How to Start an LLC in Wyoming

There are three foundational steps to starting an LLC in Wyoming: naming your business, designating a registered agent, and filing Articles of Organization. Wyoming has robust privacy protections for business owners, but they’re only available to you if you hire a registered agent.

Start Your Wyoming LLC

Step 1: Name Your Wyoming LLC

Your Wyoming LLC needs a name before you can register it. Get as creative with your business name as you like while keeping the following state requirements in mind:

What are Wyoming’s business name requirements?

Wyoming requires that your LLC include the words “Limited Liability Company” or an accepted abbreviation like “LLC,” “Limited Company,” or “Limited Liability Co.”
There are also some words or names that require additional review from Wyoming, meaning you can’t file formation paperwork online if you’re using one of those words. The words include “college,” “bank,” and “school.”
Wyoming law also requires your name be “distinguishable” from other businesses within the state, which means it can’t be identical or very similar.

How do I know if my LLC name is unique in the state?

The Wyoming Secretary of State has a Wyoming business name search tool you can use. If your name is already in use, or it’s too similar to one already in use, you’ll need to start over and find something else.

Are others using the name online?

Once you locate an available name you like, consider reserving a domain name as well. Using the same or similar business name across different media platforms creates a consistent business presence. This helps your business build a solid brand reputation that can attract more clients.
When you hire us to form your LLC in Wyoming, we can register your domain name, set up your business website, and more in minutes.

Can you register the name as a trademark?

Want to protect the uniqueness of your business name nationwide? Consider applying for a federal trademark that either you, or your business, can own. When you hire us to form your WY LLC, you can add a trademark registration filing at the same time. Our in-house trademark team assists you with the application process, and our trademark attorneys are here for you if any obstacles to registration arise.

Step 2: Choose a Wyoming Registered Agent

The Equality State requires that all business entities both appoint and maintain a registered agent to accept legal mail. Without a Wyoming registered agent, your LLC could be dissolved.

A registered agent accepts service of process if a business gets sued, then immediately forwards the paperwork to the LLC’s owners. It’s not a job someone should approach with indifference, so who you appoint matters. Either an individual or a business entity can serve as a registered agent.

If you wish, you can act as your own registered agent. But you must:

Have a physical address in Wyoming, not a PO Box, drop box, mail forwarding service, or something similar.
Be at least 18 years old and reside in Wyoming.
Sign a Consent to Appointment by Registered Agent form.

However, if you act as your own registered agent, you’ll have to put your information on Wyoming’s Articles of Organization—a public document. This negates the privacy protections available to you in Wyoming.

Step 3: File Wyoming Articles of Organization

Filing your Wyoming Articles of Organization is what officially forms your LLC with the state. Be sure to complete the paperwork properly before you submit it to the Wyoming Secretary of State.

You may file your Articles of Organization online or by mail. If you file online, your business entity is active immediately. Documents sent by mail have a processing time of up to 15 days after the state receives them.

The cost to file is $100, plus a $3.75 convenience fee if you file online. Make sure your paperwork has the following information:

1

Business name
Make sure it has an identifier like “Limited Liability Company” or “LLC.”

2

Close LLC election
Check this if you want to form a close LLC. These are Wyoming-specific LLCs that have a 35-member maximum and require the approval of all members before one member can leave or transfer ownership. They’re often formed by families looking to pass down assets.

3

Registered agent info
List their name and physical address.

4

Company mailing address
List your principal office address.

5

Contact information
List a name and, at minimum, an email address where the state can send reminders, notices, and filing information.

6

Organizer signature
This is the person preparing the paperwork.

7

Registered agent consent
The registered agent must fill out this part to affirm they accept their appointment. They must include a signature, date, physical address, and email address.

Step 4: Set Up Business Operations

Once Wyoming accepts your formation paperwork, you’ve got a registered LLC. Yet there are still more steps you should take to get your business set up properly and maintain your limited liability.

Draft an operating agreement.
Consider an operating agreement a handbook for how your LLC functions. It goes into detail about everything from how voting works to how the LLC will be managed. While an operating agreement is an internal record, you will need a copy of it when you open a business bank account.

Obtain an EIN.
Most LLCs need an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. Among other things, you’ll need it to open a business bank account and hire employees. Single-member LLCs can use their Social Security number, but that’s a less secure option than an EIN.

Open a business bank account.
Separating your personal finances from your business finances is critical to maintaining the personal asset protection provided by an LLC. Because of this, opening a business bank account isn’t optional.

Get business licensing or permits.
Wyoming does not require a general business license, but you should check with your city or county to see about any local licensing requirements.

Step 5: File BOI Report

As of 2024, most businesses are required to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI Report). The BOI Report is a tool in the US government’s fight against fraud and money laundering.

When completing the BOI Report, you must list information about the company’s beneficial owners, aka the people with a significant amount of control or influence. LLCs formed after January 1, 2024 need to provide information about the person or entity who filed your LLC’s formation paperwork as well. This person is known as a company applicant.

The BOI Report isn’t optional, but we can file it for you when you hire us to form your Wyoming LLC.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an LLC cost in Wyoming?

It costs $100 to file Articles of Organization in Wyoming, plus a convenience fee of $3.75 if you file online.

Do LLCs pay taxes in Wyoming?

Wyoming does not levy either a personal or corporate income tax, but you do need to pay a state sales tax of 4%. Local cities and counties can add a maximum of 3% to the state’s base tax rate, meaning the most you could pay is 7%.

You can also expect to pay property taxes on any commercial or industrial land and structures, as well as personal property (like equipment) that you use for business purposes.

Does Wyoming require an annual report for an LLC?

Yes, your Wyoming annual report is due on the first day of the anniversary month of your LLC’s formation. So if you formed your LLC on February 20, the annual report is due on February 1. The fee varies based on the number of assets you have in Wyoming. It’s $62 if your entity has $300,000 or less in Wyoming assets. If your LLC has more than that, it’s $.0002 multiplied by the amount of assets.

When you hire us, we’ll file your annual report for you at no extra cost.

How do I contact the Wyoming Secretary of State?

If you have questions for the WY Secretary of State, here’s how you can contact this office:

Phone: 307-777-7311
Fax: 307-777-5339

Email: [email protected]

Physical & Mailing address:
Herschler Building East
122 West 25th Street
Suite 101
Cheyenne, WY 82002-0020

Got 10 Minutes?