Best State to Form an LLC as a Foreigner in 2025

TL;DR: For most foreign entrepreneurs looking to form a foreign-owned LLC in the U.S. in 2025, Wyoming is the best balance of privacy, low ongoing costs, and simple compliance. Delaware is better when you expect VC or complex corporate governance; Florida and New Mexico have niche advantages (market access and low upfront costs/privacy respectively).

Time to read: ~7 minutes

---

Lo que vas a aprender

• Cómo comparar Wyoming, Delaware, Florida y New Mexico según impuestos, privacidad, costos iniciales y fees anuales.
• Por qué Wyoming LLC suele ser la mejor opción para la mayoría de los extranjeros.
• Pasos concretos para formar una foreign-owned LLC en EE. UU. y estimación de costos.
• Cómo Rely simplifica todo el proceso y qué paquete conviene según tu caso.

---

Context: why choosing the best state matters for a foreign-owned LLC

Choosing the right state to form a foreign-owned LLC affects ongoing taxes, privacy of ownership, recurring state fees, and how attractive the company is to investors. For non‑US residents the most relevant criteria are: minimal annual costs and reporting, strong owner privacy, simple state filing rules, and no surprise state-level taxes. Search terms like "best state LLC foreigner" and "LLC state comparison" often surface four common options: Wyoming, Delaware, Florida and New Mexico. Below I compare them so podés decidir rápido y con datos.

Quick summary of the four states

• Wyoming: Low fees, strong privacy, no state income tax. Good default for many foreign-owned LLCs. (Keyword: Wyoming LLC foreigner)
• Delaware: Preferred for venture funding, strong corporate body of law, but higher annual franchise tax for LLCs. (Keyword: Delaware vs Wyoming)
• Florida: Useful if you need a U.S. business presence and a large market; no personal income tax but slightly higher annual report fees.
• New Mexico: Very low filing fee and strong privacy (no annual report requirement), attractive for simple, low‑maintenance LLCs.

LLC state comparison: taxes, privacy, costs, and annual fees

Below are the typical state-specific elements foreign entrepreneurs ask about. Note: state fees change infrequently but it’s recomendable confirmar en la web oficial del estado o con un profesional.

(These figures are typical as of 2025 — always verify current state fees before filing.)

Privacy and reporting nuance

• Wyoming and New Mexico are best for privacy: neither forces a detailed public list of members on the formation filing.
• Delaware provides legal predictability and anonymity to some degree, but its main value is the courts and investor familiarity.
• Florida’s advantage is market access and a large U.S. customer base; privacy is less strong.

Taxes — federal vs state considerations

• A foreign-owned LLC’s U.S. federal tax obligations depend on how the LLC is taxed (disregarded entity, partnership, or elects C‑corp) and on whether the LLC has effectively connected income with a U.S. trade or business.
• State income tax differences matter mainly if the LLC is doing business in that state or elects corporate taxation. For many non‑US owners, choosing a state with no personal income tax (Wyoming, Florida) reduces local tax risk, but federal tax and withholding rules still apply. It’s recomendable consultar con un contador internacional.

Solution: step-by-step to form a foreign-owned LLC (concrete data)

Here’s a practical, actionable workflow you can follow today. I include realistic costs and times so podés planificar.

1. Decide the state

   • Pick Wyoming for privacy + low annual costs (recommended for most foreign-owned LLCs).
   • Choose Delaware if you expect VC, plan to issue preferred stock, or want Chancery Court advantages.
   • Pick Florida if you need a U.S. physical presence and local market.
   • New Mexico if your top priorities are minimal upfront cost and anonymity.

2. Prepare formation documents

   • Articles/Certificate of Formation — state filing (examples: WY ~$60, DE ~$90).
   • Operating Agreement — internal document that clarifies ownership, voting, distributions.

3. Appoint a Registered Agent

   • Required in all states. Rely includes registered agent in packages.

4. Get an EIN (Employer Identification Number)

   • Necessary for banking and hiring. Rely obtains EIN for you.

5. File BOIR / BOI (Beneficial Ownership Information Report)

   • New FinCEN requirements mean many new LLCs must file a BOIR. Rely prepares this for you.

6. Open a U.S. bank account (optional but recommended)

   • Some Rely plans include bank account setup with Mercury or Relay.

7. Post‑formation compliance

   • File annual reports and pay state fees (Wyoming min. ~$60; Delaware $300; Florida ~$138.75; New Mexico typically none).
   • Maintain Operating Agreement, bookkeeping, and tax compliance; consult a tax advisor for cross‑border issues.

Estimated timeline and cost example (Wyoming, using a formation service):

• State filing fee: ~$60
• Service fee (example with Rely): plans from USD 449 to USD 649 (includes formation, registered agent, EIN, Operating Agreement, BOIR, and email/chat support)
• Registered agent included in Rely plans (no extra state‑required third party).
• Time: standard 5–7 business days; express formation available (1 business day formation + fully operational in under 5 days).

So a realistic first‑year total: Rely plan (449–649) + WY filing ($60) = roughly $509–$709, with low ongoing yearly costs (WY annual report minimum ~$60 + any registered agent renewal if not included).

Cómo Rely te ayuda

Rely reúne todo lo necesario para que una foreign-owned LLC esté lista sin que tengas que viajar a EE. UU. — la plataforma gestiona la formación de la LLC, el registered agent, la obtención del EIN y los documentos legales (Operating Agreement y BOIR). Los planes van desde USD 449 hasta USD 649 e incluyen soporte por email o chat; algunos planes agregan apertura de cuenta bancaria con Mercury o Relay.

El proceso es 100% online y rápido: en condiciones normales la formación tarda 5–7 días hábiles; si necesitás todo ya, el servicio express forma la LLC en 1 día y podés estar 100% operativo en menos de 5 días. Usar un servicio como Rely reduce el riesgo de errores de presentación y te deja tiempo para enfocarte en ventas, producto o fundraising.

---

Próximos pasos

Si querés formar una LLC en el mejor estado para tu caso (muchas veces Wyoming) y ahorrar tiempo en trámites y cumplimiento, comenzá con Rely. Podés elegir plan, revisar costes exactos por estado y avanzar con la formación 100% online en pocos días.

Si tenés dudas sobre impuestos internacionales o implicaciones fiscales específicas para tu país, es recomendable consultar con un contador especializado en tributación internacional antes de finalizar la estructura.