Delaware uses a Certificate of Formation instead of Articles of Organization. Here is the full process from intake to bank account.
By Shafwan Ahmed, Operations & Fulfillment Lead, Anonymousllc.co
Message Anonymousllc.co on WhatsApp. We confirm Delaware is the right choice (namely: VC fundraising planned or attorney requires Delaware). We collect your preferred LLC name, send a Stripe payment link for $297, and explain the $110 state fee paid to Delaware separately.
Delaware calls its founding document a "Certificate of Formation" rather than Articles of Organization. Filed with the Delaware Division of Corporations. Required fields:
Members and managers are NOT listed on the Certificate of Formation. Delaware does not require this disclosure, which is why it qualifies as an anonymous LLC state. Processing time: 1-3 business days for standard filing. Delaware offers same-day and 24-hour expedited options for additional fees.
Delaware is unique among states in that it explicitly requires an operating agreement under 6 Del. Code § 18-101(7). While no state requires the OA to be filed publicly, Delaware makes it a legal requirement to have one. Anonymousllc.co drafts a custom operating agreement with privacy provisions, management structure, distribution rules, and dissolution terms. This happens concurrently with the Certificate of Formation filing.
After the Certificate of Formation is accepted, Anonymousllc.co applies for your EIN with the IRS. Same-day for SSN holders (online). 2-4 weeks for non-SSN holders (fax via Form SS-4). The EIN is essential for banking, tax filing, and most business operations.
Anonymousllc.co applies to 4-5 banks concurrently. Delaware LLCs have good banking acceptance - banks are familiar with Delaware entities given the state\'s prominence in US business formation. Mercury, Relay, and Bluevine all work well with Delaware LLCs. Non-resident founders can complete all banking online.
Delaware requires a $300 franchise tax due June 1 each year. There is no annual report for LLCs (corporations have a separate annual report requirement). The franchise tax is paid online through Delaware\'s Division of Corporations portal. Late payment incurs a $200 penalty plus 1.5% monthly interest.
At the end of the process Anonymousllc.co delivers a complete formation package: the stamped Certificate of Formation returned by the Division of Corporations, your Delaware file number, the executed operating agreement, your IRS EIN confirmation letter, and registered agent details for year one. These are the exact documents banks, payment processors, and accountants ask for. Everything is delivered digitally, so non-resident founders never need to visit Delaware or mail physical paperwork.
The all-in Delaware formation is $407: a $297 service fee plus the $110 Delaware state filing fee. That covers the Certificate of Formation, the operating agreement, and registered agent service for the first year. An EIN adds $99 if you want us to handle the IRS application on your behalf. From year two onward, the recurring cost is the $300 franchise tax plus registered agent renewal. If your use case does not require Delaware, Wyoming is $397 all-in and New Mexico is $347 total, both with the same anonymity on public records.
Yes. Delaware imposes no residency or citizenship requirement to own or manage an LLC. The Certificate of Formation is filed by our organizer, the operating agreement is signed electronically, and EIN applications for founders without an SSN are submitted by fax on Form SS-4. Banking is completed online through Mercury, Relay, or Bluevine. The only step that varies in speed is the EIN: same day for SSN holders and two to four weeks for non-SSN holders.
Standard turnaround is 5 to 10 business days from intake to a funded bank account. The Certificate of Formation clears in 1 to 3 business days, and Delaware offers same-day and 24-hour expedited filing for extra state fees if you are on a deadline.
It is simply the Delaware name for the founding document that other states call Articles of Organization. The content is minimal by design: LLC name, registered agent, and organizer signature. Members and managers are never listed, which is what makes the LLC anonymous on public records.
Yes. Delaware requires every LLC to have an operating agreement under 6 Del. Code § 18-101(7). It is never filed publicly, but banks and partners ask to see it. Anonymousllc.co drafts it concurrently with the state filing so there is no delay.
Yes. Delaware makes it straightforward to convert an LLC to a Delaware C-Corporation when you are ready to raise institutional venture capital. Forming the LLC in Delaware first keeps the jurisdiction consistent through that conversion.