Compare states
Wyoming, Delaware or New Mexico?.
- New Mexico: $0 a year
- Wyoming: from $60 a year
- Delaware: $400 a year
Side by side
State fees only, passed on at cost. Our package is separate and shown before you pay.
| Compared | Wyoming | Delaware | New Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|
| State fee to form | $100 | $110 | $50 |
| Wyoming adds a 2.4% card fee (at least $1) when filed online. | |||
| Every year | $60 minimum, with an annual report | $400 tax, no report | $0, nothing to file |
| Wyoming's license tax is $60, or $0.0002 per dollar of assets in Wyoming if that's more. | |||
| When it's due | 1st of the month you formed in | June 1 | Nothing due |
| If it's missed | Dissolved 60 days after the due date | $200 penalty, plus 1.5% a month | Nothing yearly to miss |
| New Mexico can revoke an LLC that's left without a registered agent for 30 days. | |||
| Owners named on the formation filing | No | No | No |
| In all three, whoever signs the filing is named on it. | |||
| How it's filed | Online (active right away) or on paper | Online or by mail, with paid speed-ups | Online only |
| Delaware's speed-ups run from $50 for 24 hours to $1,000 for one hour. | |||
| Name reservation (optional) | $60 for 120 days | $75 for 120 days | $20 for 120 days |
| Operating agreement | Written, spoken or implied | Written, oral or implied | Written, kept with your records |
| None of the three files it with the state. | |||
| Start in Wyoming | Start in Delaware | Start in New Mexico | |
The same in all three
- No residency or citizenship rule for the people who form or own the LLC.
- A registered agent in the state, all year. An individual agent has to live there, so founders abroad use a registered agent business; ours is included for the first year with our Complete package.
- The same federal rules: your EIN is applied for by phone, fax or mail, and a single-owner LLC files Form 5472 every year.
Which one fits you
Our view, from the facts above.
Wyoming
A low, predictable yearly cost and a short annual report you can file online. Filed online, it's active right away, and Wyoming has no state income tax.
Delaware
The best-known name, with a flat $400 a year and no report to file. If you plan to raise money from investors, they usually expect a Delaware corporation rather than an LLC.
Start in DelawareDelaware LLC in detailDelaware corporations
New Mexico
The least to keep up: no yearly fee and nothing to file, as long as you keep a registered agent. Filing is online only, which we do for you.
Questions people ask
Which state is best for an LLC if I live outside the US?
There's no single best: all three accept owners from anywhere. Most founders abroad choose on yearly cost and paperwork. New Mexico has neither, Wyoming has a $60 minimum and a short report, and Delaware charges $400 with no report. Not sure? Ask us and we'll recommend one for your business.
Which one costs least to keep each year?
New Mexico: no yearly fee and no annual report. Wyoming's minimum is $60 a year with its annual report, and Delaware's tax is $400 every year.
Will my name be public in any of them?
Not as an owner on the formation filing: none of the three asks for owners' names. Whoever signs the filing is named on it, and that can be us.
Do I need to visit the state or the US?
No. All three take filings online, and your registered agent receives legal papers in the state for you.
I live in the US. Should I use one of these states?
Usually only if you live there. Running the business from another state, you'd likely have to register there as well and pay both states each year, so we'd form it in your home state instead, the same way.