Side-by-side comparison for New Hampshire owners considering Wyoming.
Cost comparison
Wyoming: $100 state filing + $60/yr Wyoming annual report = $160 year-one, $60/yr after. New Hampshire: $100 state filing + $100/yr annual report = $200 year-one, $100/yr after. If you form in Wyoming AND operate in New Hampshire, add foreign-LLC qualification (~$100 initial + ongoing New Hampshire fees) — TWO sets of compliance.
Asset protection
Wyoming: charging-order designated as the SOLE remedy against an LLC member by statute, including for single-member LLCs. Deep case-law track record. New Hampshire: standard charging-order protection under the state LLC statute; SMLLC case law less developed.
Privacy / anonymity
Wyoming: no member or manager disclosure on Articles of Organization. Only the Registered Agent appears on the public record. New Hampshire: requires manager/member disclosure on the Articles or annual report (varies by state).
Foreign-LLC overhead
If you form in Wyoming but actually operate in New Hampshire, you must register the Wyoming LLC as a foreign LLC in New Hampshire. That means ANOTHER $100 New Hampshire state fee + ongoing New Hampshire compliance. Your savings on Wyoming's low fees usually evaporate in New Hampshire's foreign-LLC costs.
When Wyoming wins
You want maximum public-record privacy. You want the strongest possible charging-order asset protection. You are forming a HOLDING entity that has no operations anywhere (so no foreign-LLC overhead). You are a real estate investor using Wyoming as the named member of New Hampshire operating LLCs to keep your name off the New Hampshire public deed record.
When New Hampshire wins
You actually operate a business in New Hampshire (employees, lease, customers physically there). Forming in New Hampshire avoids the dual-state cost. For most operating businesses, forming in your home state is the right answer despite Wyoming's perks.
A clean handoff, in 5 steps.
Define your goal
Privacy, asset protection, lower fees, all of the above? The right answer depends entirely on what you are optimizing for.
Identify where you actually operate
If you have employees, a lease, or customers physically in New Hampshire, you do business in New Hampshire for foreign-LLC purposes. You cannot avoid New Hampshire registration by forming in Wyoming.
Run the dual-state math
Wyoming formation ($100 + $60/yr) + New Hampshire foreign LLC qualification (typical $100 fee + ongoing New Hampshire compliance) = TWO sets of state filings and fees. Compare to single New Hampshire formation (${state_fee} + 100/yr ongoing).
Consider the holding-company workaround
Form a Wyoming holding LLC, then form a New Hampshire operating LLC and name the Wyoming holding LLC as the sole member. The New Hampshire public record shows the Wyoming LLC, not your name. Best of both worlds for asset-protection + operations.
Pick and form
If Wyoming: we form your WY LLC + Wyoming Registered Agent. If New Hampshire: we form your New Hampshire LLC. Either way our service fee is $0; state fees pass through.
Formation is free. Everything else is optional.
We do not charge a service fee to form your LLC or Corporation. State filing fees still apply and pass through at cost. Add the Compliance Bundle to handle the year-one filings everyone needs.
- LLC or Corporation formation (any state)
- EIN application with the IRS
- Articles of Organization or Incorporation drafted and filed
- Free BOS dashboard for ongoing visibility
- Filing receipts to your document vault
- Everything in Free Formation (no add-on fee)
- Registered Agent service in your state (1 entity)
- Annual Report AutoFile, filed every year on time
- Certificate of Good Standing (1 included per year)
- 1 Amendment included per year (address, member, name)
- Operating Agreement (LLC) or Bylaws (Corp)
- Deadline monitoring across all your filings
Common questions.
Should I form my LLC in Wyoming or New Hampshire?
Form in New Hampshire if you actually operate there (employees, lease, customers in New Hampshire). Form in Wyoming if you specifically want anonymity, maximum asset protection, or are setting up a pure holding entity with no operations anywhere.
Is Wyoming really cheaper than New Hampshire?
On Wyoming-only formation, yes: $100 + $60/yr is below most states. But if you operate in New Hampshire, you ALSO have to register as a foreign LLC in New Hampshire (~$100 fee + ongoing New Hampshire compliance). Two sets of costs.
Can I form in Wyoming and avoid New Hampshire state income tax?
No, unless you genuinely have no nexus in New Hampshire. If you live in New Hampshire and operate from New Hampshire, you owe New Hampshire state income tax on your share of LLC income regardless of where the LLC is formed. The IRS and state tax authorities tax based on where you live and operate, not where the entity is registered.
What if my New Hampshire LLC just sits and holds assets — does Wyoming still help?
If the LLC truly has no operations in New Hampshire (just owns securities, IP, or holds title to property elsewhere), forming in Wyoming and skipping New Hampshire foreign-LLC registration is reasonable. Get tax counsel to confirm your nexus position.
Is Wyoming asset protection actually stronger than New Hampshire?
Yes, by statute and case law. Wyoming designates charging order as the SOLE remedy against an LLC member, including for single-member LLCs — a level of protection only ~4 states match (NM, NV, DE, WY). Most other states honor charging orders but with less aggressive single-member protection.
Can I move my existing New Hampshire LLC to Wyoming?
Yes via domestication (where New Hampshire allows outbound domestication) or merger (always available). See our domesticate-llc and redomesticate-to-delaware guides; same patterns apply for Wyoming.
Does Wyoming have anonymous LLC formation?
Yes. Wyoming does not require member or manager disclosure on the Articles of Organization. Only the Registered Agent appears on the public record. This is the main privacy advantage Wyoming has over most states.
What is the holding-company workaround?
Form a Wyoming holding LLC (no operations, just owns equity). Form a New Hampshire operating LLC for your actual business. Name the Wyoming LLC as the sole member of the New Hampshire LLC. The New Hampshire public record then shows the Wyoming LLC as the member, not your individual name. You get New Hampshire operational legitimacy + Wyoming privacy.
How much will the dual-state structure cost annually?
Wyoming: $60/yr Wyoming annual report + $99/yr Wyoming Registered Agent. New Hampshire: $100/yr annual report + $99/yr New Hampshire Registered Agent + New Hampshire foreign-LLC compliance. Typical total: $300-$500/yr ongoing across both states.
Where to next?
Every filing connects into your File.Business operating system. Pick where to go from here — we keep the rest tracked.