Which states allow anonymous LLCs?

The states most commonly cited for anonymous LLC formation are Wyoming, New Mexico, Nevada, Delaware, and Montana. Each provides some degree of member privacy at the formation stage, meaning member names are not required on the public Articles of Organization or Certificate of Formation. However, the degree of ongoing privacy varies significantly by state. Wyoming and New Mexico offer the strongest combination of formation privacy and minimal recurring disclosure. Nevada publicly discloses managers and members on its annual list filing, which limits its true anonymity value. Delaware does not require member names on the Certificate of Formation but has a public registered agent requirement that creates a partial paper trail. Montana provides formation privacy but has less-developed case law than Wyoming. Note that all LLCs subject to the federal Corporate Transparency Act must file a Beneficial Ownership Information report with FinCEN regardless of state choice. Consult a licensed attorney for guidance specific to your situation.

What is the most private LLC state?

Wyoming and New Mexico are generally considered the most private LLC states for different reasons. Wyoming (under W.S. 17-28-107) allows a professional organizer to file the Articles of Organization without disclosing member names, and the annual report does not require member disclosure. New Mexico goes one step further by requiring no annual report at all, which means there is no recurring public filing that could reveal member information over time. The practical difference is that Wyoming has a more developed statutory framework and more supporting case law, while New Mexico offers the lowest long-term administrative burden. Both states still require a registered agent with a public address. Federal BOI reporting obligations apply in both states regardless.

Does Wyoming allow anonymous LLC formation?

Yes. Wyoming Statutes 17-28-107 explicitly allows an organizer to file the Articles of Organization on behalf of the LLC without disclosing member or manager names in the public filing. The organizer (which may be a formation service acting on your behalf) is listed instead of the actual owners. Wyoming's annual report also does not require disclosure of member names. This filing-as-organizer approach is the legal mechanism behind what is commonly marketed as a Wyoming anonymous LLC. It is important to understand that this is state-level formation privacy only. Federal BOI reporting under the Corporate Transparency Act requires disclosure of beneficial owners to FinCEN (not public) regardless of state choice.

What is the difference between Wyoming and New Mexico for anonymous LLCs?

Both Wyoming and New Mexico allow anonymous LLC formation (no member names on public Articles of Organization). The key differences are: (1) Annual reporting: Wyoming requires a minimal annual report ($60 minimum fee) that does not disclose members. New Mexico requires no annual report at all, which means zero recurring public filing exposure. (2) Cost: New Mexico's formation fee is lower and there are no annual fees after formation. Wyoming charges $60 per year minimum. (3) Statute and case law: Wyoming has a more mature LLC statute and more supporting court decisions. New Mexico's framework is newer and less tested. (4) Practical use: New Mexico is often preferred for long-term passive holding structures where minimizing administrative burden is the priority. Wyoming is often preferred when statutory clarity and case law depth matter. Both are legitimate privacy-state choices; the right answer depends on your specific structure and goals. Consult a licensed attorney.

Is Nevada actually an anonymous LLC state?

Nevada is frequently marketed as a privacy-friendly state for LLC formation, but it has a significant limitation that is often understated: Nevada's Annual List of Managers or Members (NRS Chapter 86) is a public filing that discloses the names and addresses of the LLC's managers (in a manager-managed LLC) or members (in a member-managed LLC). This annual public disclosure largely negates the formation-stage privacy that Nevada provides. A Nevada LLC may start with no member names on the Articles of Organization, but by the time the first Annual List is due, that information becomes public record. This is a meaningful difference from Wyoming and New Mexico, where member names are not required in any recurring public filing. For true ownership privacy at the state level, Wyoming and New Mexico are more consistently private over time.

Does the Corporate Transparency Act eliminate the benefit of anonymous LLCs?

The Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), codified at 31 U.S.C. 5336, requires most LLCs formed in the United States to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) disclosing the identity of beneficial owners. This is a federal reporting obligation that applies regardless of which state the LLC is formed in. Importantly, BOI reports are not public records. They are filed with FinCEN and are accessible only to authorized law enforcement and financial institutions under specific circumstances. This means the CTA does not eliminate the benefit of state-level anonymous formation for public-record purposes. Your name may not appear in any publicly searchable database, even after BOI compliance. The CTA changed federal compliance obligations but did not make state formation records public. Consult a licensed attorney familiar with current FinCEN guidance, as the CTA's implementation has been subject to ongoing litigation and regulatory updates.

