--- title: "How to start an LLC from outside the US: Guide for non-US residents" slug: start-an-llc-from-overseas excerpt: "A step-by-step guide for non-US residents starting an LLC from overseas: which state to choose, how to get an EIN without an SSN, how to open a US business account, what taxes and filings apply, and how to start accepting payments from US customers." customExcerpt: "A step-by-step guide for non-US residents starting an LLC from overseas: which state to choose, how to get an EIN without an SSN, how to open a US business account, what taxes and filings apply, and how to start accepting payments from US customers." metaTitle: How to start a US LLC from overseas as a non-US resident metaDescription: "Non-US residents can form a US LLC with no visa, SSN or visit. This guide covers steps, best states, EIN, banking, and taxes." featureImage: "https://storage.ghost.io/c/12/7b/127b828b-bdc2-4972-9cf2-de857df9c324/content/images/2026/09/blog-How-to-start-an-LLC-from-overseas.jpg" status: published publishedAt: "2026-09-28T09:04:39.000Z" updatedAt: "2026-09-28T09:36:00.000Z" createdAt: "2026-09-20T23:58:06.058Z" tags: - { name: Business, slug: business } - { name: "#llc", slug: hash-llc } authors: - { name: Liv Carr, slug: oliviacarr } - { name: Keisha Singleton, slug: keisha } --- # How to start an LLC from outside the US: Guide for non-US residents A non-US resident can start an LLC from outside of the United States without an SSN, visa, or business trip. Not only is this a common business move, it also tends to be a rather simple process once you know the right steps. Those steps include choosing a state to register in, filing your Articles of Organization, getting your EIN (without having an American Social Security Number), opening a US business bank account, and knowing which tax filings apply. This guide walks non-US residents through how to check off each step, including getting to the end goal of accepting payments and operating your business in the US from overseas. ## Can a non-US resident start an LLC in the US? Yes, foreign business owners can [form an LLC](https://whop.com/blog/start-an-llc-guide/) from outside of the country. This is a common way for business owners to expand their presence into the United States while getting the main benefits an LLC offers, including limited liability and flexible taxation. You don't need a green card or citizenship as no state requires residency for LLC ownership. However, the application process differs for foreign residents compared to US citizens, which we'll walk you through below. Starting an LLC means you can grow a credible business in one of the largest markets globally and [accept payments](https://whop.com/blog/accept-payments-online/) from US customers through a US bank account. **Worth noting**: Owning a US LLC doesn't give you the right to work in the US – for that you still need a visa. ## What is the best state to form an LLC as a non-US resident?
State Filing fee Annual cost State income tax Owners named on formation document
Wyoming $100 $60 minimum annual report fee No personal or corporate income tax No
Delaware $110 $400 annual tax, due June 1 Yes, on income connected to Delaware No
New Mexico $50 $0 – no annual report for LLCs Yes, on New Mexico-source income only No
While non-US founders are free to choose their registered state, not all states are equal. Wyoming is a popular choice for many non-US founders, as there's no state income tax, low annual fees, and owners' names stay off the public record. Wyoming is the state Whop registers international LLCs in by default. Delaware makes sense if you plan to raise money from US investors, who prefer its business courts and corporate law. It's also the most expensive to keep – the annual tax rose from $300 to $400 under House Bill 400, signed May 21, 2026 and effective for the 2026 tax year, so ignore older guides still quoting $300. New Mexico is the cheapest option (if cost is the only thing you care about). You can form an LLC in any of the 50 states, and because you don't live in any of them, you're choosing on the state's own merits rather than convenience. Four things to consider when choosing your state: - What it costs to file and to stay in good standing each year - Whether the state taxes income you earn outside it - Whether your name appears on a public register - How easy the paperwork is from abroad ### Do you have to register in the state your customers are in? No. Selling to customers in a state doesn't, by itself, require you to register your LLC there. What triggers registration in a second state (called "foreign qualification") is a physical footprint: an office, warehouse or employees in that state, or property you own there. A Wyoming LLC run from Lisbon selling courses to customers in