Hidden Costs of a U.S. LLC for International Entrepreneurs

The short answer

The formation fee is a one-time cost. State taxes, reports, registered agent, tax filings and bookkeeping recur every year.
California LLCs pay an $800 annual tax every year, even without doing business, until the LLC is cancelled.
Delaware LLCs pay an annual tax by June 1: $300 for the 2025 tax year, $400 from the 2026 tax year.
The most expensive cost is usually a missed filing: the penalty for not filing Form 5472 is $25,000.
BOI reports to FinCEN are no longer required for U.S.-formed LLCs, so there is no BOI cost to budget.
At MyUSAService, the yearly renewal with Form 5472, pro forma Form 1120, registered agent and state fee costs $1,250 in Wyoming, $1,550 in Florida and $1,650 in Delaware (prices as of September 2026).

Table of contents

The yearly cost map
State taxes and annual reports
Registered agent
IRS filings, even with no income
Banking and payments
Sales tax and state taxes
Bookkeeping
What MyUSAService charges
One cost that no longer exists: BOI
Frequently asked questions

Many international founders compare states by formation fee. The formation fee is paid once. What decides the real cost of a U.S. company is what you pay every year to keep it in good standing, and what you pay when something is missed.

This guide lists the recurring costs of a U.S. LLC or corporation, with the official amounts where they exist.

The yearly cost map

Cost	Recurring?	Amount
State annual tax or franchise tax	Yearly	Depends on the state. California LLC: $800. Delaware LLC: $300 for 2025, $400 from 2026
State annual or periodic report	Yearly or every two years	Depends on the state
Registered agent	Yearly	Set by the provider
IRS returns and information forms	Yearly	Professional fees, if you use a preparer
Bank or fintech account	Monthly and per transaction	Set by the provider
Sales tax compliance	Where you have obligations	Software or accounting fees
Bookkeeping	Monthly or yearly	Set by the provider
Penalties for missed filings	Avoidable	Form 5472: $25,000. Florida late annual report: $400

State taxes and annual reports

Each state sets its own recurring charges, and they differ far more than formation fees do.

California charges LLCs an $800 annual tax every year, even when the LLC does no business, until it is cancelled.
Delaware charges LLCs a flat annual tax, due June 1 for the previous year. It is $300 for the 2025 tax year. House Bill 400 raised it to $400 from the 2026 tax year, so the first $400 payment is due June 1, 2027. The same law raised several Delaware filing fees from August 1, 2026. Delaware corporations pay a franchise tax based on their shares or capital, due with the annual report by March 1.
Florida requires an annual report between January 1 and May 1. After May 1, a $400 late fee applies.

Choosing a state only on the formation fee, as explained in our guide to the best state to incorporate, can cost more over three or five years than choosing the state where your yearly costs are lowest for your situation.

Registered agent

Every LLC and corporation must keep a registered agent with a physical address in its state. If you live abroad, you will almost always pay a professional service every year.

Check the renewal price, not only the first-year price, and what the service includes: scanning and forwarding of mail, deadline reminders, notice handling. A missed legal notice costs more than the fee difference between providers. See our guide on choosing an international registered agent.

IRS filings, even with no income

Filing obligations do not depend on having U.S. income:

A single-member LLC owned by a foreign person files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 when it has reportable transactions, including money paid to form or maintain it. The penalty for not filing is $25,000.
A corporation files Form 1120 every year.
A multi-member LLC taxed as a partnership files Form 1065, unless it had no income and no deductible expenses.
Owners may have their own U.S. filing obligations if the company produces U.S. taxable income for them.

The cost to budget is the preparer’s fee. The cost to avoid is the penalty. On returns that show tax due, the failure-to-file penalty is 5% of the unpaid tax per month, up to 25%.

Banking and payments

Opening a U.S. account from abroad can take time, and some banks require a visit. Once the account is open, the recurring costs are monthly fees, wire fees, currency conversion and payment processor fees. For international transfers, currency conversion is often the largest of these.

