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How much does it cost to file a Wyoming LLC in 2026?
It costs $100 to file a Wyoming LLC's Articles of Organization online or at the counter, and $102 by mail. After that, the only recurring state charge is a $60 minimum annual report, due every year on the first day of your anniversary month.
Quick Answer: The Wyoming LLC filing fee is $100 online or at the counter ($102 by mail) to file the Articles of Organization - the document that creates the LLC. After formation, a $60 minimum annual report is due each year on the first day of the anniversary month. A registered agent is a separate recurring cost. Wyoming charges non-residents the same as residents.
Break the total into three buckets so nothing surprises you later:
- Government fees: a one-time $100 to the Wyoming Secretary of State, then $60 a year for the annual report.
- Registered agent: a recurring, provider-set fee - typically $50-$300 a year - because Wyoming requires a physical Wyoming street address you almost certainly do not have.
- Optional provider and mail-forwarding fees: a formation service, a US business address, or both, if you want someone else to handle the paperwork.
The state fee is identical for residents and non-residents. Wyoming does not charge foreign founders a premium, and there is no separate "foreign qualification" surcharge for owning from abroad.
You file through the Wyoming Secretary of State online portal at site.sos.wyo.gov, or by mail to the Secretary of State in Cheyenne. The online route is cheaper ($100 vs $102) and faster than paper.
| Cost | Amount | Who gets it | One-time or recurring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (online/counter) | $100 | Wyoming Secretary of State | One-time |
| Articles of Organization (by mail) | $102 | Wyoming Secretary of State | One-time |
| Annual report | $60 minimum | Wyoming Secretary of State | Recurring, yearly |
| Registered agent | $50-$300 typical | Private provider | Recurring, yearly |
| EIN | $0 | IRS | One-time |
| Mail forwarding / US address | Varies | Private provider | Recurring |
The $100 headline is real, but it is not the whole bill.
If you have not settled on a state yet, read our guide to US company formation basics before you commit.
What is the Wyoming annual report fee, and why is $60 only the minimum?
The Wyoming annual report fee is $60 or $0.0002 per dollar of Wyoming-situated assets, whichever is greater. It is due on the first day of the anniversary month of formation - the month your LLC was created.
For a non-resident founder, that scaling formula almost never matters. If your LLC holds no Wyoming assets - no Wyoming real estate, no Wyoming bank deposits counted under the rule - you pay the $60 floor every year. The per-dollar formula exists for LLCs with substantial Wyoming-held assets, not for a software consultancy run from Bengaluru.
Wyoming calls the filing an annual report and the charge an annual license tax. There is no separate franchise tax return. Delaware's franchise tax has no Wyoming equivalent as a separate filing.
Missing the annual report triggers late penalties and, if it goes on long enough, administrative dissolution - the state cancels your LLC's existence. The report is due on the first day of your anniversary month, and an LLC that stays delinquent long enough is administratively dissolved by the Secretary of State.
Is the annual report due in my first year?
Only if your anniversary month falls inside that first partial year. Form in March, and your first annual report is due the following March 1 - not in the same calendar year. Form in January, and the next January 1 arrives quickly. Either way, the report is due in your anniversary month, not in December like most states.
Do out-of-state owners need a Wyoming registered agent?
Yes. Every Wyoming LLC must continuously maintain a registered agent - a person or company with a physical Wyoming street address who accepts legal documents and state mail on the LLC's behalf. A non-resident cannot use their own foreign address for this.
The agent receives service of process (the paperwork if someone sues the LLC) and official correspondence from the Secretary of State. That is why the state insists on a Wyoming address - someone has to be reachable when it matters.
Commercial registered agent services typically run $50-$300 per year. That is a provider cost, not a government fee, and the range reflects how it is bundled. A standalone agent tends to sit at the low end; an agent bundled with a business address, mail scanning and a formation package sits higher.
A registered agent is separate from a business address or mail-forwarding service. Some founders buy both from one provider; some buy them separately. Read the invoice and check which one you are paying for.
Can I be my own registered agent?
Only if you have a physical Wyoming street address and are physically present there during business hours to accept documents. For most non-resident founders, that rules it out. A PO box does not qualify.
Wyoming vs Delaware vs New Mexico: which is cheapest to keep alive?
Wyoming is the cheapest of the three for a small non-resident-owned LLC. The recurring state cost is $60 a year, versus Delaware's franchise tax and New Mexico's $0 filing fee paired with a less developed provider ecosystem.
| State | Formation fee | Recurring state fee | Registered agent required | State income tax | Notes for non-residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $100 online / $102 mail | $60 minimum annual report | Yes | None | Cheapest recurring cost; strong privacy norms; simple annual report |
| Delaware | Check the current official fee | Minimum franchise tax applies - check the current official figure | Yes | None on LLCs taxed as partnerships | Only worth it for VC-backed Delaware C-corps |
| New Mexico | $0 | $0 annual report | Yes | None | Free to file, but fewer providers and different privacy perception |
Delaware is usually the wrong answer for a small non-resident LLC. The formation fee is only part of the story - the annual franchise tax is a recurring state charge that keeps biting whether or not you have revenue, and registered agent norms in Delaware run higher. Delaware earns its reputation for VC-backed C-corps that need Delaware law for investor terms. A one-person consulting LLC gets nothing from it but a bigger annual bill.
