Four states let you form a truly anonymous LLC. Here's which states keep your name off the public record, which hide it halfway, and which publish it - plus the one that fits your situation.
Four states let you form an anonymous LLC - Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Nevada - because they don't list members or managers on public formation records. Wyoming is best for most people at $397 all-in. New Mexico is cheapest at $347 with no annual fee. Delaware suits venture-backed startups. Nevada is only partly anonymous, because its Initial List discloses a manager. Every other state publishes member or manager names, so the workaround is to form in Wyoming or New Mexico and foreign-qualify where you operate.
An anonymous LLC is a normal US company formed in a state that doesn't put owner names on the public filing.
Only four states allow it outright - Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Nevada. This page compares all four on fee, privacy, and annual cost, ranks every other state by how much it discloses, and shows which one fits your situation. Beneficial ownership is a separate federal layer under the Corporate Transparency Act, and every state reports the same information to FinCEN regardless of where you form.
Wyoming is best for most people; New Mexico is cheapest; Delaware suits VC-backed startups; Nevada is only partly anonymous.
| Feature | Wyoming | New Mexico | Delaware | Nevada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total to form | $397 | $347 | $407 | $722 |
| Annual cost (yr 2+) | $60 | $0 | $300 franchise tax | ~$350 |
| Members on public record | No | No | No | No |
| Managers on public record | No | No | No | Yes - Initial List |
| Organizer on public record | Yes (agent used) | Yes (agent used) | No | Yes (agent used) |
| State income tax | None | Only on NM income | None (no DE ops) | None |
| Series LLC available | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Privacy + banking + protection | Budget, non-residents | VC-backed startups | Asset-protection brand |
Nevada's $722 is the full package - state filing, State Business License, and Initial List - not a bare filing fee. The Initial List discloses a manager, so Nevada is a manager-managed workaround rather than fully anonymous. Last updated: July 19, 2026.
Four states never disclose owners, four allow partial anonymity through a manager-managed structure, and the rest disclose members, managers, or both.
| State | Members | Managers | Filing fee | Annual cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | $100 | $60 | Flagship anonymous LLC state |
| New Mexico | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | $50 | None | Cheapest anonymous LLC |
| Delaware | Not disclosed | Not disclosed | $110 | $300 franchise tax | VC / startup standard |
| Nevada | Not disclosed | Initial List | $75 | ~$350 | Manager disclosed - partial only |
Members can be hidden with a manager-managed structure, but the manager's name is public.
| State | Members | Managers | Filing fee | Annual | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | Hidden if manager-managed | Disclosed | $50 | $10 | Best for Colorado residents |
| Arizona | Hidden if manager-managed | Disclosed | $50 | None | Best for Arizona residents |
| Missouri | Hidden if manager-managed | Disclosed | $50 | None | Limited - consider WY/NM |
| South Dakota | Hidden if manager-managed | Initial only | $150 | $50 | Limited - trust pairing |
All remaining states require member and/or manager names on public filings. The fix: form in Wyoming or New Mexico, then foreign-qualify in your operating state. Your formation records stay anonymous, and you are legally registered where you do business. Your home state may still charge its own annual fee or franchise tax.
All four keep members off the record, but Nevada discloses a manager and the states differ sharply on charging-order protection.
Wyoming and New Mexico require no member or manager disclosure at formation or renewal. Delaware keeps both private on the Certificate of Formation and asks only for a registered agent. Nevada is the outlier: its Initial List and Annual List require a manager or managing-member name, so a manager-managed structure is the standard workaround.
Charging-order protection is the second privacy dimension. Wyoming codifies the charging order as the exclusive remedy for single-member LLCs, the strongest statutory language in the group. Delaware and Nevada have strong charging-order case law. New Mexico has thinner single-member precedent, which is the practical reason it ranks behind Wyoming for asset-heavy owners despite winning on price. See asset-protection LLC structures for the full ranking.
Wyoming wins on the most dimensions at once - privacy, protection, banking, and low ongoing cost.
Wyoming offers explicit single-member charging-order protection, the best banking acceptance of the four, no state income tax, the lowest ongoing cost among states with annual obligations ($60/year), Series LLC capability under W.S. § 17-29-1201, and DAPT availability. Unless a specific factor points elsewhere, Wyoming is the recommendation. See the Wyoming LLC guide.
New Mexico wins on cost alone: $50 filing, $0 annual obligations, $347 all-in. The tradeoff is harder banking and weaker single-member charging-order precedent. Best for holding companies, subsidiaries, or buyers where cost dominates every other factor. See the New Mexico LLC guide.
Delaware wins when you plan to raise venture capital or need Court of Chancery jurisdiction. The $300/year franchise tax makes it the most expensive ongoing option, but VC attorneys expect Delaware and investors default to it. If you are not on a VC track, Wyoming offers similar privacy at lower cost. See the Delaware LLC guide.
Nevada wins on asset-protection brand and case-law depth. The ~$350/year ongoing cost is the highest of the four, and the Initial List requires one-time manager disclosure, so it is partial, not full, anonymity. Choose Nevada when your attorney specifically recommends it. See the Nevada LLC guide.
Four states do not require LLC members or managers on publicly searchable formation records: Wyoming, New Mexico, Delaware, and Nevada. Four more - Colorado, Arizona, Missouri, and South Dakota - allow partial anonymity through a manager-managed structure, but the manager is still disclosed. Every other state discloses members, managers, or both.
New Mexico is cheapest at $347 all-in - a $297 service fee plus the $50 state filing fee. It is cheaper to keep too, because New Mexico charges no annual report fee at all. Wyoming is $397 all-in with a $60 annual report. Over ten years New Mexico's total cost stays lowest, but it trades away easier banking and Wyoming's explicit single-member charging order protection.
Wyoming is best for most people. It wins on the most dimensions at once: explicit single-member charging order protection, the best banking acceptance, no state income tax, Series LLC availability, and a $60 annual report that keeps ongoing cost low. Choose New Mexico only if cost is the deciding factor, or Delaware only if you are raising venture capital.
Not fully. Nevada does not list members on the Certificate of Organization, but its Initial List and Annual List require a manager or managing-member name, and those lists are public. A manager-managed structure with a nominee manager is the standard workaround, but it is an extra step and cost that Wyoming, New Mexico, and Delaware do not require.
No. Anonymity works only at the state public-record layer. Your bank identifies you at account opening under Customer Identification Program rules, the IRS knows you through the EIN responsible party, and FinCEN collects your identity through BOI reporting where it applies. These states keep your name out of a public database search, not out of lawful process.
Yes. If your home state requires member or manager disclosure, form the LLC in Wyoming or New Mexico and then foreign-qualify it in your operating state. The formation state records stay anonymous, and you remain legally registered to do business where you operate. Note that your home state may still charge its own annual fee or franchise tax.
This page is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice. State filing fees, processing times, and disclosure rules are set by government agencies and change without notice; verify against the relevant Secretary of State before relying on any figure here. Consult a US-licensed attorney or CPA before acting on a specific recommendation.
Tell us where you live, where your income comes from, and which bank you want. We'll name your state in about five minutes - and if the honest answer is that you don't need us, we'll say so.
Get my state recommendation