Anonymous LLC in New Mexico: registry, bank account, real cost

New Mexico lacks the name recognition of Wyoming or Delaware, and that is exactly why it is the favorite of entrepreneurs who want privacy at the lowest possible cost. The registry never asks for member names, and above all, there is no Annual Report to file. Once formed, the company has nothing more to send the state.

What New Mexico’s registry displays

The articles filed with the Secretary of State contain the company name, the name and address of the registered agent, and the identity of the organizer, the person or firm that makes the filing. When LLC Place forms your company, LLC Place appears as organizer. Members and managers are not requested, and nothing on the form leads back to you.

The difference from other states is the calendar. Wyoming requires an Annual Report, Delaware an annual tax. New Mexico requires nothing: no report, no state fee after formation, no update to send. The public file stays frozen exactly as it was filed on day one.

The limits of anonymity

One point deserves to be said plainly: anonymity does not shield you from a lawsuit. If a client or a supplier sues the company, the papers are served on the registered agent, who forwards them to the owner. A court can order the owner’s identity to be disclosed. An anonymous LLC protects your privacy from search engines, competitors and cold callers, not from the law. That is exactly what an honest business owner needs from it.

The anonymity is anonymity toward the public. The registered agent knows who they represent and must be able to reach that person if the state or a court asks. The IRS knows the owner, because an LLC owned by a non-resident files Form 5472 and a pro forma Form 1120 every year, which identify them. Those documents are never published. The bank, finally, verifies your identity and that of any beneficial owner before opening the account, whatever the state.

Since 2025, the federal BOI report on beneficial owners no longer applies to companies formed in the United States. A New Mexico LLC owned from abroad has no identity filing left at the federal level, apart from the tax forms.

Opening a bank account with an anonymous New Mexico LLC

It is the question most readers landing on this page ask, and the answer is yes, with no particular difficulty. The bank does not rely on the public registry to identify the owner: it relies on the operating agreement, the ID document and the proof of address of the beneficial owner, which you hand over directly. Mercury, Relay and Wise Business accept New Mexico LLCs on the same terms as Wyoming or Delaware ones. The file comes down to five documents: the filed articles, the EIN confirmation letter, the signed operating agreement, a US business address and an ID. Our guide to opening a Mercury account explains what gets an application approved or declined.

Stripe and PayPal follow the same logic and check the company with the New Mexico Secretary of State, where it appears under its own name. None of these providers asks for the owner to appear in the public registry: they ask for the owner to be identified to them, which is not the same thing.

New Mexico or Wyoming: the difference in practice

Both states keep the owner off the record. The difference lies in what happens after formation. In Wyoming, an Annual Report is filed every year, at €60 minimum, with a signature that is not published but does exist. In New Mexico, nothing: no report, no state fee, no annual document to sign. In return, Wyoming has a more established reputation with US banks and investors, and a legal framework that advisers know better. For a solo founder after the lowest cost and the fewest formalities, New Mexico wins; for one who plans to bring in partners or raise money, Wyoming or Delaware are better understood.

The real cost

The filing fee is €50, the lowest of the three states non-residents usually consider. After that, zero: no Annual Report, no franchise tax for a standard LLC. The state does have personal and corporate income taxes, but a pass-through LLC whose owner lives abroad and that has no activity in New Mexico generates no taxable income there. What remains is the annual IRS filing, mandatory everywhere in the United States.

Who New Mexico is right for

A freelancer, an agency, an online store or a SaaS founder who wants a US company for Stripe, a dollar account and international clients, without ever having to think about an annual filing. Founders planning to raise money from US investors look at Delaware instead. Those who want the longest track record with banks sometimes prefer Wyoming. For everyone else, New Mexico combines the lowest price with the most complete privacy.

What the LLC Place offer includes

Everything New Mexico requires is provided by LLC Place from the first payment: the filing of the articles, a registered agent in the state, a US business address, the EIN obtained without a Social Security number, an operating agreement in English, help opening the bank account, and tracking of every deadline. The annual IRS filings, Forms 5472 and 1120, are available as an option and included in the Pro and Founder plans. You provide the company name and a few details about your business. We take care of the rest, remotely, and your name appears on no public document.

Frequently asked questions

Is a New Mexico LLC really anonymous?

To the public, yes: the state registry publishes the company name and its registered agent, never the owner. The IRS, the registered agent and the bank know who the owner is, without publishing it.

Does New Mexico require an Annual Report for an LLC?

No. Of the three states non-residents usually choose, it is the only one that requires neither an Annual Report nor an annual tax from an LLC. The only recurring obligations are federal: Form 5472 and the pro forma 1120 filed with the IRS.

How much does a New Mexico LLC cost?

A €50 filing fee, then no state fees at all. What remains is the registered agent and the business address, both included in LLC Place plans, and the IRS filings, available as an option at €199 per year, or €398 per year with a dedicated tax expert.

Can I open a Stripe account with a New Mexico LLC?

Yes. Stripe checks the company with the state and verifies the identity of its representative, exactly as it does for a Wyoming LLC. The EIN and the US business address are all you need.