Wyoming vs Delaware: what an LLC really costs
Wyoming charges $100 to form an LLC and Delaware charges $110, but over 5 years the totals are $400 and $2,110. Both figures computed from each state's own fee schedule, plus what forming in one while operating in the other actually costs.
Estimate only — not tax, legal, or accounting advice. This is the published math for Wyoming and Delaware LLC costs. Confirm final figures with your payroll provider, accountant, or the state agency before acting on them.
Figures assume you act as your own registered agent, which is lawful in most states and costs nothing — so this compares STATES rather than service purchases.
| Wyoming | Delaware | |
|---|---|---|
| Filing fee | $100 | $110 |
| Annual report | $60 annual | none |
| Report due | $60 is the MINIMUM, not a flat fee: the Annual Report License Tax is $60 or two-tenths of one mill on the dollar ($.0002) of the company's Wyoming assets, whichever is greater. Due every year on the first day of the anniversary month of formation; if not paid within 60 days of the due date the entity is subject to dissolution. Payable to the Wyoming Secretary of State. | Delaware LLCs file NO annual report. The Division states it plainly: "There is no requirement to file an Annual Report." What is owed instead is a flat annual tax — see ongoing obligations. |
| Other yearly obligations | none | Annual LLC Tax $400 |
| Per year, total | $60 | $400 |
| Year one | $160 | $510 |
| Year 5 total | $400 | $2,110 |
| Be your own agent? | yes, $0 | no |
Forming in Wyoming while operating in Delaware
+$900 to +$1,900
over 5 years, against simply forming in Delaware.
- Forming in Wyoming while operating in Delaware costs $900 to $1,900 MORE over 5 years than simply forming in Delaware — and it cannot come out cheaper, because you carry the home state either way.
- Operating in Delaware means registering there whichever state you formed in, so the Wyoming structure adds a second filing, a second annual report, and a second registered agent rather than replacing the first.
- It also does not move your tax: state income and franchise tax follow where the money is earned and where the business operates, not where the articles were filed.
- Failing to register in the state you actually operate in carries penalties and can cost you the right to bring a lawsuit there — the downside is not only the fees below.
Cheap to start, expensive to keep
Delaware charges $110 to form an LLC and about $400 every year afterwards — 3.64× the filing fee, annually. The number most comparisons quote is the one that matters least.
Frequently asked
- Is it cheaper to form an LLC in Wyoming or Delaware?
- Over 5 years, Wyoming — $400 against $2,110, acting as your own registered agent. That matches the filing-fee answer here, which is not always the case.
- Should I form in Wyoming if my business operates in Delaware?
- On fees, no — and it is not close. Operating in Delaware means registering there as a foreign LLC whichever state you formed in, so the Wyoming structure adds a second filing, a second annual report and a registered agent you must rent, on top of everything Delaware charges anyway. Over 5 years that is $900 to $1,900 more than simply forming in Delaware.
- Does forming in Wyoming lower my taxes?
- No. State income and franchise taxes follow where the business earns and operates, not where the articles were filed. That is why the fee comparison on this page is the whole of the fee argument — and the fee argument does not favour the two-state structure either.
Verified 2026-08-04 against Wyoming Secretary of State, Business Division Filing Fee Schedule Effective July 1st, 2026 (Revised June 2026) (effective 2026-07-01)
Verified 2026-08-04 against Delaware Department of State, Division of Corporations Fee Schedule (Revised August 1, 2026) (effective 2026-08-01)
Full detail: Wyoming · Delaware · Or compare any two verified states.