U.S. Domestic LLC

Specialist jurisdiction

Offshore Broker · U.S. Domestic LLC

North America United States
Latitude 00.0000° N
Longitude 000.0000° W
Written and reviewed by John Evans Connor Steens
Updated

Governing law

Wyoming Limited Liability Company Act

Entity type

Domestic Limited Liability Company (LLC)

State tax

No state income tax; minimum $60 annual fee

Privacy

Public formation filing leaves member names off

Formation time

1–2 days from KYC clearance

Important limitation

As a domestic US entity, it stays inside the US court system — there is no offshore jurisdictional firewall

A general overview only. A Wyoming LLC is a real domestic US structure carrying solid charging-order protection, privacy, and no state tax. It is not offshore and still answers to US federal law and to full faith and credit between states. Whether it fits depends on the client, the assets, and the goals.

Standalone LLC

Wyoming LLC

$1,500

first-year fees all included · 1–2 days

A standalone Wyoming LLC — quick and low-cost, with the charging order as an exclusive remedy and solid state-level privacy.

Articles of Organization and Operating Agreement
Wyoming state filing fee
First-year Wyoming registered agent
EIN application assistance
Get started↗
Total Protection Package

Trust + Company + Banking

$12,000

The full structure. A Cook Islands or Nevis Trust, a matching Cook Islands or Nevis Company (LLC or IBC), and a bank account — the strongest asset protection pairing on offer, built on the two jurisdictions at our core.

Cook Islands or Nevis Trust — registered and fully operational

Cook Islands or Nevis Company (LLC or IBC) — registered and fully operational
Every trust and company formation document
Every government fee and first-year trustee and agent cost
An offshore bank account with a partner institution you choose
One or more members own a Wyoming LLC, and they can either run it themselves or bring in a manager.
Book a consultation↗
Company structure

How does a Wyoming LLC work?

Having authored the country's first LLC statute in 1977, Wyoming has kept refining it ever since. You file the Articles of Organization with the Wyoming Secretary of State, while the Operating Agreement — kept private and never filed publicly — lays out membership interests, management authority, and how distributions work.

There is no restriction on non-US residents forming or owning a Wyoming LLC. You will need an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or Employer Identification Number (EIN) for tax purposes, and Offshore Broker helps arrange this during formation.

hold the LLC together with its economic and voting rights.

  • Members: runs the day-to-day, and may be a member or a third party brought in for the role.
  • Manager: keeps the LLC's Wyoming registered address and takes in official correspondence.
  • Registered agent: a private document laying out the governance and distribution rules.
  • Operating Agreement: Offshore Broker handles the formation, the EIN application, and introductions to banks.

A Wyoming LLC can be arranged so that you keep direct, hands-on control as manager or member.

Discuss your structure

The full USA LLC application process taken care of for you

We hold direct relationships with licensed Wyoming registered agents — not a referral middleman — the very team that builds Cook Islands and Nevis structures across 20+ jurisdictions.

Guidance on choosing your state, whether that is your home state, Delaware, Wyoming, Nevada, or New Mexico

Our US structuring specialists know Form 5472, EIN applications, and fintech banking for owners who are not residents.

Operating agreement and fully compliant company paperwork prepared on your behalf

first-year fees all included · Formation timed in coordination are included in the price — no hidden costs, no surprise invoices.

Optional forms for EIN, S-Corp election, and tax classification are on hand

We weigh a US LLC candidly against Cook Islands and Nevis, so domestic simplicity is never mistaken for an offshore jurisdictional firewall.

Clear pricing with government and third-party formation costs built in

We make sure each structure, Form 5472 filing duties included, is set up for full compliance from day one.

Structure comparison

The U.S. LLC set against Cook Islands or Nevis Company

These do genuinely different jobs. A Wyoming LLC is a quick, low-cost domestic structure offering real charging-order protection, though it stays bound by full faith and credit between US states, unlike the true jurisdictional firewall of an offshore company. Cook Islands and Nevis companies are built specifically for adversarial creditor defence, entirely outside the US court system.

