FinCEN's Beneficial Ownership Information rule now requires most U.S. LLCs formed after January 1, 2024 to report true owners to a federal database, which is not public but is accessible to law enforcement. Anonymous state filings are still valid for public-record purposes, but they no longer mean your name is invisible to the federal government.
Wyoming LLC
Wyoming does not require member or manager names on any public filing, and its Secretary of State database shows only the registered agent's name. A single-member Wyoming LLC costs roughly $100 to file and around $50 per year in annual fees, making it the cheapest strong-privacy domestic option available. Wyoming also has strong charging order protection, meaning a creditor who wins a judgment against you personally cannot seize LLC assets directly. For a full state-by-state breakdown, Best Anonymous LLC State: Ranked for Real Privacy covers the complete ranking with specifics on each jurisdiction.
New Mexico LLC
New Mexico is the only U.S. state with no annual report requirement, which means your name never has to appear on a recurring public filing. Formation costs around $50, and the state does not ask for member or manager information at any point in the filing process. The tradeoff is thinner statutory language around charging order protection compared to Wyoming, so New Mexico works best as a holding shell rather than an operating company.
Delaware LLC with Nominee Manager
Delaware LLCs do not list member names in public filings, but the state does require a registered agent and technically allows the operating agreement to remain private. Layering in a nominee manager, a person or entity that appears as manager on paper while you retain control via a private operating agreement, adds a second layer of separation that courts in other states often respect. Setup with a proper nominee arrangement typically runs $500 to $1,500 depending on the service provider. Delaware is the preferred choice when you need the entity to carry weight with institutional counterparties like banks or investors who recognize the Delaware brand.
Wyoming LLC Owned by a Foreign Company
A Wyoming LLC whose single member is a foreign company, such as a Nevis LLC or a Cook Islands entity, creates a two-layer structure where U.S. public records show only the foreign entity as owner and no individual's name appears anywhere domestically. The foreign entity itself is governed by a jurisdiction that does not share beneficial ownership data with U.S. authorities under most circumstances. Total setup costs for this structure typically range from $3,000 to $8,000 depending on the offshore jurisdiction chosen. This is the structure used when the goal is genuine judgment-proof anonymity rather than simply keeping a name off a state database.
Series LLC in Delaware or Wyoming
A series LLC lets you hold multiple assets under one master LLC, each in a legally separated cell, without forming a separate entity for every asset. Wyoming and Delaware both recognize series LLCs, and Wyoming's version provides stronger statutory isolation between cells. This matters for privacy because you can acquire multiple properties or investments under one master filing while keeping each asset in its own protected pocket. The privacy benefit is structural: fewer public filings, fewer registered agents, and fewer paper trails than running five separate LLCs.
Delaware vs Wyoming Side by Side
The core difference between Delaware and Wyoming for anonymity purposes comes down to brand recognition versus statutory privacy depth. Delaware is better known to banks and investors but relies more heavily on private operating agreements to keep members off public records, while Wyoming bakes the privacy directly into the statute. Anonymous LLC: Delaware vs Wyoming walks through exactly where each state wins and loses on privacy, cost, and asset protection.
Things people ask first.
Which state gives the most anonymous LLC?
Wyoming and New Mexico are the strongest for keeping member names off public records entirely. Wyoming edges ahead because its statutes explicitly protect member privacy and provide robust charging order protection on top of anonymity.
Is an anonymous LLC legal?
Yes. Using a state that does not require member disclosure, or using a nominee manager, is entirely legal in the U.S. The structure must still comply with federal tax reporting and, post-2024, FinCEN's Beneficial Ownership Information filing requirements.
Can I open a bank account with an anonymous LLC?
You can open a business bank account, but the bank will require beneficial ownership information from you directly under federal KYC rules. That information stays with the bank and is not publicly searchable, so the public-record anonymity of the LLC remains intact.
Does a nominee manager actually protect me?
A nominee manager keeps your name off public filings but does not shield you from a subpoena or a court order demanding the underlying operating agreement. It is a public-record layer, not a legal firewall, and should be combined with other structural protections for serious asset protection.
Can I buy real estate anonymously with an LLC?
Yes. You purchase the property in the LLC's name, and the deed lists the LLC, not you personally. Some counties record beneficial ownership for properties above certain values under FinCEN's Geographic Targeting Orders, so the strategy works best for properties under those thresholds or in counties not covered by a GTO.
What is the difference between an anonymous LLC and a regular LLC?
A regular LLC may require member or manager names on public state filings depending on the state. An anonymous LLC is formed in a state that does not require that disclosure, so no individual's name appears in any searchable public database.
Want the full blueprint for layering your LLC into a genuinely private structure?
The Offshore Playbook covers exactly how to stack a U.S. anonymous LLC with a foreign holding company, which jurisdictions pair best, and how to handle banking without burning your anonymity. Use gramps.chat to get jurisdiction-specific answers on your exact setup.
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