Anonymous LLC: Wyoming vs New Mexico vs Delaware (2026)

Current as of May 2026 · Reviewed 2026-05-22 · General information, not legal advice

All three keep your name off the public formation record. The right pick comes down to cost, ongoing filings, charging-order reputation, and what you're building.

Cheapest? New Mexico. Best recognized privacy brand? Wyoming. Complex equity or VC? Delaware.

Anonymity leaks the same way in all three states — registered agent, IRS EIN responsible party, bank KYC, litigation discovery. State choice changes cost and corporate-law features, not who can identify you with legal process. See What an Anonymous LLC Does NOT Do.

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Side-by-side (state fees only)

	Wyoming	New Mexico	Delaware
Filing cost	~$100	~$50 — cheapest	~$110
Annual report / fee	Annual report (no member names listed)	None — no annual report	$300/yr franchise tax
Member names public?	No	No	No
Charging-order reputation	Strongest brand (WY courts)	Standard	Strong case law
Federal BOI (U.S.-formed)	None now*	None now*	None now*
Best for	Operating companies, recognized privacy stack	Cost-sensitive holding / quiet entities	VC, complex equity, Chancery court

*As of May 2026, under FinCEN's March 2025 interim final rule — interim, not finalized, subject to change.

Formation service pricing (Core, Ghost, Phantom, Fortress) is on our pricing page — state filing fees are additional.

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Pick New Mexico if…

• You want the lowest state cost to form and maintain
• You'd rather never file an annual report
• It's a single-member holding company or quiet side entity
• Keeping your home address off public record is the primary goal

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Pick Wyoming if…

• You want the most recognized privacy / charging-order reputation
• You're running an operating business (clients, contracts, revenue)
• Banks and partners know Wyoming LLCs — account opening is straightforward
• You may add a New Mexico holding layer above it later (NM + WY stack)

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Pick Delaware if…

• You're raising venture capital or expect outside investors
• You have multiple owners or complex equity
• You want the Court of Chancery and deep corporate precedent
• You're comfortable with $300/yr for prestige and flexibility

For most solo founders and privacy buyers, NM (cost) or WY (brand) wins; DE earns its premium when investors or complex equity are involved.

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Where "anonymous" leaks (all three states)

• Registered agent — knows who you are; can be compelled under subpoena
• IRS EIN — responsible party with SSN/ITIN on file (IRS SS-4)
• Bank KYC — beneficial owner identity required to open accounts
• Courts — discovery, debtor's exams, subpoenas compel disclosure

Choosing Wyoming over New Mexico does not change these.

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Questions people ask

Which state is best for an anonymous LLC?

No single winner. NM for cost/upkeep, WY for operating businesses and brand, DE for investor-backed structures. All three keep member names off public formation records.

Is New Mexico really the cheapest?

For state costs: ~$50 to form, no annual report. You still pay for registered agent service and comply with EIN/bank KYC.

Does any state make me judgment-proof?

No — in any state, an anonymous LLC is business privacy, not asset protection or creditor immunity.

Do I still file BOI?

As of May 2026, U.S.-formed LLCs in all three states have no federal BOI filing under the interim rule — subject to change. BOI hub.

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Next steps

• Take the assessment — matched state recommendation in ~2 minutes
• Use the decision quiz — structured state comparison flow
• See formation pricing — Core through Fortress tiers
• Two-state stack (WY + NM) — holding + operating pattern

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General information, not legal advice. Confirm state fees and rules before filing.