California is a Wyoming LLC, period. Sales tax is a separate question. Selling into a state can require you to collect it there even though it doesn't require you to register your LLC there. We cover that in the getting paid section below. ### States to avoid for a remote founder Two states are worth ruling out early: California and New York. That's not to say you can't form in those states, but international founders may want to consider the extra complexities: - California charges every LLC that does business in the state an $800 annual franchise tax from year one, even with zero revenue, and its definition of "doing business" is broad enough to catch founders who never intended to be there. - New York requires new LLCs to publish a notice of formation in two newspapers for six weeks, which in New York City can cost more than the formation itself. You also shouldn't automatically form in your customers' state because it feels proper. You'll pay that state's fees and taxes and gain nothing a Wyoming LLC wouldn't give you. ## Things you'll need before you start your LLC To register your LLC, you’ll need a valid passport for ID purposes, a registered agent (or a service that covers appointing one), and clarification on what your business does and its structure. - **A valid passport:** This is the only ID you'll use throughout. The state doesn't ask for it, but the IRS, your bank and your payment provider all will, and the name on it needs to match your LLC paperwork exactly. - **A registered agent in the state you're forming in:** Every state requires one: a person or company with a street address (not a PO box) in that state who is available during business hours to receive legal and government mail on your LLC's behalf. You can't be your own from overseas, so you'll use a service like Whop that appoints one on your behalf when it forms your LLC. - **A US mailing address:** This one is usually optional. Your registered agent receives state and legal mail, and banks and payment providers accept your home address abroad. A virtual mailbox is only worth it if you want other US mail handled. - **A decision on single-member or multi-member:** If you're the only owner, your LLC is a single-member LLC, which is the simplest to run and the one this guide assumes. If you're starting with a co-founder, it's a multi-member LLC, which changes your tax filings later. Decide now, because it goes on your formation documents. - **A clear idea of what the LLC will do:** Some states have a "purpose" line on the formation form, but a general statement is usually enough. The clarity is for you – whether you sell products, memberships, or services shapes whether you'll ever have US-source income, and what your payment provider will ask when you onboard. ## How to start an LLC from outside the US: Step by step The whole process is eight steps, all doable from outside the US. Steps 1 through 4 are the state's business, 5 is yours, 6 to 7 are the IRS's, and step 8 is the one that lets you actually operate. ### Step 1: Choose your state Pick from the table above. Wyoming for most founders, Delaware if you're raising US investment, New Mexico if cost is everything.  Note: Don't pick a state because your customers are there. That doesn't require registration and often just adds fees. ### Step 2: Choose and check your LLC's name Your name must include "LLC" or "Limited Liability Company" and can't already be taken in your state.  Search the Secretary of State's business database before you file; if you plan to build a brand around it, run a free search on the USPTO trademark database too.  Some states let you reserve a name for a small fee while you finish the paperwork. ### Step 3: Appoint a registered agent Sign up with a registered agent service in your state before filing, because their name and address go on the Articles of Organization.  This takes minutes online: expect a yearly fee, and put the renewal in your calendar – a lapsed agent can get your LLC administratively dissolved. If you’re using an LLC formation service, this is usually included for foreign founders. Check the cost and fine print/inclusions for any all-in-one services to make sure it is.  ### Step 4: File the Articles of Organization Your Articles of Organization is the document that creates the LLC (Delaware calls it a Certificate of Formation).  You'll list the LLC name, registered agent, mailing address and organizer, and pay the filing fee ($100 in Wyoming, $110 in Delaware).  Wyoming files online and quotes up to 15 business days for mailed filings; online is usually much faster. Once approved, you have a company. ### Step 5: Write an operating agreement Operating agreements aren’t filed with the state, but don't skip this step. It sets out who owns the LLC and how it's run, and your bank and payment provider will ask for it.  