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US LLC (Wyoming) · via doola·🇩🇪Founder profile

Forming a Wyoming LLC for German Indie Developers

VerifiedJul 2026
EligibilityEligible
Setup timeline21–45days
Year-1 total$297.00

German indie developers can utilize a Wyoming LLC to access the US market and payment processors. This structure offers limited liability protection while maintaining a pass-through tax status for US federal purposes.

You must comply with both US federal tax reporting obligations and German foreign entity disclosure requirements. Proper documentation is required to avoid significant penalties from both the IRS and the Finanzamt.

§ 01Cost of ownership

Model the full outlay, not just the setup fee

Renewal costs sneak up on non-resident founders. Compare year-1 filing against a 3-year total to see the real bill.
Currency · USD (live FX)
2-year cost of ownership
$594.00
$24.75/month amortized·USD @ live FX
Time horizon
Line items
Amount
  • Setupdoola setup
    $297.00
  • AnnualYear 2 renewal
    $297.00
Total$594.00
§ 02Tax residency · German Indie Developers

What the tax authority sees

US federal / local status

Wyoming LLCs are pass-through entities for US federal tax purposes, meaning income is taxed at the member level unless the entity is classified as a corporation or ETBUS (Engaged in Trade or Business in the United States).

Home-country rule

AO §138 Anzeigepflicht (foreign entity disclosure); CFC rules

Editorial verdict

Use doola to handle your EIN and registered agent, but consult a German tax advisor regarding AO §138 disclosure requirements before finalizing your structure.

Key compliance risks
  • 01Form 5472 and 1120 penalty of $25,000 for late or incomplete filing
  • 02German CFC (Hinzurechnungsbesteuerung) rules may apply to undistributed profits
  • 03Mandatory AO §138 reporting to German Finanzamt for foreign business interests
§ 03Setup timeline

From filing to funded bank account

Setup timeline
21–45days total, 3 phases
Milestone check
Filing · Tax ID · Banking
d0
d11
d23
d34
d45
01Filingdoola submits formation docs
d0–d16
02Tax ID / EINIRS EIN issuance
d14–d34
03BankingBusiness account approved & funded
d27–d45
§ 04Head-to-head

US LLC (Wyoming) vs Estonia OÜ (e-Residency)

US LLC (Wyoming)
LLC
Estonia OÜ (e-Residency)
Entity
LLC
Setup cost
$102.00
$205.20
Annual
$60.00
$129.60
Local director
Remote OK
Remote OK
Physical presence
Remote OK
Remote OK
Tax regime
0% state tax; federal only on US-source income
20% only on distributed profit; 0% on retained earnings
§ 05Questions founders actually ask

FAQ

If your LLC is not ETBUS (Engaged in Trade or Business in the United States) and has no US-sourced income, you may not owe US federal income tax. However, you must still file informational returns like Form 5472.
Next step

Start filing with doola

Formation typically completes in 2–3 weeks. Use the promo below, then click through to begin the checklist directly on the platform.