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Register an LLC in the USA Online: What You Need, What It Costs

· 8 min read

"Register an LLC in the USA" can mean a few different things depending on who is asking. For a founder in Austin it means filing a form with their state. For a founder in Pune or Lagos it means that plus getting a registered agent, a tax number and a way to be paid, all without setting foot in the US. This guide is for the second founder, and it also works as a checklist for the first.

It explains what registering an LLC actually gives you, what you need to prepare, how the online process runs, and what you will pay.

What registering an LLC does, and what it does not

Registering creates the company. When the state accepts your filing, the LLC exists as a legal entity separate from you. That gives you:

  • Limited liability, so business debts are generally the company's and not yours.
  • A name the company can use to sign contracts, invoice and hold accounts.
  • A record in the state's register that banks and clients can verify.

It does not give you a tax number, a bank account, a licence to trade or a business address. Those are separate steps. Some websites sell "LLC registration" as if it covered everything. It does not.

Can you register online, from abroad?

Yes. Every state accepts LLC filings online or by mail, and none requires you to be a US citizen or resident, or to visit. You will need a registered agent in the state, because the state must have a US street address where it can send legal papers.

What to prepare

Item Why
Your passport Banks and payment platforms will ask for it later
Three name options The first may already be taken in the state
The state you will form in It decides the fees and the yearly filings
Owner names and addresses For the filing and the operating agreement
A short description of the business Needed for the EIN and for banks
A phone number and email you will keep The IRS and banks will use them

How the online process runs

  1. Pick the state and check the name in the state's business database.
  2. Appoint a registered agent. See our registered agent service.
  3. File the Articles of Organization (or Certificate of Formation) and pay the fee.
  4. Wait for approval. This takes from a day to a few weeks, depending on the state.
  5. Get the EIN. Without a Social Security number you use the IRS paper route, which we prepare for you.
  6. Sign the operating agreement.
  7. Open a US bank account or a dollar account with US details.

What it costs to register

There is no single price, because the cost has parts that behave differently:

  • The state filing fee. A one-off payment that ranges from roughly $50 to $300 depending on the state.
  • A registered agent. Paid every year.
  • The yearly state cost. An annual report or tax. Some states charge nothing, others charge a few hundred dollars.
  • The IRS filing that a foreign-owned LLC sends each year, even when it owes no tax.

An advertised "$0 registration" usually means the provider does not charge a service fee, while the state fee is still yours to pay. Ask for the first-year total and the renewal price. Our guide to what "$0 + state fee" means explains the breakdown.

Which state to register in

For a business that sells online to customers anywhere, the choice usually comes down to the yearly cost and how familiar the state's law is.

  • Delaware for a company that may seek investors, since its law is well known.
  • Wyoming for low yearly costs and strong privacy rules.
  • New Mexico for a low filing fee and no annual report.

If you have an office, staff or stock in another state, you may have to register there as a foreign LLC as well. Compare them in Delaware vs Wyoming.

Taxes after you register

A one-owner LLC is by default ignored for US income tax. If you live outside the US and the company has no US-source income or US business activity, it often owes no US income tax. It still files an information return each year, Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120. The penalty for missing it is large. You will also owe tax in your home country, so speak to an adviser there. See US LLC tax filing.

After registration: the bank and getting paid

The LLC needs its own account. Some US banks open accounts for non-residents online, and some want a visit. Payment platforms ask for the EIN, the formation documents and a matching business name, so keep the name exactly the same everywhere. Our page on the US business bank account lists the options.

Mistakes when registering from abroad

  • Choosing a state without checking the yearly cost.
  • Using the registered agent's address as the business address on a payment platform without checking the rules.
  • Applying for the EIN before the LLC is approved, so the names do not match.
  • Not knowing about the annual IRS filing.
  • Paying a "registration" service that only files the form and leaves the rest to you.

"Register", "form", "incorporate": are they the same?

People use the three words loosely. For an LLC they mean the same filing. "Incorporate" strictly applies to corporations, and an LLC is not one, but search engines and banks treat the words as interchangeable. What matters is the name of the document the state accepts: Articles of Organization or Certificate of Formation.

Picking a name that will be accepted

  • It must carry "LLC", "L.L.C." or "Limited Liability Company".
  • It must differ enough from every name already on the state's register.
  • It cannot suggest a bank, an insurer or a licensed profession unless you qualify.
  • If you plan to sell under a different brand, you can register it later as a DBA. See DBA filing.

Check the domain and the trademark database before you commit, so you do not build a brand you cannot use.

A realistic timeline

Step Typical wait
Filing with the state A day to a few weeks, depending on the state
EIN by the paper route Allow a few weeks
Bank account Days to weeks, depending on the bank and your documents
Payment platform review Days, after the bank account is open

Plan on a few weeks from start to first payment, and longer if any step bounces back for a mismatched detail.

Keeping the LLC in good standing

  1. Pay the registered agent each year, or the agent stops serving and the company has no one for legal papers.
  2. File the state's annual report or pay its annual tax. See annual reports.
  3. Send the IRS the foreign-owner filing every year.
  4. Keep the operating agreement and the company's records up to date.

Beware of look-alike mail

Soon after you register, official-looking letters can arrive asking for payment to "renew" your LLC or buy a certificate. Many are marketing, not demands from the state. The state's real notices come from the state agency, and the yearly fee is paid on the state's own website. If you are unsure, check with your registered agent before paying anything.

Choosing a provider: a short checklist

  • Does the price include the registered agent for the first year, and what is the renewal?
  • Do they prepare the EIN for a founder without a Social Security number?
  • Who files the yearly IRS form for a foreign-owned LLC, and is it extra?
  • Will they tell you which state costs less to keep, not only which is cheapest to open?
  • Can you reach a person when a filing is rejected?

Common questions

Is an LLC the same as being registered with the IRS?

No. The LLC is registered with the state. The IRS only knows the company once you apply for an EIN.

Can two foreigners own an LLC together?

Yes. A multi-owner LLC is taxed as a partnership, and it files a different return from a single-owner company.

Does owning an LLC make me a US tax resident?

Not by itself. Residency for tax depends on where you live and how long you spend in the US, among other things.

How long does registering take?

From a day to a few weeks for the state, then a short wait for the EIN and the bank.

Where to go next

Want it handled for you? See LLC formation for non-residents or talk to us.

Services related to this guide

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