New Mexico charges no annual report fee and does not require member names in any public filing, making it the lowest-cost anonymous holding entity for Florida residents who want to avoid the Wyoming annual report obligation.
What Florida Actually Requires in Its Public Records
Florida's Division of Corporations publishes every LLC filing on Sunbiz.org, including the names and addresses of registered agents, managers, and authorized persons. There is no opt-out, no nominee loophole built into the state form, and no privacy statute that shields member identities from public view. Anyone with a browser can pull your name, your address, and your filing history in under a minute.
The Double-LLC Workaround That Florida Residents Actually Use
The functional fix is to form your anonymous LLC in Wyoming or New Mexico, then register that entity as a foreign LLC in Florida if you need to operate there. The foreign registration lists the out-of-state LLC as the member, not your personal name. Wyoming and New Mexico both have statutes that allow LLCs to omit member names from public filings, so the chain stops before your name appears anywhere. For a detailed breakdown of how Wyoming structures this, see Anonymous LLC Wyoming: What It Hides, How to Set One Up, and Where It Falls Short.
What the Double-LLC Structure Actually Hides
Done correctly, Florida's foreign LLC registration lists your Wyoming or New Mexico holding entity as the member, and that holding entity's public record shows only a registered agent, not your name. Beneficial ownership is not visible in any state-level database. The structure does not hide your identity from the IRS, your bank, or a court with a valid subpoena, but it removes your name from the routine public searches that journalists, competitors, and litigants run before deciding whether to pursue you.
Using a Nominee Registered Agent vs. a Nominee Member
A registered agent in Florida is already public record, and using a commercial registered agent service keeps your personal address off the filing without creating any privacy structure. That is table stakes, not anonymity. A nominee member arrangement, where a third party signs as the member on public filings while you hold a private operating agreement, is a different layer entirely and carries real legal risk if the nominee is not properly insulated. The double-LLC approach achieves the same result with a cleaner legal foundation because no individual is signing on your behalf.
Holding Florida Real Estate Anonymously
Florida property records are county-level and fully public, listing the grantee name on every deed. To hold Florida real estate without your name on the deed, title goes into the anonymous LLC rather than your personal name. The LLC appears in the county property appraiser records, but the LLC's membership is not a county record, so anyone searching the property only sees the entity name. This structure is common for rental properties and vacation homes and requires no special trust or land-trust arrangement, though a Florida-based land trust can add another layer if the LLC name itself is considered too traceable.
What This Setup Costs and How Long It Takes
Forming a Wyoming or New Mexico LLC takes one to three business days online, with state fees under $150. Adding a registered agent service in the formation state runs $50 to $150 per year. Foreign registration in Florida adds the $125 state fee plus a registered agent in Florida at similar annual cost. Total first-year cost through a formation service is typically $500 to $900 all in, depending on whether you use an attorney or a document service. Annual maintenance is the two registered agent fees plus Wyoming's $60 annual report or New Mexico's $0 annual fee.
Things people ask first.
Can I form an anonymous LLC directly in Florida?
No. Florida requires member or manager names on public filings and publishes them on Sunbiz.org. There is no Florida-native path to a truly anonymous LLC.
Does a Florida land trust provide the same privacy as an anonymous LLC?
A Florida land trust hides the beneficial owner's name from the property deed but requires a trustee named in the public record. An anonymous LLC holding the property avoids naming any individual. The two structures can also be combined, but the LLC-only approach is simpler and cheaper for most use cases.
Will my bank in Florida know who owns the LLC?
Yes. FinCEN's beneficial ownership rules require banks to collect the names of individuals who own 25 percent or more of any entity opening an account. The anonymous structure hides your name from public databases, not from your bank.
What happens if someone sues my anonymous LLC?
A lawsuit against the LLC is served on the registered agent, and the plaintiff can then use discovery to compel disclosure of member identity. Anonymous LLCs reduce your public exposure before litigation starts, but they do not prevent disclosure once legal process is underway.
Do I need to file a Beneficial Ownership Information report with FinCEN for this structure?
Yes. As of 2024, most domestic LLCs must file a Beneficial Ownership Information report with FinCEN naming the actual beneficial owners. This is a federal requirement that exists separate from and in addition to whatever the state does or does not publish.
Is the double-LLC structure legal?
Yes, using one legally formed LLC as the member of another is standard practice and recognized in every US state. The structure is legal as long as it is not used to commit fraud or evade a legal obligation.
Ready to build a structure that actually keeps your name off the record?
The Offshore Playbook maps the full stack from anonymous domestic LLCs to offshore holding structures, showing exactly how each layer connects and where each one stops protecting you. If the double-LLC approach above is the right starting point, the Playbook shows what goes on top of it.
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