Anonymous LLC in Delaware: privacy, annual tax and who it is really for

Delaware is the state of big American business: more than half of listed companies are incorporated there, and venture funds know its law by heart. What is less known is that its LLC is one of the most discreet in the country. The certificate of formation contains only the company name and the registered agent's details. No member, no manager, no owner address.

What Delaware makes public

The Certificate of Formation, the LLC's birth certificate, fits in a few lines: the company name, the name and address of the registered agent in the state, and the organizer's signature. A search on the Division of Corporations website returns the name, file number, formation date and agent. Nothing else. The state does not even publish the principal office address.

Unlike Wyoming, Delaware requires no annual report from its LLCs. It does require payment of an annual tax, the franchise tax, before June 1 each year. That payment comes with no identity disclosure: it is a plain payment, usually made by the agent.

Where the anonymity stops

As everywhere in the United States, anonymity concerns the public registry, not the authorities. The registered agent must know a contact person and disclose them to the state on request. The IRS identifies the foreign owner every year through Form 5472, which stays in tax files. The bank runs its identity check before opening the account. Since 2025, the federal BOI report no longer applies to companies formed in the United States, which makes life even simpler for an LLC owned from abroad.

The cost, and why it matters

Filing the Certificate of Formation costs $110. The franchise tax is a flat $300 a year regardless of revenue, with a $200 penalty plus interest if paid late. This is where Delaware stands apart: $300 against $60 in Wyoming and $0 in New Mexico. Registered agents there also tend to charge more. Over five years the gap exceeds $1,000 for an identical level of privacy.

When Delaware is worth the price

Delaware makes sense when the company is meant to take on US investors, sign with large accounts that know its law, or convert later into a C-Corp. Its Court of Chancery, a court dedicated to corporate law, reassures lawyers and funds. A startup founder preparing a fundraising round has good reasons to pick it.

For a freelancer, an agency, an online store or a solo SaaS founder who mainly wants Stripe, a dollar account and privacy, Wyoming or New Mexico deliver the same confidentiality for a fraction of the annual cost. Our comparison of the three states goes into detail.

Forming your Delaware LLC with LLC Place

Delaware is one of the states available in our formation flow, alongside Wyoming and New Mexico. Everything it requires is included from the first payment: the certificate filing, a registered agent in the state, a US business address, the EIN without a Social Security number, an operating agreement in English and French, help opening the bank account, and tracking of every deadline, franchise tax included. The annual IRS filings are available as an option and included in the Pro and Founder plans. You provide a passport and the company name, we provide everything else, remotely.