Quick Answer

Wyoming is the best state for non-US residents because it offers a perfect trifecta: low fees ($100 to start, $60 minimum/year to maintain), zero state income tax, and complete ownership privacy on the public registry.

Key Points for 2026

  • Privacy: Your name and home address are not published on the Wyoming Secretary of State's database.
  • Cost: It is significantly cheaper than Delaware ($300/year) and California ($800/year).
  • Asset Protection: Wyoming invented the LLC in 1977 and has some of the strongest "charging order" protection laws in the country.

Why Foreign Founders Choose Wyoming

1. Supreme Privacy

If you form an LLC in Florida or Texas, anyone can type your company name into Google and find your personal name and home address. Wyoming allows you to use a Commercial Registered Agent to form the company. The agent's address goes on the public record, while your personal information remains strictly private.

2. Low Maintenance

Wyoming does not require you to get a state business license for an online business. Their annual report is incredibly simple and costs exactly $60 minimum for any LLC with less than $300,000 in physical assets inside the state.

3. Strong Legal Precedent

Because Wyoming invented the LLC, their court system has decades of case law defending the "corporate veil." This means it is exceedingly difficult for a creditor to pierce the LLC and attack your personal assets in your home country.

When NOT to Choose Wyoming

If your goal is to build a massive tech startup and raise millions of dollars from Silicon Valley Venture Capitalists (VCs), do not form a Wyoming LLC. You should form a Delaware C-Corporation instead, as VCs almost universally mandate Delaware entities.

How to Start a Wyoming LLC from Abroad

  1. Hire a Registered Agent: You cannot use a PO Box or your foreign address. You must hire a Wyoming Registered Agent (approx. $50/year) to provide a physical Sheridan or Cheyenne street address.
  2. File Articles of Organization: The agent files this online with the state. Approval takes about 3 to 5 business days.
  3. Get an EIN: Because you don't have an SSN, you must fax Form SS-4 to the IRS to get your Employer Identification Number.
  4. Open a Bank Account: Use your approved Articles and EIN to open a US bank account online using Mercury or Relay.

What to Do Next

  1. Compare States: See how Wyoming stacks up against the Delaware LLC.
  2. Understand the Taxes: Even though Wyoming has no state tax, read about your potential US Federal Income Tax obligations.