Purpose-built offshore protection

Cook Islands or Nevis Company

JurisdictionOffshore — beyond the US court system, backed by a genuine jurisdictional firewall.
Creditor protectionA dedicated statutory charging-order regime; Nevis layers on a $100,000 creditor bond.
Best useProtection of assets against creditor claims that are active or expected.
Domestic, fast, low-cost

Wyoming LLC

JurisdictionDomestic — kept inside the US court system and bound by full faith and credit.
Creditor protectionThe charging order has been the exclusive remedy since 2014 — genuine, though domestic.
Best useA quick, low-cost US business footprint with banking access.
Choose Cook Islands or Nevis ↗If what matters most is the strongest achievable defence against an active or expected creditor claim, shelter from US court jurisdiction itself included.
Choose WyomingIf your focus is a quick, low-cost US business footprint, domestic banking access, and reasonable privacy — without stepping offshore.
Looking for a US operating layer with real offshore protection sitting above? Pair your Wyoming LLC with a Cook Islands Trust. See the Cook Islands Trust
Where the United States comes out ahead

A quick US business footprint with domestic banking access

A Wyoming LLC makes the most sense for clients who want a quick, low-cost, private US entity and prefer not to go offshore.

International founders after a US business footprint for banking, payments, and credibility
Clients who bank through US fintech platforms — Mercury, Wise Business, or Relay — with fully remote onboarding
Small businesses and freelancers after the cheapest, simplest US LLC route
Clients who want domestic charging-order protection minus the cost and complexity of going offshore
When a different jurisdiction is the better fit

Not the first pick at Offshore Broker for the strongest possible creditor defence

Wyoming delivers genuine, well-regarded domestic protection, yet as a US entity it stays bound by full faith and credit between states — a materially different footing from an offshore jurisdictional firewall.

Stays inside the US court system, unlike the jurisdictional firewall of an offshore company
Bound by full faith and credit, so judgments from other US states are generally enforceable
Foreign-owned LLCs have to file Form 5472 each year, with a $25,000 minimum penalty for missing it
Suitability against commercial creditors needs assessing before any funding
For the strongest possible creditor defence beyond the US court system, compare the Cook Islands Company and Nevis Company. When you want fast, low-cost domestic US structuring, Wyoming is often the better fit.

State-Specific Details

Every application can run through Offshore Broker, keeping your company formation straightforward.

Alabama LLC — the annual reporting, tax, and registration rules.

Running an LLC in Alabama comes with particular reporting and tax duties. The key points are below:

Annual Report

  • Annual Report and Business Privilege Tax (BPT): Your annual report is filed as part of the BPT return. The BPT is a franchise tax pegged to the business's taxable net worth, carrying a $50 minimum. Use Form PPT for pass-through entities or Form BPT-IN for the initial return, which falls due two and a half months after your LLC is formed. Both filing and payment happen online via My Alabama Taxes (MAT).

State Business Taxes

  • Pass-Through Taxation: LLCs default to pass-through treatment, so the LLC itself pays no income tax. The income instead flows through to the owners, who declare it on their personal returns.
  • Corporate Tax Status: Should you elect corporate tax treatment for your LLC, file IRS Form 2553. Alabama then taxes it as a corporation at the state level too, applying a flat 6.5% corporate income tax rate.

Employer Taxes

  • Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN): If your LLC has staff, get an EIN from the IRS.
  • Withholding Taxes: Employee income taxes must be withheld and remitted to the Alabama Department of Revenue (DOR). Register the business with the DOR through MAT, file Form A-1 quarterly or Form A-6 monthly, and submit Form A-3 each year to reconcile withholding.
  • Unemployment Insurance (UI) Tax: Sign up with the Alabama Department of Labor, then pay UI taxes quarterly online via eGov.

Sales and Use Tax

  • Sales Tax: Register through MAT with the DOR to collect and remit sales tax on taxable goods or services. Returns and payments can run monthly, quarterly, semiannually, or annually. The DOR's Sales and Use Tax Division website has fuller details.

Operating Across State Lines

  • Foreign Registration: If you do business beyond Alabama, you may have to register as a foreign LLC wherever you hold a physical presence, employ staff, or advertise. Confirm each state's own rules.