Many founders use fintech platforms, which are often faster to open. Before choosing one, check which bank holds the money: fintech companies are not banks, and FDIC insurance covers only the failure of the insured bank, not of the platform.

Keep the account active. Providers can close accounts they consider inactive or inconsistent with the business described at opening.

Sales tax and state taxes

Sales tax is set by each state. Since the Supreme Court’s decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair (2018), states can require sellers without a physical presence to collect sales tax once they pass an economic threshold. Thresholds and rules differ from state to state.

For online sellers, the cost is the software or the accountant that tracks sales by state, and the risk is back taxes with interest in states where registration was missed. Hiring people in a state or storing inventory there can create further state obligations. See our guide to e-commerce sales tax compliance.

Bookkeeping

Accurate books make every tax filing faster, and they are the first thing requested if a tax agency asks questions. Keep business and personal money separate, reconcile your accounts regularly and keep the documents behind every figure. More on our bookkeeping services.

What MyUSAService charges

Prices as of September 2026. Check myusaservice.com for current prices.

Formation, first year. The Startup package costs $2,200 and the Startup All In package $2,400. State fees for the first year are included for LLCs formed in Florida and Wyoming.

Yearly renewal, from the second year. One price covers the compliance of a single-member LLC:

Processing of bank statement data.
Preparation of Form 5472 and pro forma Form 1120, with a draft for your final review, digital signature and submission to the IRS by fax.
Registered agent renewal.
Payment of the state fee.
Secure storage of your data and access to the MyUSAService Platform.

State of the LLC	Yearly renewal
Wyoming	$1,250
Florida	$1,550
Delaware	$1,650, already including the $400 Delaware annual tax

Individual services.

Service	Price
Registered agent, any state	$99 per year
Annual report and state tax filing	From $200, state fee included
Tax return, single-member LLC or C corporation	From $951
Partnership return, Form 1065	$951 plus $150 for each Schedule K-1 (two members: $1,251)
Bookkeeping	$279 per month
Physical address in Miami with mail management	$39 per month
Bank account opening support	Included, with screen sharing on Zoom

Example: three years with a Wyoming LLC. Startup package in year one ($2,200), then the yearly renewal in years two and three ($1,250 each): $4,700 in total, with state fees and registered agent included. Each renewal covers the Form 5472 for the previous year, so the renewal in year two files the return for the year of formation. The same path with a Florida LLC costs $5,300.

One cost that no longer exists: BOI

BOI reporting to FinCEN is no longer required for LLCs and corporations formed in the United States. If you see a BOI filing fee in a quote for a U.S. LLC, ask why.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to keep a U.S. LLC each year?

It depends mainly on the state and on the services you use. The state part ranges from a low annual fee to California’s $800 annual tax. Add the registered agent, tax filings and, if you use them, bookkeeping services.

Is Delaware more expensive than other states?

For LLCs, Delaware’s annual tax is $400 from the 2026 tax year. Whether that is more expensive depends on the alternative state and on where the company actually does business, since registering in a second state adds its own fees.

Do I pay taxes in the U.S. if my LLC has no income?

Income tax, usually not. Filing obligations and state taxes, often yes. A California LLC owes $800 a year regardless of income, and a foreign-owned single-member LLC files Form 5472 when it has reportable transactions.

How much does MyUSAService charge to maintain an LLC each year?

The yearly renewal for a single-member LLC, with Form 5472, pro forma Form 1120, registered agent and state fee, costs $1,250 in Wyoming, $1,550 in Florida and $1,650 in Delaware, at September 2026 prices.

Do I still need to pay for a BOI report?

No, for an LLC formed in the United States.

Want to know what a U.S. LLC really costs?

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Sources

First published May 15, 2025. This article is general information, not tax advice for your situation. MyUSAService packages and prices | Book a free call