A single-member operating agreement is often just a few pages; templates are widely available and a registered agent service will usually include one. ### Step 6: Get an EIN without an SSN  You don't need a Social Security Number to get an EIN. An EIN (Employer Identification Number) is your LLC's federal tax ID, and a non-US resident can get one with no SSN, no ITIN and no US address. The IRS just makes you apply in a different way. The IRS's free online EIN application is only open to applicants with a legal residence or principal place of business in the US.  Everyone else applies with Form SS-4, the standard EIN application, by one of three routes: - **By phone:** Call the IRS international line at +1 267-941-1099 (not toll-free), 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern, Monday to Friday, with a completed SS-4 in front of you. The EIN is often issued on the call. - **By fax:** Fax the SS-4 to the IRS; the EIN generally comes back within four business days if you include a return fax number. - **By mail:** Around four weeks, sometimes longer. The part that trips people up is line 7b, which asks for the SSN, ITIN or EIN of the LLC's "responsible party" – i.e., you. If you don't have an SSN or ITIN and aren't eligible for one, the IRS instructions say to write "Foreign" or "N/A" there.  If you'd rather not deal with the IRS at all, a formation service can also file the SS-4 for you. Whop does this as part of forming your LLC, and offers expedited EIN processing for founders without an SSN.  Keep the EIN confirmation letter safe once it arrives, because your bank and payment provider will ask for it. ### Step 7: Get an ITIN only if you need one Most non-US founders with no US-source income never need an ITIN – however, if you have to file a US personal tax return (Form 1040-NR), you will, and sometimes a bank insists on it.  Apply with Form W-7 and proof of identity; processing runs around seven weeks (sometimes longer) for foreign applications.  ### Step 8: Open a US business account This is the step founders find hardest, and the one that makes the LLC usable. It's where your payouts land and where your US customers' money lives. **It's hard for a simple reason**: banks have to verify who owns the company, and a company owned by someone outside the US with no US credit history or address triggers more checks. Most large US banks will only open a business account after verifying the owner in person, which rules them out if you're overseas. Fintech business accounts built for online businesses verify you remotely instead, usually within a few days, and that's where most non-US founders end up. Whichever you choose, the checks are the same, so have these ready before you apply: - Your passport (making sure the name matches your LLC paperwork exactly) - The IRS EIN confirmation letter (CP 575) - Your filed Articles of Organization, stamped by the state - The operating agreement, showing you as the owner - [Proof of your address](https://whop.com/blog/proof-of-address/) – a utility bill or bank statement, from wherever you live - A short description of what the business sells, and a website or store link if you have one Some providers also ask for a US phone number or a video call to confirm your identity. Fill in all details plainly and consistently – in Whop's experience onboarding sellers, mismatched names, addresses or business descriptions across documents are the most common reason applications stall. **Also**: while a business bank account holds your money, it doesn't let you take payments. That's a separate onboarding with a [payment provider](https://whop.com/blog/payment-acceptance/), which asks for much the same documents, covered below. ### How long it all takes State approval is the quick part: Wyoming quotes up to 15 business days but is usually much faster. The EIN sets the pace – the IRS international phone line is typically the fastest route, by fax it's generally about four business days, by mail around four weeks. Bank and payment-provider verification each take a few days once you have the EIN letter, and can run in parallel. Realistically, a founder who files online and gets the EIN by phone can be formed, banked and accepting payments in two to three weeks; one who applies by mail should allow six to eight. ## Getting paid: How a non-resident LLC accepts payments from US customers Now that you’ve formed your LLC and opened your US bank account, it’s time to think about getting paid – because simply forming your LLC doesn't give you the means to take a payment.  