Wyoming LLC for privacy — do I still need a registered agent?

I run an online business selling digital courses. I currently operate as a sole proprietor and my home address is all over my business filings. I want to fix that. Everyone online says Wyoming is the best state for LLC privacy because they do not require member names on public filings.

My question is basic but I cannot find a straight answer: do I still need a registered agent in Wyoming even if I do not live there? And if so, does that defeat the privacy purpose since the agent’s address shows up on public records?

Fwiw yes, every LLC formed in Wyoming (or any state) must have a registered agent with a physical address in that state. This is a statutory requirement under Wyoming LLC Act § 17-28-101 et seq. The registered agent receives legal service of process and official state correspondence on behalf of your LLC 🤷.

It does not defeat the privacy purpose. The registered agent’s address appears on your public filings, not your personal address. That is the whole point. You hire a registered agent service (typically $50–$150 per year) and their address is what shows up on the Wyoming Secretary of State records.

One important caveat: the Corporate Ownership Transparency Act (COIA) reporting under FinCEN now requires most LLCs to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report. This is not public, but it is reported to the federal government. So while Wyoming gives you privacy from public searches, the government still knows who you are.

I went through this exact decision last year. Looked at Wyoming, New Mexico, and Delaware. Here is my take after actually doing it:

Wyoming is great for privacy and has no state income tax, but the annual report is $60 minimum. New Mexico has zero annual report requirement and does not list members publicly, but it is less well-known and some banks are weird about NM LLCs. Delaware has the best case law for LLCs but the franchise tax adds up and the privacy is not as strong as WY.

I ended up going Wyoming. The registered agent costs me $99 a year and I use their address for everything. Totally worth it.

Thanks, that clears things up. One more question — I live in Oregon. If I form a Wyoming LLC but operate the business from Oregon, do I need to register as a foreign LLC in Oregon too? Because that would put my address on Oregon records and kind of defeat the purpose.

Technically yes. If you are conducting business in Oregon (which includes operating from Oregon, having employees there, or having a physical office), most states require foreign LLC registration. Oregon is no exception under ORS 63.701.

However, for a purely online digital course business with no physical presence, employees, or in-state clients, the nexus question gets murkier. Many online business owners in this situation rely on the argument that they are not “transacting business” in the state for purposes of foreign registration. This is a gray area and the risk tolerance is yours to evaluate.

In Oregon specifically, you can use a registered agent for the foreign LLC registration as well, so your home address does not have to be on the Oregon filing. That gives you privacy in both states.

I sell digital courses too and I will share what my attorney told me: the privacy thing is nice but it is not bulletproof. If someone sues you, your identity comes out in discovery. If the IRS audits you, they already know. The privacy mainly protects you from casual internet searches, stalkers, and people scraping secretary of state databases.

For what it is worth, that was enough for me. I did not want my home address on a public database. Wyoming LLC with a registered agent solved that problem for about $250 all-in for the first year.