Wyoming was the first state to create the LLC, back in 1977, and it remains one of the cheapest and simplest places to form one. There’s no state income tax, the annual fee starts at $60, and owners’ names don’t have to appear on the formation document. Those advantages are real, but whether they help you depends on where your business actually operates.
What a Wyoming LLC costs
Table of Contents
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | $100 (about $102 to $103 online with card fees) | At formation |
| Registered agent | Yearly fee if you use a service (required for non-residents) | Yearly |
| Annual report license tax | Greater of $60 or $200 per $1 million of Wyoming assets | First day of your anniversary month, yearly |
The annual tax is calculated as $60 or two-tenths of a mill on the dollar (0.0002) of assets located and employed in Wyoming, whichever is greater. An LLC with $300,000 or less in Wyoming assets pays the $60 minimum, which covers most small businesses.
Step 1: Choose your LLC name
The name must include "Limited Liability Company", "LLC", "L.L.C.", "Ltd. Liability Co." or a similar form, and be distinguishable from other Wyoming entities. Search the Secretary of State’s business database. Check federal trademarks, domains and social handles with our business name checklist.
Step 2: Appoint a Wyoming registered agent
Every Wyoming LLC needs a registered agent with a physical Wyoming address, available during business hours. If you live outside Wyoming, you’ll need a commercial registered agent. Many also offer a mailing address service, since Wyoming requires a mailing address for the LLC.
Step 3: File Articles of Organization
File Articles of Organization with the Wyoming Secretary of State, online or by mail, and pay the fee. You’ll include:
- The LLC’s name.
- The registered agent’s name and Wyoming address, with the agent’s consent.
- The LLC’s mailing address and principal office address.
- The organizer’s name and signature.
You don’t have to list members or managers on the Articles, which is one reason Wyoming is known for privacy. Online filings are typically approved quickly.
Step 4: Write an operating agreement
Wyoming doesn’t require you to file an operating agreement, but you should have one. It records ownership, management, voting and what happens when members join or leave. Because member names aren’t on the public record, your operating agreement is often the key document proving who owns the LLC, for example when opening a bank account.
Step 5: Get an EIN and open a bank account
Apply for a free EIN from the IRS online, then open a business bank account. Banks will ask for your Articles, EIN and often your operating agreement. Non-residents should confirm banking requirements before forming. See choosing a business bank account.
Step 6: Register in the states where you do business
If your LLC does business in another state, such as where you live and work, it generally must register as a foreign LLC there and follow that state’s rules, fees and taxes. Wyoming’s low fees don’t exempt you from your home state’s requirements.
If you sell taxable goods or services in Wyoming, register for sales tax with the Wyoming Department of Revenue. If you hire in Wyoming, register for unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation with the Department of Workforce Services.
Step 7: File your annual report every year
Your annual report is due on the first day of your LLC’s anniversary month each year, starting the year after formation, along with the license tax. If you miss it, the LLC becomes delinquent, and 60 days after the due date the state can administratively dissolve it. Set a reminder a month ahead.
How a Wyoming LLC is taxed
Wyoming has no state personal income tax and no corporate income tax, so the state doesn’t tax your LLC’s profits. Federally, the LLC is taxed like any other: as a sole proprietorship, a partnership or, by election, a corporation. If you live in a state with income tax, you’ll still owe that state tax on your income.
Special Wyoming LLC options
- Series LLCs, where separate series hold their own assets and liabilities under one LLC.
- Close LLCs, a Wyoming option with simplified rules for closely held companies.
- DAO LLCs, which Wyoming created for decentralized autonomous organizations.
These suit specific situations; take legal advice before choosing one.
Wyoming vs Delaware vs your home state
| Wyoming | Delaware | Your home state | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formation fee | $100 | $110 | Varies |
| Yearly state cost | $60 minimum, with a short annual report | $400 annual tax for 2026 onward, no annual report | Varies |
| State income tax on LLC profits | None | None for business outside Delaware | Often yes, if you live and work there |
| Members on public formation record | Not required | Not required | Often required |
| Extra cost if you operate elsewhere | Foreign registration in your home state | Foreign registration in your home state | None |
For a local business operating in one state, forming in that state is usually simplest and cheapest. Wyoming makes the most sense for:
- Owners who live or operate in Wyoming.
- Online businesses without a physical base in a state with heavier requirements, after checking where they really "do business".
- Holding companies and real estate investors who value privacy and low yearly costs.
- Non-US founders who want a low-cost US entity, with proper tax advice.
Compare our Delaware LLC guide.
What Wyoming privacy does and doesn’t do
Wyoming doesn’t require members or managers on the Articles of Organization, and a registered agent’s address can stand in for yours on the public record. That keeps your name and home address out of easy online searches, which many owners value.
It doesn’t make an LLC anonymous to everyone. Banks collect ownership information when you open an account, the IRS knows who applied for your EIN, and courts can order disclosure in a lawsuit. Your home state may also list owners if you register there as a foreign LLC. Privacy is a useful layer, not a shield against legal or tax obligations.
Example: state costs for your first two years
For a single-member LLC with less than $300,000 of Wyoming assets, using a commercial registered agent:
| Year 1 | Year 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | About $100 to $103 | — |
| Annual report license tax | — | $60 |
| Registered agent service | Provider’s yearly fee | Provider’s yearly fee |
| State fees | About $100 to $103 | $60 |
If you also register in your home state, add that state’s foreign registration fee and yearly costs. Our startup cost calculator helps you see the full picture.
Your Wyoming LLC compliance calendar
| Deadline | Filing | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| First day of your anniversary month, yearly | Annual report and license tax ($60 minimum) | Wyoming Secretary of State |
| Yearly | Registered agent renewal | Your agent |
| Your home state’s dates | Foreign LLC reports and taxes, if registered there | Home state |
| As assigned | Sales tax returns, if you sell in Wyoming | Wyoming Department of Revenue |
Mistakes to avoid
- Forming in Wyoming to avoid your home state’s taxes. States tax business done within their borders.
- Missing the annual report, which can lead to dissolution after 60 days.
- Forgetting foreign registration where you actually operate.
- Relying on privacy to hide from obligations. Banks, the IRS and courts can still identify owners.
Frequently asked questions
How fast is Wyoming LLC approval? Online filings are usually processed quickly, often within a business day or two.
When is my first annual report due? On the first day of your LLC’s anniversary month in the year after it was formed.
Can I be my own registered agent? Only with a physical Wyoming address where you’re available during business hours.
Does Wyoming require an annual meeting or minutes? No, though keeping basic records of major decisions is good practice.
Can a non-US resident form a Wyoming LLC? Yes. Many international founders do, because of the low yearly cost. Plan for a registered agent, an EIN (which takes longer without a US Social Security number), US banking requirements and the IRS reporting rules that apply to foreign-owned LLCs.
What happens if my Wyoming LLC is dissolved for a missed report? Wyoming generally allows reinstatement by filing the missing reports and paying fees, but you may lose your name in the meantime. It’s far simpler to file on time.
Next steps
Read the Start a Business A–Z guide, budget with the startup cost calculator, and see how to incorporate a business.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice. Fees and rules change; check the Wyoming Secretary of State before you file.
Sources
- Startup Owl, Wyoming vs Delaware LLC (verified against the Wyoming fee schedule effective July 1, 2026)
- Delaware vs Wyoming LLC: 2026 real cost comparison
- Wyoming Secretary of State, Business Division
Last reviewed October 18, 2026. Startup costs are estimates; check local prices, licensing and tax rules before you commit money.
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