For that you need a payment provider. Onboarding with one is the last step in the chain, because it requires everything the earlier steps produced. Your [payment provider](https://whop.com/blog/payment-processors/) typically runs the same checks a bank does, because it's handling money on your behalf. Expect to give: - The LLC's legal name and EIN - Your Articles of Organization - Your passport as the beneficial owner - The bank account your payouts go to - A plain description of what you sell with a link to where you sell it Answer exactly as your documents read. **Whop makes this simple**: A non-US-owned LLC can start selling products, memberships, software and services to US customers with domestic card pricing of 2.7% + $0.30 per transaction, +1.5% for international cards and +1% for currency conversion. There are no setup or monthly fees. **[Accepting payments with Whop](https://whop.com/network/products/payments/)** Plus, if you formed your LLC through Whop, the company details and EIN are already on file. Sales tax is separate from all of this. Once your sales into a US state pass its threshold, that state can require you to [collect sales tax](https://whop.com/blog/us-sales-tax/) from customers there, wherever your LLC is formed. [Whop Tax Service](https://whop.com/blog/whop-tax-service/) can calculate, collect and remit sales tax on your Whop sales for 2% of the transaction when tax is collected; you remain responsible for knowing where you have obligations. Whether your products are taxable depends on the state. While physical products are taxable almost everywhere, each state decides for itself whether memberships, software, courses and services are. For example, California didn't tax software sold online until Senate Bill 122 (signed June 29, 2026) brought software "transferred electronically, or accessed remotely" into sales tax from January 1, 2027, per the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. E-books, video, music and games will (for now) stay untaxed. That's why it's important to talk to an accountant once you have meaningful US revenue. ## Taxes for non-resident LLC owners A non-US owner with no US office, staff or agents generally owes no US federal income tax on the LLC's profits, but the LLC still has an annual IRS filing, Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120. Don't miss this one – the penalty is $25,000 even at zero revenue. ### Why most non-resident LLCs owe no US income tax A huge benefit of forming an LLC is pass-through taxation, where the IRS taxes the owner, not the company. A non-resident owner is only taxed on what's known as ECI, or effectively connected income. When you’re running a business from outside the US and selling to US customers online, that usually doesn’t count as ECI. However, a US footprint like an office, US employees, or someone in the US acting on your behalf could make your income taxable in the US. If you have or add any of those, get advice before the tax year ends, not after. ### The filing you can't skip: Form 5472 Form 5472 is an information return, not a tax bill. Every single-member LLC with a non-US owner files one each year, attached to a pro forma Form 1120 that only needs the LLC's name, address, EIN, and a couple of checkboxes on the first page.  It's due when the 1120 is (April 15 for a calendar-year LLC, extendable to October). Miss it and the penalty is $25,000, plus another $25,000 for every 30 days after the IRS notifies you. Put the date in your calendar the day you get your EIN. The form reports "reportable transactions" between the LLC and you as its foreign owner: money you put in to start or fund it, money you take out, loans in either direction, and anything the LLC pays you or you pay it. Even if the LLC earned nothing, the money you sent it to cover the state fee is a reportable transaction. Keep a simple record of every transfer between you and the company from day one, so the filing is a quick job rather than a reconstruction. ### When you do have US-source income If your LLC does have effectively connected income, you report it personally on Form 1040-NR, the non-resident individual return. This is where you would need the ITIN from step 7 – and it's the reason most overseas founders never need one. ### Multi-member LLCs If your LLC has two or more owners, it's treated as a partnership for tax purposes. It files Form 1065 each year and issues each owner a Schedule K-1 showing their share of profit, and it must withhold US tax on each non-US owner's share of any effectively connected income before paying it out.  If you're starting with a co-founder, budget for an accountant from year one. ### Your home country still taxes you Forming a US LLC doesn't move your tax residency: the profits are taxable where you live, under your own country's rules, whether or not the US takes a share. Where both countries tax the same income, a tax treaty between them usually prevents you paying twice – check whether yours has one with the US.