What is nominee services for anonymous LLC and is it legal?

Nominee services typically involve using a third party (a nominee organizer, nominee manager, or nominee member) to appear in public LLC records in place of the actual beneficial owner. The legality of nominee arrangements depends on how they are structured and for what purpose. Using a formation service as a professional organizer to file your LLC (per Wyoming W.S. 17-28-107) is a straightforward and fully legal service. More complex arrangements involving nominee members or managers should be reviewed by a licensed attorney, as they can raise issues related to the Corporate Transparency Act's beneficial ownership reporting requirements, which require disclosure of actual beneficial owners (not nominees) to FinCEN. The CTA specifically addresses arrangements designed to obscure beneficial ownership. This article is educational only and is not legal advice.

Best State for Anonymous LLC 2026: Wyoming vs Delaware vs New Mexico Head-to-Head

Published 2026-05-01

Scenario: You are a podcaster who wants to keep your name off the public record on the LLC that owns your show. You have $300 to spend on formation, $100 a year for ongoing compliance, and zero patience for complexity. The three states that show up on every "anonymous LLC" search result are Wyoming, Delaware, and New Mexico. Each has a different price, a different annual obligation, and a different practical privacy posture. Two of the three are also the cheapest U.S. states to keep an LLC running long-term, but only one of those overlaps with the strongest charging-order statute. This article picks the right state for the right person, with no marketing fluff.

This article is the head-to-head comparison of the three U.S. states most commonly described as "anonymous" LLC jurisdictions: Wyoming, Delaware, and New Mexico. It walks the formation cost, the ongoing cost, the privacy mechanics at the state level, the federal beneficial-ownership posture, the asset-protection statute strength, and the practical fit for different operator profiles.

Last updated: May 1, 2026.

The Direct Answer (Featured-Snippet Block)

For most operators seeking strong public-record privacy at a low ongoing cost, Wyoming is the top choice: $100 to file, $60 minimum annual report, no public member or manager disclosure, and the strongest charging-order statute (W.S. § 17-29-503). New Mexico is the cheapest long-term: $50 to file, no annual report at all (NMSA § 53-19-8), no public member disclosure, but a weaker case-law tradition for asset protection. Delaware is best for sophisticated multi-member LLCs and joint ventures: $90 to file, $300 annual franchise tax, no public member disclosure, the deepest body of LLC case law in the United States via the Court of Chancery.

The Three Contenders, Side by Side

Feature	Wyoming	Delaware	New Mexico
Filing fee	$100	$90	$50
Annual fee	$60 minimum (or 0.0002 of WY-situs assets)	$300 franchise tax (no info report)	$0 (NO annual report)
Member disclosure on public filing	NO	NO	NO
Manager disclosure on public filing	NO	NO	NO
Statute number	W.S. § 17-29-101 et seq.	Del. Code tit. 6 § 18-101 et seq.	NMSA § 53-19-1 et seq.
Charging-order statute	W.S. § 17-29-503 (exclusive remedy)	Del. Code tit. 6 § 18-703 (recent extension to single-member)	NMSA § 53-19-35 (exclusive remedy)
Case law depth	Moderate (oldest LLC state, since 1977)	Deepest in the U.S. (Court of Chancery)	Sparse
Federal CTA status (per FinCEN IFR)	Exempt for U.S.-owned domestic	Exempt for U.S.-owned domestic	Exempt for U.S.-owned domestic
State income tax	None	6.6% top rate (only on entities with DE-source income)	4.9% top rate
Best fit	Privacy + asset protection at low cost	Sophisticated multi-member, JV, eventual M&A	Cheapest long-term

Wyoming: The Default Recommendation for Most Operators

Wyoming was the first U.S. state to authorize the LLC, in 1977. The Wyoming LLC Act has been amended consistently since then, with refinements to the charging-order provisions and additions for blockchain LLCs and series LLCs. The result is the longest body of LLC statutory text and case law in the country.

