You probably don't need Delaware.

Delaware is priced as $297 + $110 because its buyers want the fees itemized. VC-track and startup founders already understand the state-fee structure. The $110 is the Delaware Division of Corporations Certificate of Formation filing fee, passed through at cost with no markup. Our service fee is $297. The total is $407. No all-in SKU exists for Delaware, because bundling the fees raises the 'what aren't you telling me' question with this audience.

Delaware charges every LLC a flat $300 annual franchise tax. It is not a profit tax; you pay it just for being a Delaware LLC. It is separate from the $110 formation fee and separate from our service fee. It is due June 1 every year, starting the year after formation. We do not collect it. You pay Delaware directly through the state portal. If you skip it, Delaware marks the LLC 'not in good standing' and eventually cancels it. Budget $300 per year ongoing, plus our $100 per year registered agent renewal if you stay with us.

Yes. Delaware LLCs do not list member or manager names on the Certificate of Formation, the annual franchise tax filing, or any other public state record. Only the registered agent appears on public records. Delaware matches Wyoming on public-records privacy; both rank as top-tier privacy jurisdictions. For pillar context see /delaware-anonymous-llc/.

Pick Delaware if you plan to raise venture capital, take on institutional investors, or convert the LLC to a C-corp later. The Court of Chancery is the gold standard for shareholder dispute resolution. Pick Wyoming if you want the cheapest anonymous LLC with the strongest single-member charging order protection and best banking ($397 total vs $407 plus $300 franchise tax). Pick New Mexico if budget is the top priority ($347 total, no annual report). About 80% of our buyers do not actually need Delaware. They came because they heard Delaware was 'the corporate state.' Wyoming is better for them.

The $297 service fee covers Certificate of Formation preparation and filing with the Delaware Division of Corporations, a Delaware registered agent for year 1, a custom operating agreement drafted to Delaware statutory standards (6 Del. C. § 18-101 et seq.), your EIN from the IRS, applications to 4 to 5 US banks, BOI compliance guidance, and WhatsApp support throughout. The $110 Delaware state fee is added on top. The $300 annual franchise tax is separate, paid to Delaware directly starting year 2.

No. Anyone worldwide can form a Delaware LLC. The only state requirement is a registered agent with a Delaware physical address, which we provide for year 1. About 40% of our Delaware buyers are non-US residents who need Delaware for investor relationships. Y Combinator and many US VC firms prefer Delaware, especially for the eventual C-corp conversion.

No. We sell Delaware as broken-out pricing only, because the buyer profile (VC-track, startup, lawyer-adjacent) expects itemized fees. If you want a single rolled-up anonymous LLC price, use /services/anonymous-llc-formation/ at $397 all-in. That price is Wyoming-fulfilled, not Delaware.

Yes, and this is one of the main reasons VC-track founders pick Delaware. Delaware permits LLC-to-C-corp conversion via 6 Del. C. § 18-216. The LLC files a Certificate of Conversion and a Certificate of Incorporation at the same time, and the entity continues as a Delaware C-corp without dissolution. Most institutional investors prefer this clean conversion path. Conversion costs $204 in state fees plus our $397 conversion service. Tax treatment depends on your situation, so consult a tax advisor.

The Delaware Court of Chancery is the oldest business-equity court in the United States, founded in 1792. It hears LLC and corporate disputes without juries. Five judges with deep business-law specialization decide the cases. The result is fast, sophisticated, predictable rulings that VC firms and corporate lawyers trust. For most small businesses this never matters. For a startup that can face shareholder litigation, board disputes, or M&A complications, Chancery jurisdiction is genuinely valuable. It is a big part of why Delaware became 'the corporate state' in the first place.

Yes, but with nuance. Delaware 6 Del. C. § 18-703 provides a charging order remedy for LLC member creditors. However, Delaware courts have allowed foreclosure on single-member LLC interests in some cases, known as the 'Olmstead trap.' Delaware courts have been protective, but the doctrine is still litigated. Wyoming's § 17-29-503(a) is the cleaner statutory protection for single-member LLCs. Pick Wyoming if asset protection is the primary driver. Pick Delaware if VC or Chancery is the primary driver.