Your situation What's filed Who files it When (calendar-year LLC)
Single-member LLC, no US trade or business Form 5472 with pro forma Form 1120 The LLC April 15, extendable six months
Single-member LLC with effectively connected income Form 5472 with pro forma Form 1120, plus Form 1040-NR The LLC, then you personally April 15 for the LLC; June 15 for your 1040-NR if you have no US wages or office
Multi-member LLC Form 1065 with a Schedule K-1 per owner, plus Forms 8804 and 8805 for withholding on non-US owners' share The LLC March 15, extendable six months
Any LLC Your own income tax return You, in your home country Your home country's deadline
*This is general information, not tax or legal advice; confirm with a licensed professional.* ## Do non-resident LLC owners have to file a BOI report? Non-resident LLC owners no longer have to file a BOI report if the LLC was formed in a US state (which yours will be). As of September 2026, US-formed companies are exempt from beneficial ownership information reporting, whoever owns them, per FinCEN. BOI reports were introduced under the Corporate Transparency Act in 2024 and required most US companies to tell FinCEN – the Treasury's financial crimes unit – who owned them. That's why some older guides still list a BOI filing as a step.  However, on March 26, 2025, FinCEN's interim final rule removed all US-formed companies from the requirement, and its final rule of August 11, 2026 confirmed that US companies are no longer required to file BOI reports. The rule does still apply to companies formed outside the US that register to do business in a US state. They file within 30 days of that registration taking effect.  But a Wyoming LLC owned from abroad, for example, is a US company, so it isn't required to file. Rules like this can change, so check FinCEN's BOI page if you're reading this well after September 2026. ## How much does it cost to start an LLC from overseas? Expect to spend a few hundred dollars in year one to start an LLC from overseas. Filing yourself in Wyoming costs $100, Delaware is $110, then you have the cost of appointing a registered agent on top of that. You don't need a US mailing address: your registered agent receives state and legal mail, and banks and payment providers accept your home address abroad. Having it done for you is around $240 to $500 all-in (depending on the service you use), including the legwork of getting your EIN. Using a service also saves you the time, potential headaches, and a lot of admin.
Cost Do it yourself (Wyoming) Do it yourself (Delaware) Form through Whop
State filing fee $100 $110 Included
Registered agent $125/year (Northwest Registered Agent) $125/year (Northwest Registered Agent) Included
Operating agreement Free – you complete a template yourself Free – you complete a template yourself Included – prepared and signed for you
EIN application Free from the IRS; you apply by phone or fax Free from the IRS; you apply by phone or fax Included (expedited processing for non-US founders: $250)
US mailing address Not required – optional virtual mailbox from $14.99/month (iPostal1) Not required – optional virtual mailbox from $14.99/month (iPostal1) Not required
Year one About $225 About $235 $500, any state
Each year after About $185 ($60 annual report plus agent) About $525 ($400 annual tax plus agent) $100, plus your state's annual fee ($60 Wyoming, $400 Delaware)
Agent and mailbox prices in the table above are Northwest Registered Agent's and iPostal1's published rates as of September 2026. **The $500 via Whop includes everything**: state fee, registered agent, operating agreement, EIN application and the filing itself, done in minutes. Doing it yourself lands around $225 once you've bought the agent – and you've still got the operating agreement, the IRS phone call and the filing itself to do. None of these figures include a business bank account (often free to open), an accountant for the annual Form 5472 filing, or an ITIN if you need one. ## Services non-residents use to form and run a US LLC Formation services handle the filing, the registered agent and the EIN application; others cover the parts that come after, like opening a US business bank account and moving money between currencies. Here are the ones that come up most often, and what each is actually for.