Privacy mechanics: The Wyoming Articles of Organization name only the organizer and the registered agent. Member names, manager names, and ownership percentages are NOT required on the public filing. The Wyoming Secretary of State's wyobiz.wyo.gov database returns only the LLC name, registered agent, and organizer when searched.

Charging-order strength: W.S. § 17-29-503 makes the charging order the exclusive remedy of a judgment creditor of an LLC member. Wyoming courts have consistently applied this protection to single-member as well as multi-member LLCs (no Olmstead-style carve-out).

Cost structure: $100 to file, $60 minimum annual report (or 0.0002 of Wyoming-situs assets, whichever is greater). For most non-resident LLCs with no Wyoming real property, the $60 minimum applies. Total 5-year cost (excluding registered agent): roughly $340.

Tax structure: No state individual income tax. No corporate income tax. The annual report is not a tax; the 0.0002 license tax applies only to Wyoming-situs assets.

Practical fit: Real-estate investors holding properties in multiple states through a Wyoming holding LLC (with separate state-formed operating LLCs for each property). Privacy-conscious online business owners. Asset-protection-focused operators with moderate budgets. Pen-name users (writers, podcasters, creators) who want to keep their real name off the LLC.

Garrett Sutton of Sutton Law Center has long advocated for Wyoming as the default privacy-and-protection jurisdiction for the asset-protection-conscious operator. (https://www.suttonlawcenter.com)

Wyoming downsides: The annual report is not strictly anonymous; you must enter the principal office address (which can be the registered agent's). The 0.0002 license tax can become significant if the LLC holds substantial Wyoming-situs property.

Delaware: The Sophisticated Choice

Delaware is the gold standard for sophisticated LLCs because of its judicial infrastructure: the Delaware Court of Chancery is a specialized business court with deep LLC case-law expertise, no juries on commercial matters, and judges who hear LLC disputes routinely.

Privacy mechanics: Delaware's Certificate of Formation names only the registered agent. Members and managers are NOT named on the public filing. Delaware's icis.corp.delaware.gov database returns only the entity name, registered agent, and filing date when searched.

Charging-order strength: Del. Code tit. 6 § 18-703 makes the charging order the exclusive remedy. Recent Delaware case law has extended this protection to single-member LLCs in most circumstances, though the issue is still occasionally litigated.

Cost structure: $90 to file. NO annual information report. $300 annual franchise tax (Del. Code tit. 6 § 18-1107) due June 1. Total 5-year cost: roughly $1,290.

Case law depth: Delaware's Court of Chancery has decided thousands of LLC disputes. Delaware courts generally enforce Operating Agreement provisions vigorously, including unusual or aggressive provisions. This deep case-law tradition is particularly valuable for multi-member LLCs, joint ventures, and entities with sophisticated equity structures.

Tax structure: No income tax on Delaware LLCs that earn no Delaware-source income. The $300 franchise tax is the operative ongoing cost.

Practical fit: Multi-member LLCs with complex governance. Joint ventures between two operators. LLCs intended to grow into operating companies that may eventually be acquired or take outside investment. Holding companies with intellectual property or other intangibles where Delaware case law specifically helps.

Delaware downsides: more expensive than Wyoming or New Mexico ($300/year vs $60 or $0). Less appealing for purely passive holding LLCs because the case-law advantage is not realized.

New Mexico: The Cheapest Long-Term

New Mexico is the lowest-cost LLC jurisdiction in the United States for a passive operator. NMSA § 53-19-1 et seq. was modeled on the Delaware Act with key privacy refinements.

Privacy mechanics: NMSA § 53-19-8 specifically permits LLC formation without member disclosure. The Articles of Organization name only the registered agent and the organizer. New Mexico's enterprise.sos.state.nm.us database returns only the basic entity information when searched.

Charging-order strength: NMSA § 53-19-35 makes the charging order the exclusive remedy. Both single-member and multi-member LLCs are protected by statute.

Cost structure: $50 to file. NO annual report (NMSA § 53-19-1 et seq. does not require one). NO franchise tax. Total 5-year cost: $50.

