 California |  Wyoming | |
|---|---|---|
| All-in to start with usOur $40 fee with the EIN, the registered agent for the first year, and the state fee. | $155 | $187.40 |
| State filing fee | $70 | $102.40 |
| Typical approval time | 1–2 weeks | 1–3 business days |
| What the state asks each year | $800 franchise tax + statement of information $20 | Annual report from $60 |
| Yearly state cost, about | $810 | $60 |
| Total over 5 years, aboutFormation, then four years of registered agent ($45) and state fees. Excludes bookkeeping and IRS filings, which are the same in every state. | $3,575 | $607.40 |
| State income tax on wages | Yes | None |
| Owners in the public formation document | Can be listed | Not listed |
| Newspaper publication after formation | No | No |
California against Wyoming
Advantages
- Cheaper to form: $70 state fee against $102.40 in Wyoming.
Disadvantages
- About $750 a year more to keep than Wyoming ($800 franchise tax + statement of information $20).
- Slower approval: usually 1–2 weeks.
- Has a state income tax, though it normally only reaches income connected to the state.
- Owners can appear in the public state record.
Wyoming against California
Advantages
- Cheaper to keep: about $60 a year to the state, against $810 in California.
- Faster approval: usually 1–3 business days, against 1–2 weeks.
- No state income tax on wages.
- Owners are not named in the public formation document.
- The state that introduced the LLC in 1977, and the most common choice of non-resident founders.
Disadvantages
- Costs $32.40 more to form than California.
Which one to choose
Wyoming comes out ahead on both cost and speed: about $2,967.60 less over five years, and usually approved in 1–3 business days.
If your company will have staff, an office or a warehouse in one particular state, form it there: otherwise you register in that state anyway. Federal taxes and IRS filings are the same in every state.
General information about the states, not legal or tax advice. State fees change occasionally; the price at checkout is the price you pay.
California or Wyoming
Questions about this comparison
Is a California or a Wyoming LLC cheaper?
California is cheaper to form: $155 all-in with us, against $187.40. Each year after, California costs the state about $810 and Wyoming about $60, plus $45 for the registered agent.
Which is faster, California or Wyoming?
California usually approves an LLC in 1–2 weeks, Wyoming in 1–3 business days. We file within 48 hours of payment in either state.
Can a non-US resident form an LLC in California or Wyoming?
Yes, in both. Neither state asks for citizenship or residency, and the registered agent we include provides the in-state address. The EIN is included without an SSN.
Another pair