Resources and Expert Assistance

  • Online Services: Online filing and guidance are available on the DOR website.
  • Legal Assistance: For anything complex, think about consulting an Alabama business attorney — particularly if your LLC runs in several states or has unusual industry needs.
1 of 48 · Alabama
  • Wyoming registered agent application coordinated from start to finish
  • Trustee, registration and third-party costs itemised in the written quote
  • Wyoming-compliant formation documents prepared where required
  • Structure registered and prepared to receive trustee-approved assets

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Rarotonga, Cook Islands

More than two decades of experience across offshore banking, asset protection, international companies and trusts.

Connor Steens
BBUS

Founder & Business Development Director

Sydney, Australia

Specialises in offshore structuring, strategic partnerships, business development and global wealth solutions.

Atinata Hosking

Sales Manager

Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Brings more than two decades of experience in offshore banking, regulatory compliance and client relationship management.

Melanie Tetuaiteroi

Sales Assistant

Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Supports client onboarding, communications, documentation and operational coordination, backed by fiduciary administration experience.

Recent Articles

Explore our latest insights, practical guides and updates on international wealth structuring.

What is a Wyoming LLC used for?

People turn to a Wyoming LLC for US business banking, e-commerce and consulting income, and as a quick, inexpensive domestic operating layer — frequently sitting under an offshore trust when clients want a layered setup.

Is a Wyoming LLC legal?

Yes. A Wyoming LLC is a fully legal domestic structure that international entrepreneurs rely on the world over. Where a single-member LLC is foreign-owned, Form 5472 goes to the IRS each year. Offshore Broker keeps every structure fully compliant with that duty and the rest.

How does a Wyoming LLC compare to a Cook Islands or Nevis company for asset protection?

A Wyoming LLC is a domestic US vehicle — it stays inside the US court system and answers to full faith and credit among the states, so another state’s judgment can usually still reach it. Cook Islands and Nevis companies, by contrast, lie wholly beyond the US courts behind a true jurisdictional firewall. When creditor defence has to be as strong as possible, we point clients to the Cook Islands or Nevis Company; what Wyoming offers instead is speed, low cost, and domestic simplicity.

How much does a Wyoming LLC cost?

Fees start at $1,500, covering the Wyoming state filing fee and the first year of registered agent costs. You’ll get a fully itemised quote before committing, with nothing hidden.

How long does Wyoming LLC formation take?

We usually wrap up formation within one to two days of getting your details — about as fast as company setup gets anywhere. Opening a US bank account, fintech options included, generally adds another two to four weeks.

Is Wyoming LLC ownership private?

The public Articles of Organization don’t call for member names — only the registered agent and organizer show up. The Operating Agreement, which does name the members, stays private and never goes to the state.

What is Form 5472 and do I need to file it?

Every foreign-owned single-member LLC must lodge Form 5472 each year — even with no income or activity — attached to a pro-forma Form 1120. Miss it and the penalty opens at $25,000 a year, so we make sure each structure we set up is documentation-ready for the filing.

What assets can a Wyoming LLC hold?

Almost any asset class can sit inside a Wyoming LLC — investment portfolios, US bank accounts, business interests, and intellectual property. It often serves as the US-facing layer in a wider international structure.

Can a Wyoming LLC open a bank account remotely?

Yes. Fintech business banks like Mercury, Wise Business, and Relay onboard entirely remotely, using electronic identity checks for owners who don’t live in the US — which makes a Wyoming LLC reachable from just about anywhere.

Do I need a lawyer to set up a Wyoming LLC?

We strongly suggest getting independent legal and tax advice, especially around Form 5472 compliance and how things stand tax-wise in your home country. Offshore Broker manages the whole formation process and can put you in touch with qualified advisors.

What are the annual costs of maintaining a Wyoming LLC?

Wyoming’s yearly state fee starts at $60 — one of the lowest anywhere in the US — on top of registered agent renewal, usually $100–$200 a year. What Form 5472 preparation costs depends on the CPA, but it’s a required annual outlay for foreign-owned LLCs.