Case law depth: Sparse. New Mexico's LLC case law is significantly less developed than Wyoming's or Delaware's. This is a meaningful disadvantage in litigation: a New Mexico court interpreting NMSA § 53-19-35 has fewer prior cases to draw from than a Wyoming court interpreting W.S. § 17-29-503.

Tax structure: New Mexico's individual income tax (4.9% top rate) applies to New Mexico residents but not typically to non-resident LLC owners with no New Mexico-source income.

Practical fit: Passive holding LLCs. Operators on the tightest budget who do not anticipate litigation. Asset-protection layered structures where the New Mexico LLC is a holding vehicle inside a larger Wyoming or Delaware structure.

New Mexico downsides: the sparse case-law tradition. The state's reputation as "an anonymous LLC state" sometimes attracts scrutiny in choice-of-law disputes. Federal beneficial-ownership reporting (per the FinCEN IFR) is exempt for U.S.-owned domestic entities; a New Mexico LLC owned by a foreign person remains subject.

Lee R. Phillips of LegaLees has noted that New Mexico's structural privacy is real but its case-law tradition lags behind Wyoming and Delaware. (https://legalees.com) The trade-off is real.

Head-to-Head Decision Tree

Use this tree to pick between the three.

Question 1: Is your LLC a single-member passive holding entity with no anticipated litigation, no plans for outside investment, and a budget under $100/year? - YES → New Mexico ($50 to file, $0 annual) - NO → continue

Question 2: Do you want the strongest combination of privacy AND charging-order protection AND deep statutory tradition? - YES → Wyoming ($100 + $60/year) - NO → continue

Question 3: Is your LLC a multi-member entity with complex governance, planned outside investment, or eventual M&A potential? - YES → Delaware ($90 + $300/year) - NO → revisit Wyoming as the default

Question 4: Is your LLC primarily for liability isolation on real-estate operating activity in another state? - YES → form an operating LLC in the property's state, with a Wyoming or Delaware holding LLC above it

The tree's bias toward Wyoming reflects the empirical reality: Wyoming wins on the largest number of operator profiles (privacy + asset protection + low ongoing cost).

Comparing With Other "Privacy" States Sometimes Mentioned

Nevada

Nevada is often listed as an anonymous LLC state. The reputation is overstated. NRS § 86.263 requires a publicly-filed Annual List naming managers and managing members. Nevada is more private than California but less private than Wyoming, Delaware, or New Mexico. Nevada's combined initial cost ($425+ in year one) and recurring cost ($350+ in subsequent years) make it materially more expensive than the three states this article compares.

Florida

Florida is NOT a privacy state. Florida's Sunbiz database is one of the most-detailed business-records systems in the country, with searchable manager and member information across all Florida entities. Florida's Olmstead carve-out (Olmstead v. FTC, 44 So. 3d 76 (Fla. 2010)) further weakens single-member LLC protection.

California

California is the opposite of a privacy state. The Statement of Information names managers and members; the Franchise Tax Board has aggressive nexus posture; the $800 minimum franchise tax attaches to every California LLC. California is among the worst states for privacy and cost.

Combining the Three: Layered Structures

Sophisticated asset-protection planning often layers multiple states. A common structure:

Layer 1: Wyoming holding LLC. Owns the membership interests in the operating LLCs. Provides privacy (no public member disclosure) and asset protection (W.S. § 17-29-503).

Layer 2: State-specific operating LLCs. One LLC per operating state (or per property, for real estate). Eliminates foreign-qualification and isolates each operating asset from the others.

Layer 3: Optional Delaware holding for sophistication. If the structure anticipates outside investment, a Delaware holding above the Wyoming holding gives the deeper case-law advantage for sophisticated equity transactions.

This is the structure Toby Mathis and Clint Coons describe in their published work on multi-state real-estate LLC architecture. (https://andersonadvisors.com) The goal is layered privacy + per-asset isolation + jurisdictional advantage at each layer.