Service Best for Cost Formation includes After formation
Whop Form and sell from one account $500 year one, then $100/year plus your state's annual fee Any state, state fees, registered agent, EIN, operating agreement Payment acceptance, payouts, sales tax, ads
Stripe Atlas Raising from US investors $500 year one, then $100/year plus Delaware's $400 annual tax Delaware only, state fees, registered agent, EIN, equity paperwork $2,500 Stripe credits, partner discounts
Northwest Registered Agent DIY founders who need the agent $39 plus state fee, $125/year after Any state, registered agent, operating agreement (no EIN) Mail scanning
doola Every annual filing handled $237–$1,599/year by plan Any state, registered agent, EIN, operating agreement, US address Bookkeeping and tax filing on higher plans
Mercury US business bank account $0/month base plan Not applicable Free ACH and domestic wires, 1% on non-USD wires
### Whop ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/12/7b/127b828b-bdc2-4972-9cf2-de857df9c324/content/images/2026/09/Form-company--1.png) Whop covers both [forming your LLC](https://whop.com/blog/register-llc/) and running it. Formation is $500 in year one and $100 a year after, covering the state filing, registered agent, operating agreement, and EIN application, with no SSN needed and expedited EIN processing available for non-US founders. **Once the company exists, the same account is where you sell**: payment acceptance for products, memberships, courses and software at 2.7% + $0.30 per domestic transaction (+1.5% for international cards, +1% for currency conversion), with no setup or monthly fees. If your business pays other people (a marketplace, an affiliate program, or platform) Whop's payout infrastructure sends money to users in 241+ territories by bank deposit, crypto, [PayPal](https://whop.com/blog/paypal-for-business/), Venmo or Cash App, with KYC and tax-form collection built in. Whop Tax Service can calculate, collect and remit sales tax on those sales, and [Whop Ads](https://whop.com/blog/watch/whop-ads-launch/) lets you reach US customers from the same dashboard. You can form via Whop's registration portal, with an [API call](https://whop.com/blog/llc-api/), or via the CLI with the command `whop accounts llc`. ### Stripe Atlas ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/12/7b/127b828b-bdc2-4972-9cf2-de857df9c324/content/images/2026/09/atlas.png) [Stripe](https://whop.com/blog/what-is-stripe/) has its own formation route for founders who plan to raise from US investors. Atlas forms LLCs and C corps in Delaware only, for a one-time $500 that covers the state filing with next-day processing, the EIN, a year of registered agent service, founder equity paperwork and an 83(b) election filing (for C corps), plus document templates, $2,500 in Stripe product credits and partner discounts. The registered agent renews at $100 a year. Note that it locks you into Delaware's $400 annual tax. ### Northwest Registered Agent ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/12/7b/127b828b-bdc2-4972-9cf2-de857df9c324/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-28-at-7.34.21---pm.png) If you're filing yourself and only need the agent, Northwest Registered Agent costs $125 a year, with mail scanning included, in any state. If you'd rather Northwest file too, LLC formation is $39 plus the state fee, with an operating agreement and the first year of registered agent service included, then $125 a year. Its formation service doesn't cover the EIN, so as a non-US founder expect to make that IRS phone call yourself. A good pick for DIY founders who want a solid agent and nothing bundled they didn't ask for. ### doola ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/12/7b/127b828b-bdc2-4972-9cf2-de857df9c324/content/images/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-28-at-7.33.11---pm.png) doola is a full-service formation platform aimed at international founders, with a 175+ country reach and no US citizenship required. The Starter plan ($237 a year, reduced from $297 as of September 2026) covers formation in one to two business days, EIN, operating agreement, registered agent and a virtual business address. Tax and Compliance ($1,599 a year, reduced from $1,999) adds annual state report filing and IRS tax filings with a licensed tax professional, which is where a foreign-owned LLC's Form 5472 would sit. The pricing page doesn't name the form, so confirm it's covered before you buy the plan for that reason. ### Mercury ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/12/7b/127b828b-bdc2-4972-9cf2-de857df9c324/content/images/2026/09/mercury.png) Mercury offers complete business banking for LLCs. Your company must be formed in the US, but you don't need to be a US citizen or resident to apply. Mercury supports US companies with founders from most places around the world – though not every country is supported, so check its prohibited-countries list first. The base plan has no monthly fee, with free ACH and domestic wires and a 1% conversion fee on non-USD international wires; paid tiers are $29.90 and $299 a month. Mercury will ask you for a real operating address for the business, and it doesn't accept registered agent addresses, PO boxes or UPS Store addresses for that. Usually, a residential address abroad is fine. ## Should a non-US founder start an LLC or C Corp? For most non-US founders who aren't raising US venture capital, an LLC is usually the simpler option. A US LLC can offer pass-through taxation and lighter administrative requirements, making it a common choice for founders selling products, memberships, or services from outside the US. A C corporation is generally the better fit if you plan to raise from US venture capital investors, who typically prefer (or require) a Delaware C corp.  