What a US LLC costs to keep
Updated October 2026. General information, not tax or legal advice.
Forming a US LLC is quick and cheap. Keeping it costs a few hundred dollars and a few hours of admin each year, even if it never earns a dollar. Here is what a single-owner LLC owned by a non-resident costs before it does any real US business.
Wyoming vs New Mexico
| Wyoming | New Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| Formation (one time) | $100 state fee | $50 state fee |
| State fee each year | $60 minimum, filed with the annual report | $0. No annual report |
| Registered agent (required) | About $50–300 a year | About $50–300 a year |
| Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 | About $150–600 from a preparer | About $150–600 from a preparer |
| Typical total per year | About $300–900 | About $200–850 |
Wyoming’s $60 is a minimum: the license tax is the greater of $60 or $0.0002 per dollar of assets located in Wyoming. A New Mexico LLC taxed as a pass-through owes no state franchise tax. Registered agent and preparer prices are market ranges, not quotes.
Which state to choose
- Wyoming if you want a US bank account. Banks and fintechs see Wyoming LLCs all the time, and its LLC law has more court history behind it. It costs $60 a year more and the annual report must be filed on time.
- New Mexico if you want the lowest cost and will track your own deadlines. There is no annual report, so the state sends no reminders. If your registered agent lapses unnoticed, the LLC can be dissolved. Banks may ask more questions during onboarding.
Neither state lists owners on public filings. That privacy covers public records only: banks, the IRS and courts still see who owns the company.
Your yearly calendar
| Task | When | State |
|---|---|---|
| Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 (fax or mail only) | April 15, or October 15 with an extension | Both |
| Annual report and $60 license tax | First day of the month the LLC was formed | Wyoming |
| Registered agent renewal | Yearly, on the provider’s billing date | Both |
| Records of money moving between you and the LLC | All year; needed for Form 5472 | Both |
US-formed LLCs no longer file a beneficial ownership (BOI) report with FinCEN.
The filing you can’t skip: Form 5472
A US LLC owned by one foreign person or company files Form 5472, attached to a pro forma Form 1120, for every year with any transaction between you and the LLC. There is no minimum amount. Your first deposit, or paying the registered agent from a personal account, is enough.
The penalty for a missing or substantially incomplete filing is $25,000 per form, per year. It grows if the filing is still missing 90 days after an IRS notice. In practice, plan to file every year the LLC exists.
What changes once you start selling
- US income tax returns if your income counts as US business income. A CPA should handle this.
- State sales tax registration once your sales into a state pass its threshold, usually $100,000 a year.
- Form 1099-NEC for each US contractor you pay $2,000 or more in 2026.
- California’s $800 minimum tax if the LLC is doing business there, for example through a California employee or inventory.
- Bookkeeping, typically $50–500 a month depending on volume.
If you’re not ready yet
An unused LLC still has its yearly filings and its penalty risk. If you have no US customers, bank or payment plans yet, wait. Formation is quick once you have a reason to start.
Figures reflect state fee schedules and federal rules as of October 2026 and can change. Confirm your situation with a qualified tax professional. See our disclaimer.