Wyoming's $60 annual report fee is the lowest LLC maintenance fee of any U.S. state, but foreign owners often pay 10 to 20 times that amount in IRS compliance costs alone, so the state choice matters less than your tax residency situation.
The Wyoming Annual Report Fee
Wyoming charges a minimum $60 annual report fee for LLCs with assets under $250,000 in the state. Above that threshold, the fee is calculated at $0.0002 per dollar of Wyoming-based assets, so a company with $1 million in in-state assets pays $200. The report is due on the first day of your anniversary month and must be filed with the Wyoming Secretary of State. Missing it triggers a $25 penalty and eventually dissolution.
Registered Agent Cost
Wyoming requires every LLC to maintain a registered agent with a physical Wyoming address. Budget $50 to $150 per year for a basic registered agent service from providers like Northwest Registered Agent, Registered Agents Inc., or Wyoming Registered Agent. Cheaper options exist at $29 to $49 per year, but they often upsell you on document scanning, mail forwarding, and compliance alerts. A standalone registered agent is genuinely all you need if you are managing your own filings.
Operating Agreement and Compliance Maintenance
Wyoming does not require you to file your operating agreement with the state, so there is no annual fee attached to it. However, if you use an attorney or formation service to update the agreement, amendment fees typically run $150 to $500 depending on complexity. Most single-member Wyoming LLCs used for holding or privacy purposes go years without touching the operating agreement, keeping this cost at zero in most years.
How Wyoming Compares to Delaware on Annual Cost
Delaware charges a $300 minimum annual franchise tax for LLCs, which is five times Wyoming's baseline $60. Delaware also requires a registered agent, adding another $50 to $150. For straightforward holding structures, asset protection layers, or privacy vehicles where you are not seeking Delaware's court system specifically, Wyoming is the cheaper choice every year. If you are exploring how Wyoming fits into a broader multi-jurisdictional structure, Wyoming LLC Formation: Costs, Steps, and What You Actually Get covers the formation side of that comparison in detail.
What Drives the Bill Higher
The $60 state fee stays flat, but total annual costs climb when you add services layered on top. A mail forwarding address in Wyoming runs $100 to $300 per year. If you use a nominee member or manager for privacy, expect $500 to $2,000 annually depending on provider and jurisdiction. Bookkeeping or accounting for an active LLC adds $500 to $3,000 per year. U.S. tax filing for a foreign-owned single-member LLC (Form 5472 plus 1120 proforma) typically costs $400 to $1,200 in CPA fees annually.
Total Annual Budget by Use Case
A bare-bones Wyoming LLC for a U.S. resident with no activity costs roughly $110 to $210 per year: the $60 state fee plus a registered agent. A foreign-owned Wyoming LLC used as a holding vehicle realistically costs $700 to $1,600 annually once you include the registered agent, CPA fees for Form 5472, and any mail forwarding. An active trading or operational LLC with bookkeeping and a nominee manager can push past $3,000 per year. The state fee itself is never the issue, it is the services sitting on top that set your real number.
Things people ask first.
What is the minimum annual cost to keep a Wyoming LLC active?
The state annual report fee is $60 for LLCs with under $250,000 in Wyoming assets. Add a registered agent at $50 to $150 per year and your floor is roughly $110 to $210 annually.
When is the Wyoming LLC annual report due?
The annual report is due on the first day of your LLC's anniversary month, meaning the month in which the LLC was originally formed. Wyoming does not use a universal due date for all LLCs.
Does a Wyoming LLC pay state income tax?
No. Wyoming has no state income tax, no corporate income tax, and no franchise tax on LLCs beyond the annual report fee. This applies to both resident and non-resident owners.
Do foreign owners of a Wyoming LLC owe U.S. federal taxes?
A foreign-owned single-member Wyoming LLC that is treated as a disregarded entity must file Form 5472 and a proforma Form 1120 with the IRS annually, even with zero U.S.-sourced income. Failure to file carries a $25,000 penalty per year.
Is Wyoming cheaper to maintain than a BVI company annually?
For most holding structures, yes. A BVI company runs $400 to $900 per year in government fees and registered agent costs alone, before any accounting. Wyoming's baseline is $110 to $210, though U.S. tax compliance for foreign owners narrows that gap considerably.
Can I lower costs by acting as my own registered agent in Wyoming?
You can serve as your own registered agent only if you have a physical street address in Wyoming, which eliminates this option for most non-residents. A commercial registered agent service is the practical requirement for anyone operating remotely.
Is a Wyoming LLC the right layer for your structure, or is there a better option?
The Offshore Playbook maps how Wyoming LLCs fit into multi-jurisdictional stacks alongside BVI companies, trusts, and foreign holding entities, with real cost comparisons and structure diagrams for each use case.
Get the Playbook