| Rates | Value |
|---|---|
| Corporate tax | 0% (~$60/an maint.) |
| Exit / distribution | 0% (source étrangère) |
Scores 0–10: higher is more favourable. CFC: high score = low risk the state taxes your foreign companies if you reside here. Detail: Ranking methodology. Compare this hub in Ranking.
How to read scores here
Wyoming LLC: 0% state income tax on profits allocated to members; no US-style CFC issue for a non-resident without permanent establishment. Become a US tax resident and the picture flips (GILTI, Subpart F depending on structure). Ease 10/10: online filing, mandatory registered agent, short timelines. Banking 6.5/10. Mercury, Relay, and some US banks take foreign-owned LLCs with EIN and clean files; frequent denials without US nexus. Enforcement 7/10. IRS tracks foreign-owned disregarded LLCs via 5472/1120 pro forma; Wyoming itself is light-touch. Cost is low: ~$60/year licence with few in-state assets, plus agent ~$50–150. The lever is price, not local substance. The LLC is US tax-transparent for a non-resident without US income. Not invisible to the IRS. The banking score reflects Mercury and Relay, not retail Chase for everyone. Versus Panama, Wyoming wins on simplicity; versus Estonia, loses EU credibility. State franchise tax stays minimal; federal information reporting is the compliance spine for foreign owners.
Cost of operating
Band: Low
- Setup (USD): $150–400
- Annual (USD): $110–350
Among the cheapest setups here: very low state filing fees and an annual license tax often at the ~$60 floor if few assets sit in Wyoming, plus a registered agent. Real cost shifts to US compliance (IRS filings for non-residents, banking, bookkeeping), not formation itself. Great for a light structure; it grants neither residency nor local substance.
Formation: $100–400 state fees plus registered agent. Annual: Wyoming licence often at the ~$60 floor with limited in-state assets; agent $50–150. EIN free via IRS online if eligible. Real costs: US accountant for 5472 and pro forma filings, often $800–2k/year; bank balance requirements; registered agent upgrades. No office, no visa. Versus UAE, it is an order of magnitude cheaper. Federal compliance for non-residents is not zero. A dormant LLC costs little; an LLC with flows needs reporting budget. Annual SOS filing, operating agreement updates, and EIN renewal scenarios need planning. A US CPA bills Form 5472 even if the LLC has no US activity: silence is expensive. Wise Business and Mercury carry their own FX fees. Operating agreement amendments and registered agent upgrades when adding members should be budgeted.
Substance, banking, enforcement
Wyoming requires no office or employee for an LLC. Relevant substance is federal: real activity, separated accounts, current Form 5472 for foreign-owned disregarded entities. US banks apply their own test: website, contracts, sometimes a virtual US address. No Wyoming residency is created for a foreign founder. Wyoming enforcement on LLCs stays minimal; the IRS is the serious auditor. To convince EU clients, an LLC can feel exotic: commercial substance rides on the founder profile and contracts, not an office in Cheyenne. No Wyoming substance required, but EU clients sometimes demand a local VAT number elsewhere. The LLC suits US marketplaces and dollar contracts; less so strictly European tenders. Separate company bank accounts and documented intercompany loans support IRS and home-country substance tests.
CFC and tax residence
No US CFC issue for a non-resident founder without US PE: the LLC is pass-through or US-taxed only on US-source income. Live in France and French CFC attribution remains possible on a thin LLC. Become a US resident and the LLC transforms. GILTI and C corp/partnership rules depending on elections. A Wyoming company does not protect a poorly structured American abroad. A cheap LLC plus European tax residence plus no Form 5472 is a gap the IRS and home tax authority both see. GILTI and Subpart F mainly hit US persons. For a French resident, a disregarded LLC may be ignored in the US yet recharacterized in France based on substance.
Practical setup path
Typical path: Wyoming LLC via registered agent, EIN, US bank (often the bottleneck), then annual compliance and BOI/FinCEN reporting as applicable. A partnership-taxed LLC is not magical “0% US” for non-residents. US-source, trade-or-business, and withholding still exist. Document no US-source activity if you want an offshore holding story. Compare to Delaware only if you need case law depth or US investors.
Living here
Main cities
No city cards for this hub in Ranking yet.
Liberty scores
Overall score (equal weights) : 6.1/10
See the numbers
| Criterion | USA: Wyoming |
|---|---|
| Tax | 6.0 |
| Money | 3.5 |
| Economy | 8.5 |
| Property | 5.5 |
| Self | 6.0 |
| Space | 7.0 |
| Infra | 6.5 |
Ranking Liberty-mode scores 0–10. Higher is more favourable for that criterion.
Personal taxation
| Income tax | 0% (résidence hors US) |
| Inheritance | 0–40% |
Indicative Ranking labels: verify local law.
Homeschooling
Freely allowed
Low-regulation state (if residing in WY).
Indicative status (self axis): verify local law.
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Compare with
- Estonia Start a company · detailed vs · Settle here
- UAE: Dubai (Freezones) Start a company · Settle here
- Hong Kong (SAR) Start a company
FAQ
Do you need an EIN for a foreign-owned Wyoming LLC?
Yes for most banks and some IRS filings. Apply online or by fax depending on nationality; allow a few weeks.
What is Form 5472?
Information return for disregarded LLCs 25%+ foreign-owned, reporting transactions between company and member. Heavy penalties if missed.
Wyoming LLC or C-Corp?
LLC for simplicity and pass-through treatment outside the US. C-Corp if raising US VC or investors require that form: higher cost and compliance.
Can a Wyoming LLC open an EU bank account?
Hard directly. Most founders use a US bank (Mercury, Relay) or Wise Business with EIN. EU banks often want an EU entity.
Sources (cost)
How to read scores and cost bands: Ranking methodology.