Unlike an LLC, a C corp is a separate taxpayer and files its own corporate tax return. Profits can also face a second layer of tax when distributed to shareholders as dividends. If you start with an LLC and later decide to raise venture capital, you can generally convert the business to a C corp. Converting in the other direction can be more complicated and may have tax consequences. Tax treatment for a non-US founder depends on where you live, where the business operates, and whether its income is connected with a US trade or business.  For a detailed breakdown of the two, check out our [LLC vs. C corp](https://whop.com/blog/llc-vs-c-corp/) guide. ### Can a non-US founder start an S corp? An S corporation cannot have a non-resident as a shareholder. That’s because an S corp is not a separate type of legal entity in the same way as an LLC or C corporation; it's a US federal tax election available to eligible businesses.  Because non-resident aliens cannot be S corp shareholders, an LLC owned by a non-resident alien generally cannot elect S corp taxation, and a C corp with a non-resident alien shareholder cannot elect S corp status either. If you’re a non-US founder choosing a US business structure, the choice is between an LLC and a C corp. ## Register your LLC from overseas with Whop ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/12/7b/127b828b-bdc2-4972-9cf2-de857df9c324/content/images/2026/09/cover.png) If you're a non-US founder ready to form an LLC, Whop can help you do so from anywhere in the world with one simple registration. The cost is $500 for the first year including your registered agent, state filing fees, EIN, and preparing your operating agreement. Thereafter, it's $100 per year and this keeps your registered agent appointed. With Whop, you also get the part every other formation service stops short of: somewhere to sell. The same account takes payments from US customers, pays out what you earn, has optional sales tax collection, and lets you start selling and earn up to $5,000 before you complete identity verification. Register from the portal, or through the API or CLI if you're building something. **[Register your LLC with Whop](https://whop.com/form-company/)** --- ## Starting an LLC from outside the US FAQs ### Can a non-US citizen start an LLC? Yes, non-US citizens and non-US residents can form and own a US LLC, and there is generally no requirement to live in the US or hold a US visa. You’ll need to register the LLC in a US state, appoint a registered agent with an address in that state, and obtain an EIN if required for tax, banking, or business purposes. ### Do foreign LLC owners pay taxes? Usually not US federal income tax, if the LLC has no US office, employees or agents – but it must still file Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, and the penalty for missing it is $25,000 even at zero revenue. Your home country taxes the profits regardless. ### Which state is best for foreigners to open an LLC? There is no single best state for every non-US founder, but Wyoming is the choice for most founders: $100 to form, $60 a year, no state income tax and owners' names off the public record. Delaware if you plan to raise from US investors, at $110 to form and $400 a year. New Mexico is cheapest at $50 with no annual report. ### How much does it cost for a non-US resident to open an LLC? The cost of starting a US LLC depends on the state. About $225 in year one if you file yourself in Wyoming ($100 state fee plus a $125 registered agent), or from around $240 to $500 through a formation service. Whop forms the LLC with registered agent, operating agreement and EIN application for $500 in year one, then $100 a year. ### How long does it take to start an LLC from outside the US? Two to three weeks if you file online and get your EIN by phone; six to eight if you apply for the EIN by mail. State approval usually takes days, the EIN sets the pace, and bank and payment-provider verification take a few days each once you have the EIN letter. ### Can I open an LLC in the USA for non-residents online? Yes. A non-US resident can generally form a US LLC entirely online without traveling to the United States. You can file formation documents with the chosen state, appoint a registered agent, and apply for an EIN remotely. Opening a US business bank account may involve additional identity and eligibility checks, but does not normally require you to be physically present in the US. ### Do I need an SSN or ITIN to get an EIN? No. The IRS online application isn't available to you without a US address, but you can apply by phone on the IRS international line or by faxing Form SS-4 with "Foreign" in the SSN field. You only need an ITIN later if you have to file a US personal tax return. ### Can a non-US citizen be a member of an LLC? Yes, and can own all of it. The one limit is that an LLC with a non-US member can't elect S corp tax treatment; in a multi-member LLC, the company must also withhold US tax on the non-US member's share of any effectively connected income.