The Wyoming Secretary of State does not impose a franchise tax or income tax on LLCs, so the $60 annual report fee is the entire state-level recurring cost. Delaware charges a minimum $300 franchise tax annually, making Wyoming roughly five times cheaper to maintain.
State Filing Fee
Wyoming charges a flat $100 to file Articles of Organization with the Secretary of State. Online filings are processed in one to three business days. Expedited processing is not currently offered as a formal paid tier, so that $100 is a fixed, non-negotiable baseline regardless of how you structure the rest of the formation.
Registered Agent Fee
Wyoming law requires every LLC to maintain a registered agent with a physical Wyoming address. Budget $50 to $150 per year for a commercial registered agent service. National providers such as Northwest Registered Agent and Registered Agents Inc. charge in that range. Some formation services bundle the first year of registered agent service into their package price, so confirm whether the quote you receive includes it or treats it as a separate line item.
Formation Service or Attorney Fees
If you file yourself, you pay only the $100 state fee plus a registered agent. If you use a formation service such as Northwest or Incfile, add $0 to $299 depending on the tier. If you hire a business attorney to draft your Operating Agreement and handle the filing, expect $500 to $1,200 in legal fees on top of state costs. A full breakdown of Wyoming LLC formation costs covers each of these tiers side by side so you can match the level of help to what your structure actually needs.
Operating Agreement
Wyoming does not legally require a written Operating Agreement, but any LLC worth structuring should have one. A basic template from a formation service costs $0 to $50. A custom single-member agreement drafted by an attorney runs $300 to $600. A multi-member agreement with specific profit allocation and buyout provisions can reach $800 to $1,500. Skipping this document leaves governance and ownership disputes governed by Wyoming default statutes, which rarely match what the members actually intended.
EIN and Banking Setup Costs
An Employer Identification Number from the IRS is free and can be obtained online in minutes if you have a US Social Security Number. Non-residents without an SSN or ITIN must mail Form SS-4 or use a third-party service, which typically charges $50 to $100. Opening a US business bank account adds $0 in fees but may require a deposit ranging from $0 to $1,500 depending on the bank. Mercury and Relay currently allow remote online account opening for Wyoming LLCs with no minimum deposit requirement.
Ongoing Annual Costs After Formation
Wyoming's annual report fee is $60 minimum, or two-tenths of one mill on assets located and employed in Wyoming, whichever is greater. For most small holding LLCs with minimal Wyoming-based assets, that floor of $60 applies. Add registered agent renewal at $50 to $150 and you are looking at $110 to $210 per year to keep the entity in good standing. These are among the lowest ongoing compliance costs of any US state.
Things people ask first.
What is the minimum cost to set up a Wyoming LLC?
The absolute minimum is $100, which is the Wyoming state filing fee. You still need a registered agent, which adds at least $50 per year, bringing a realistic DIY minimum to around $150 in year one.
How long does it take to form a Wyoming LLC?
Standard online filing with the Wyoming Secretary of State typically processes in one to three business days. There is no formal expedited option at the state level, but online filings are generally confirmed faster than mailed ones.
Does Wyoming require a business license for an LLC?
Wyoming has no general state business license requirement for LLCs. Specific industries such as contractors, food businesses, or financial services may require separate professional licenses, but a standard holding LLC or online business does not.
Can a non-US resident form a Wyoming LLC?
Yes, Wyoming imposes no citizenship or residency requirements on LLC members or managers. The main additional cost for non-residents is obtaining an EIN without an SSN, which typically requires mailing Form SS-4 or paying a service $50 to $100 to handle it.
Is Wyoming cheaper than Delaware for LLC formation?
Yes, significantly. Wyoming's state filing fee is $100 versus Delaware's $90, but Delaware charges a minimum $300 annual franchise tax while Wyoming charges a $60 annual report fee. Over five years, Wyoming saves most LLCs over $1,000 in state fees alone.
Do I need an attorney to form a Wyoming LLC?
Not legally, but an attorney is worth the cost if your LLC will hold real assets, have multiple members, or sit inside a larger multi-jurisdiction structure. A $500 to $800 attorney fee now avoids disputes that cost ten times that to resolve later.
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