How to set up a US LLC from abroad in 2026: the ultimate tax-free guide

You sell online, you run a dropshipping store, you do freelancing or SaaS, but getting paid cleanly turns into a headache: Stripe or PayPal unavailable in your country, accounts that keep getting frozen, complicated wire transfers. The most effective solution is to create a US LLC so you can invoice and get paid in dollars anywhere in the world. And the good news is that you have almost nothing to do: with LLC Place, you send us your information, you sign just once, and we handle everything, 100 % remotely. This guide explains how your non-resident LLC gets created in 2026, and how we do it for you.

The US LLC tax loophole: understanding ETBUS

The reason a US LLC is so popular among international founders is its pass-through tax structure. A single-member LLC owned by a non-US resident is treated as a disregarded entity for tax purposes. This means the company itself does not pay corporate income tax to the US government.

To achieve a 100% tax-free status, your business must not be ETBUS (Engaged in Trade or Business in the United States). You are considered non-ETBUS if:

• You have no physical office, warehouse, or retail location in the US.
• You have no dependent employees or exclusive agents working for you on US soil.
• Your business operations are fully conducted from outside the United States.

If you run an online business, a consulting agency, a software company (SaaS), or a remote freelance service from your home country, your profits are subject to 0% US tax. You only report your earnings in your personal country of tax residence.

Choosing the best state: Wyoming vs. Delaware vs. New Mexico

Choosing the right US state is crucial. For non-residents, three states stand out:

• Wyoming, the premier choice for e-commerce, digital nomads, and online creators due to low annual fees and strong asset protection.
• Delaware, the standard state for tech startups planning to raise venture capital or seek institutional investors.
• New Mexico, the most budget-friendly option with zero annual state reporting fees, perfect for testing a new business model.

Create your LLC in 4 steps: what LLC Place does for you

1. 1Choosing your LLC name, we check its availability and provide the mandatory legal address in your state of registration. You have nothing to look up.
2. 2Filing the Articles of Organization, we draft and file your official formation documents with the US Secretary of State. You fill out no forms.
3. 3Getting your EIN without an SSN, you simply sign the SS-4 form online, and we obtain your EIN from the IRS without a US social security number.
4. 4Your US bank account and Stripe access, once the EIN is obtained, we guide you through opening your Mercury account remotely and activating Stripe US, so you can get paid in dollars anywhere in the world.