What Each State CANNOT Do

All three states share the same federal-side limitations:

IRS records. Your federal tax return identifies you as the LLC owner via Schedule C, Form 1065 K-1, or Form 1120S K-1. State-level privacy does not affect federal tax records.
Bank records. Banks under the Bank Secrecy Act and 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230 collect beneficial-ownership at account opening. State-level privacy does not affect bank KYC records.
Litigation discovery. In any lawsuit involving the LLC, opposing counsel can subpoena the LLC's records, including the Operating Agreement that names you as a member. State-level privacy does not survive subpoena.
Federal beneficial-ownership reporting. Per the FinCEN Interim Final Rule of March 21, 2025, domestic-formed entities owned only by U.S. persons are exempt. Foreign-formed entities and entities with foreign-person owners remain subject.

The honest framing: state-level privacy reduces casual researcher access. It does not provide invisibility against government, financial institutions, or court process.

Common Decision Mistakes

Mistake 1: Picking based on filing fee alone. New Mexico wins on filing fee; Wyoming wins on long-term value and protection strength. Filing fee is one of five lifecycle cost components.

Mistake 2: Picking Delaware for a single-member passive LLC. Delaware's case-law advantage is realized in multi-member and sophisticated structures. For a passive single-member LLC, Wyoming or New Mexico is cheaper and equally protective.

Mistake 3: Picking Wyoming or Delaware while operating in California. California's "doing business" reach (Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 23101) catches LLCs operating in California regardless of formation state. The Wyoming or Delaware formation does not eliminate California obligations.

Mistake 4: Listing yourself as the registered agent or organizer in a privacy state. Self-listing puts your name and address back on the public record. Use a commercial registered agent service.

Mistake 5: Naming the LLC after yourself. "Smith Holdings LLC" defeats the purpose. Use a generic name.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best state for an anonymous LLC? For most operators, Wyoming combines the strongest privacy, the strongest asset-protection statute, and a modest ongoing cost ($60 annual report). New Mexico is cheaper long-term ($0 annual report) but has thinner case law. Delaware is the choice for sophisticated multi-member LLCs.

Is Wyoming truly anonymous? Wyoming does not require member or manager names on the public filing. State-level privacy is real. Federal records (IRS, bank KYC) and litigation discovery still identify you.

Why is New Mexico cheaper than Wyoming long-term? New Mexico has no annual report (NMSA § 53-19-1 et seq.). Wyoming's $60 minimum annual report is small but recurs. Over a 10-year horizon, New Mexico's $50 lifetime cost beats Wyoming's $640.

Can I form a Delaware LLC and operate from California? You can form anywhere. Operating in California triggers California's "doing business" reach, including the $800 minimum franchise tax (Cal. Rev. & Tax. Code § 17941) and the Statement of Information disclosure. Formation state does not eliminate California obligations.

Does the FinCEN BOI requirement still apply? Per the FinCEN Interim Final Rule of March 21, 2025: domestic-formed entities owned only by U.S. persons are EXEMPT. Foreign-formed entities and entities with foreign-person beneficial owners remain subject. Verify current FinCEN guidance at https://www.fincen.gov/boi.

What if I want layered privacy? A common structure: Wyoming holding LLC owns operating LLCs in each state where activity occurs. The Wyoming layer provides privacy and asset protection; the operating layer eliminates foreign-qualification. Sophisticated structures may add a Delaware layer above for case-law advantage on outside investment.

Your Next Step

Pick the state that fits your profile (Wyoming for most, New Mexico for cheapest long-term, Delaware for sophisticated). We file LLCs in Wyoming, Delaware, and New Mexico (and three more states). Our Operating Agreements address the state-specific provisions discussed in this article. Compare state-by-state pricing on our home index or read our LLC privacy by state article for the full 13-state comparison.

About this article: State LLC Service publishes plain-English explanations of LLC formation, registered agent requirements, and state-by-state privacy across all 50 states. We are an LLC formation and registered agent service. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice; consult licensed counsel in your state for guidance specific to your situation.

Disclosure: Statutes, fees, and case law cited were current as of May 1, 2026. State legislatures revise LLC Acts; verify current statutory text and current FinCEN guidance before relying on any claim above. Independent Curator Disclosure: This article references named industry voices we follow (researchers, attorneys, CPAs, and educators) along with statutes and court opinions. The named individuals and firms are independent of our service. We have no business relationship with them beyond researching and synthesizing publicly available content they have published. References do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation. Always consult licensed counsel for advice specific to your situation.