New Mexico's $0 filing fee is genuine. So is its $0 annual report. The trade-off is not cost - it is ecosystem: fewer providers actively support New Mexico formations, and the privacy perception differs from Wyoming's. For a founder optimizing purely on cash, New Mexico wins year one. For a founder who wants a well-trodden path, Wyoming's $60 a year is cheap insurance.
What does a non-resident founder pay beyond the state filing fee?
The EIN is free from the IRS. The real add-ons are a registered agent, a US business address or mail forwarding, and optionally a formation provider. Everything else is a choice, not a requirement.
Line items, labelled honestly:
- Government: Wyoming Secretary of State $100 one-time plus $60 a year; IRS EIN $0.
- Provider, recurring: registered agent ($50-$300 typical), mail forwarding or US address (varies).
- Provider, one-time: formation service, if you use one instead of filing yourself.
An SSN or ITIN is not required to get an EIN for a single-member LLC with no US employees. This is the misconception that costs founders the most money - people pay a service for something the IRS issues free, because they assume a US tax ID needs a US person. It does not. If you want to file it yourself, our guide on getting an EIN as a non-US resident walks through Form SS-4.
Banking is a separate line. Business banking setup is usually free at the provider level, but some services charge for introductions or compliance support. Treat that as provider-dependent and check before you pay. Approval is always the bank's decision - an LLC makes you eligible to apply, nothing more.
Which costs are one-time and which repeat every year?
- One-time: Articles of Organization ($100), any formation service fee.
- Every year: annual report ($60 minimum), registered agent, mail forwarding.
- Free: EIN.
Does Wyoming's tax treatment actually make it cheaper?
Yes at the state level: Wyoming levies no state corporate income tax and no personal income tax, so there is no state-level annual tax bill and no franchise tax. The annual report is the only recurring state filing.
That does not mean zero tax overall. It means zero *Wyoming* tax. US federal obligations are separate and depend on your facts: ownership structure, whether you have US-source income, whether you are engaged in a US trade or business, any treaty position, and state nexus if you sell into other states. A single-member LLC owned by a non-resident also carries specific federal filing duties - Form 5472 and a pro-forma Form 1120 are the ones most founders miss. Failing to file Form 5472 when it is due carries a $25,000 penalty, and a further $25,000 applies for each 30-day period the failure continues after the IRS notifies you and 90 days pass [S5].
One caution outside the scope of this piece: economic nexus rules in other states can create sales tax obligations if you sell into them. Wyoming's lack of income tax does not shield you from another state's rules.
If your situation involves US customers, US contractors or US property, talk to a qualified tax professional. This section is a map, not advice.
Common mistakes that inflate the Wyoming LLC bill
These are the failure modes I see repeatedly, and each one costs real money.
- Budgeting only the $100. The annual report and registered agent are the recurring lines. Plan for them from day one.
- Paying a provider for an EIN. The IRS issues it free. You do not need an SSN or ITIN to apply for a single-member LLC with no US employees.
- Letting the annual report lapse. Penalties, then administrative dissolution. Once dissolved, reinstatement costs more than the $60 you skipped.
- Buying Delaware "for credibility." A small non-resident LLC pays higher recurring franchise tax for no benefit at that stage.
- Confusing a registered agent with a business address. They are different services. Some founders pay twice for the same thing.
- Filing by mail. It costs $102 instead of $100 and takes longer. Use the online portal.
- Assuming December. The annual report is due in your anniversary month, not at year-end.
Frequently asked questions about Wyoming LLC fees
Is the Wyoming LLC filing fee really only $100? Yes for the state filing itself: $100 online or at the counter, $102 by mail. That is one-time and does not include the $60 annual report or the registered agent.
How much is the Wyoming annual report for a non-resident? $60 minimum, due the first day of your anniversary month. The per-dollar scaling only bites if you hold Wyoming-situated assets.
Do I have to pay Wyoming state income tax as a non-resident owner? Wyoming levies no state personal or corporate income tax. Federal obligations are separate and fact-specific - get professional advice if you have US-source income.
Can I skip the registered agent to save money? No. Wyoming requires a physical Wyoming street address, which most non-residents cannot supply themselves.
Where do I pay the Wyoming LLC filing fee? Through the Wyoming Secretary of State online portal at site.sos.wyo.gov, or by mail to the Secretary of State in Cheyenne.
Is Wyoming cheaper than Delaware for a small LLC? Yes on recurring cost: $60 a year versus Delaware's franchise tax. Delaware only makes sense for VC-backed C-corps.
Where to go from here
Add up your real first-year number before you file: $100 filing, $60 annual report (due in your anniversary month), and a registered agent at $50-$300. That is the Wyoming LLC fee picture, and it is the same whether you live in Cheyenne or Chennai.
If you want help with US LLC formation, EIN and business setup, NexFyla can assist - including US LLC formation for non-residents and opening a US business bank account.
*Last updated: March 2026.*
Sources
[S1] Wyoming Secretary of State - Business filing fees and online portal: https://sos.wyo.gov/Business/Fees.aspx [S2] Wyoming Secretary of State - Annual report and license tax guidance: https://sos.wyo.gov/Business/AnnualReport.aspx [S3] Wyoming Statutes, W.S. 17-29-203 (filing fees): https://wyoleg.gov/statutes/compress/title17.pdf [S4] IRS - Apply for an EIN: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online [S5] IRS - Form 5472 and information returns for foreign-owned US entities: https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-5472 [S6] Delaware Division of Corporations - Fee schedule: https://corp.delaware.gov/fee/ [S7] New Mexico Secretary of State - Business services: https://www.sos.nm.gov/business-services/