Anonymous LLC in Wyoming: what the public record actually shows

Search for “anonymous LLC” and Wyoming tops the list, for good reason. It was the first state to create the LLC, back in 1977, and its business registry is one of the most discreet in the country. For a business owner living outside the United States who would rather not have their name publicly tied to their company, it is a solid foundation. The point is to understand exactly what the word “anonymous” covers.

What Wyoming’s registry makes public

The Wyoming Secretary of State publishes the company name, its formation date, its status, the address of its registered agent and the name of whoever filed the articles, the organizer. That organizer is usually the provider that forms the company, not its owner. The members and managers of the LLC are never requested at filing, so they appear nowhere in the public file.

The Annual Report, due every year, changes nothing. It lists the principal office address, the value of assets located in Wyoming, and carries the signature of the person filing it. Once again, that can be your agent. A search on the state’s website returns a record with no owner name on it.

What stays confidential, and how far that goes

Wyoming law requires the registered agent to keep the contact details of a natural person who represents the company. That information is not published: it is held for the state, available on request, for instance during an investigation or under a court order. The anonymity is anonymity toward the public, not toward the authorities.

Two other parties always know the owner. The IRS first: an LLC owned by a non-resident files Form 5472 every year, which identifies its owner, and that data stays in tax files, never in a searchable registry. The bank second: Mercury, Relay or any other US bank verifies the identity of the beneficial owner before opening an account. No LLC, in any state, opens a bank account without the owner showing ID.

Since 2025, the federal beneficial ownership report, the BOI filing, no longer applies to companies formed in the United States. A Wyoming LLC owned from abroad has no such filing left to make.

Bank accounts and Stripe for an anonymous LLC

An LLC whose owner does not appear in the registry opens a bank account exactly like any other, because the bank identifies the owner itself. Mercury, Relay or Wise Business ask for the articles, the EIN confirmation letter, the operating agreement naming the owner, a US business address, an ID document and proof of personal address. None of these documents is ever published: they stay in the bank’s file, covered by banking confidentiality. Stripe and PayPal do the same. In practice, Wyoming is even the easiest state for these checks: US providers know it and find the company in seconds on the Secretary of State website.

What sinks an application has nothing to do with anonymity: a home address used as the company address, a business described in two words, or a mismatch between the address on your ID and the one on the proof of address. Our guide to opening a Mercury account goes through these points one by one.

What a Wyoming LLC costs

The filing fee is €100. The Annual Report costs a minimum of $60, computed on assets held inside the state, which means the minimum for a company that owns nothing there. Wyoming has no corporate or personal income tax. For an LLC whose owner lives abroad and that has no office or employee in the United States, there is generally no federal income tax on profits, only the annual filings with the IRS.

Wyoming or New Mexico for privacy

Both states hide the owner. New Mexico goes one step further by removing the Annual Report altogether, so there is no recurring filing at all. Wyoming has a longer track record with banks and platforms, and asset protection that US lawyers consider stronger. For an online business billing international clients, both work. Our guide on choosing a state covers the differences in detail.

How we form your anonymous Wyoming LLC

Everything Wyoming requires is included in the LLC Place offer from the first payment: articles filed with LLC Place as organizer, a registered agent in the state, a US business address separate from your home address, the EIN obtained without a Social Security number, an operating agreement in English, help opening the bank account, and tracking of every deadline, Annual Report included. The annual IRS filings, Forms 5472 and 1120, are available as an option and included in the Pro and Founder plans. You provide the name you want for the company and a few details about your business. Nothing happens in person, and your name appears on no public state document.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Wyoming LLC really anonymous?

To the public, yes: the registry publishes the company name, its registered agent and the organizer, never the owner. The registered agent, the IRS and the bank know the owner, and none of them ever publishes it.

Does my name appear on the Wyoming Annual Report?

No, if the report is filed by your registered agent or by LLC Place. The report carries the signature of the person who files it, not the owner’s.

How much does a Wyoming LLC cost each year?

A $60 minimum for the Annual Report, plus the registered agent and the business address, both included in LLC Place plans. The IRS filings are available as an option at €199 per year, or €398 per year with a dedicated tax expert, and are included in the Pro and Founder plans.

Do I need to report the beneficial owners of a Wyoming LLC?

Not at the federal level since 2025, for a company formed in the United States. The owner is still reported to the IRS every year on Form 5472, without publication.