The exact filing sequence for an anonymous Delaware LLC: clearing a name with the Division of Corporations, appointing a Delaware registered agent, filing the Certificate of Formation for $110, getting an EIN, adopting an operating agreement, and opening a bank account. Plus the Delaware-specific rules that trip people up: the $300 flat franchise tax due June 1, the Court of Chancery, non-resident filing, and when Delaware is the wrong choice for pure privacy.
The short answer: You form a Delaware anonymous LLC by filing a Certificate of Formation with the Delaware Division of Corporations for $110 through a registered agent, who is the only name on the public record. Delaware never asks for member or manager names on the certificate, so your ownership stays private from day one. Total cost is $407 all-in ($297 service plus the $110 state fee), then a flat $300 franchise tax every June 1.
Six steps take you from a name to a funded, private Delaware LLC: search the name, appoint a Delaware registered agent, file the Certificate of Formation with the Division of Corporations, get an EIN, adopt an operating agreement, and open a bank account. Only the registered agent's name and address appear on the public filing.
| Step | Action | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Search and clear the LLC name | Delaware Division of Corporations name database | Free |
| 2 | Appoint a Delaware registered agent | Must have a physical Delaware address | $100/yr |
| 3 | File the Certificate of Formation | icis.corp.delaware.gov (Division of Corporations) | $110 state fee |
| 4 | Get an EIN from the IRS | IRS online portal or Form SS-4 | $99 (or included) |
| 5 | Adopt an operating agreement | Internal document, not filed | Included |
| 6 | Open a business bank account | US fintech or brick-and-mortar bank | Included |
Source: Delaware Division of Corporations filing requirements and Anonymousllc.co scope, verified August 2026.
Delaware uses its own vocabulary and its own agency. You file a Certificate of Formation, not Articles of Organization, and you file it with the Division of Corporations, not a Secretary of State. Getting the terminology right matters because the state's forms and portal use it exactly.
| Concept | Delaware term | What most other states call it |
|---|---|---|
| Formation document | Certificate of Formation | Articles of Organization |
| Filing agency | Division of Corporations | Secretary of State business division |
| Online filing portal | icis.corp.delaware.gov | State business portal |
| Annual obligation | Flat $300 franchise tax (no annual report for LLCs) | Annual report with a fee |
Source: 6 Del. C. Chapter 18 (Delaware LLC Act) and Division of Corporations filing terminology, verified August 2026.
The $110 filing fee covers the Certificate of Formation itself. Delaware charges more than New Mexico ($50) or Wyoming ($100) at formation, and it is well above the pure-privacy states on ongoing cost because of the franchise tax below. What you pay for is Delaware's legal infrastructure: the Court of Chancery, a body of business judges who hear disputes without juries, and more than a century of settled LLC case law that lenders, investors, and courts in other states already respect.
The franchise tax is flat. A Delaware LLC owes a flat $300 franchise tax every year, due June 1, regardless of income or size. Delaware LLCs do not file a separate annual report, so the $300 is the whole annual state obligation. This is the single largest recurring difference from Wyoming's $60 report or New Mexico's $0.
Once the Division of Corporations approves the Certificate of Formation, three things finish the setup: an EIN from the IRS, a signed operating agreement, and a business bank account. Beneficial-ownership reporting is not a current step for a US-formed Delaware LLC.
A Delaware anonymous LLC is $407 all-in in the first year: a $297 service fee plus the $110 state filing fee. After that, the recurring cost is the flat $300 franchise tax due June 1 and the registered agent renewal.
| Item | Cost | When |
|---|---|---|
| Service fee | $297 | One time, at formation |
| Delaware state filing fee | $110 | One time, at formation |
| First-year total | $407 all-in | At formation |
| Franchise tax | $300 (flat) | Every June 1 |
| Registered agent renewal | $100/yr | Annually |
Source: Anonymousllc.co pricing and Delaware Division of Corporations fee schedule, verified August 2026.
Add-ons if you need them: EIN is $99 on its own (included in the package), an ITIN is $299, and a BOI report, should reporting resume, is $150. Compared with the pure-privacy states, Delaware costs more to run year after year. Wyoming is $397 all-in with a $60 annual report, New Mexico is $347 all-in with no annual report, and Nevada is $722 all-in because of its $425 state fee.
Delaware is the right choice when you plan to raise US venture capital or institutional investment, because investors expect the Delaware entity and the Court of Chancery. It is the wrong choice when your only goal is low-cost privacy, where Wyoming or New Mexico does the same job for less.
| Your goal | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Raising US venture capital or investor money | Delaware | Investors and their counsel default to Delaware; Court of Chancery predictability |
| Lowest-cost anonymous holding LLC | Wyoming or New Mexico | $60 or $0 annual vs Delaware's $300 franchise tax |
| Strong single-member asset protection at low cost | Wyoming | Comparable charging-order protection without the franchise tax |
| Delaware legal infrastructure for real disputes | Delaware | Century of settled LLC case law respected nationwide |
Source: comparative state LLC statutes and formation-cost analysis, verified August 2026.
Non-resident note. A non-US resident can form and own a Delaware LLC with no citizenship or residency requirement. You appoint a Delaware registered agent, file the Certificate of Formation, and get an EIN through Form SS-4 using a foreign responsible party. The Delaware entity is often chosen by non-residents specifically because international investors and payment processors recognize it, even though it costs more to maintain than a Wyoming or New Mexico LLC.
Most Delaware filings go smoothly; the errors that cost time are naming yourself on documents that should name the agent, missing the June 1 franchise tax, and misreading Delaware terminology. Standard processing runs a few business days, with expedited options available from the Division of Corporations.
The mistakes that undermine a Delaware anonymous LLC:
| Stage | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Name check and Certificate of Formation prepared | Same day |
| Division of Corporations approval (standard) | A few business days |
| EIN issued (US responsible party) | Same day to 1 week |
| EIN issued (non-resident via SS-4) | 2 to 5 weeks |
| Bank account opened | After EIN, a few days |
Source: Delaware Division of Corporations processing norms and IRS EIN timelines, verified August 2026.
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