What Does a U.S. LLC Really Cost?
Formation fee, annual state cost, registered agent, and EIN — by state.
See your state's fees up front — then what it actually takes to start and run a U.S. LLC from outside the U.S.
- Wyoming adds ~2.4% if you pay the state online by card.
State income tax follows where you actually operate — your nexus, meaning an office, staff, or property in a state. Running everything from abroad with no U.S. presence, there's usually no state that can tax your income. A state with no income tax and no minimum — like Wyoming — leaves nothing to file or owe beyond the small annual report. An income-tax state means a state return even when your bill is $0, and a few (California) charge a yearly minimum just for being registered. If you do have a U.S. office, staff, or inventory, you may owe tax in that state — that's separate.
Report an issueThe government filing fee is the cheap part. As a non-U.S. founder, here's what actually takes work — and what Mizu handles for you.
You can't fly to the U.S.
English & U.S. law
An EIN with no SSN
U.S. bank account + Stripe
Year-2 compliance & filings
How soon you can start
One flat $499 covers all of it — remote, in Chinese, no SSN required, with your EIN, U.S. bank, and Stripe. Year-2 compliance is an optional $399/year.
Incorporate for $499Estimate only, based on state fees reviewed 2026-06-25. Fees and tax thresholds change — confirm with the state and IRS before filing.
What a U.S. LLC actually costs
The real cost of a U.S. LLC is the state filing fee up front, plus a recurring annual cost (an annual report, franchise tax, or minimum tax depending on the state). An EIN is free from the IRS, and most non-residents also pay a registered agent (~$125/year). Cheap states like New Mexico have no annual report; others like California ($800/year) and Delaware ($300/year) cost more to keep alive.
U.S. LLC cost FAQ
On fees alone, New Mexico (~$50, no annual report) and Ohio ($99, no annual report) are among the cheapest. But the best state also depends on privacy, banking, and where you actually do business.
Yes. The IRS issues EINs at no cost. You never need to pay a fee for the EIN itself, though a service may charge to obtain it for you.
Yes — every U.S. LLC must have a registered agent in its state. Non-residents typically pay a service, usually around $100–$300 per year.
State fees only get you a bare LLC. The $499 also includes your EIN, a U.S. bank account, Stripe setup, a registered agent, and a dashboard with support — the full stack to actually operate.