What states offer anonymous LLCs?
There are a number of states that offer LLCs the ability to remain anonymous. This can be a great way to protect your privacy, as well as the privacy of your business associates.
The following states offer anonymous LLCs: Alaska, Delaware, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Each state has its own requirements for setting up an anonymous LLC, so be sure to check with the Secretary of State in the state where you plan to form your LLC.
Some of the benefits of forming an anonymous LLC include:
- Keeping your name and home address off the public business registry
- Reducing exposure to nuisance lawsuits and tenant lookups on owned property
- Separating your personal identity from your real estate holdings
- Layering privacy when paired with a registered-agent and a holding-company structure
How the major states compare
- Wyoming — the investor favorite: no member/manager disclosure on public filings, low fees, strong charging-order protection, and no state income tax.
- New Mexico — the lowest-cost option, with no annual report requirement and no public member listing.
- Delaware — members aren’t named publicly; popular for its mature business-court system, though annual franchise tax applies.
- Nevada — strong privacy and no state income tax, but higher fees and a business-license requirement.
- Alaska — does not list members publicly, though it’s used less often than the four above.
How anonymity actually works
You don’t file a “secret” LLC — you keep your name off the public record by using a registered agent (and often a separate manager or holding company) as the public point of contact. The state still maintains lawful channels, and your formation documents and operating agreement identify the real owners.
Federal beneficial-ownership reporting in 2026
Keeping a name off a state form is not the same thing as a federal exemption. FinCEN’s BOI page was updated August 11, 2026. It says U.S. companies are exempt from beneficial ownership information reporting and are no longer required to file those reports. The final rule took effect August 14, 2026. Only certain foreign companies that register to do business in the United States must report. They do not report U.S. persons who are beneficial owners or company applicants. Disregard older guidance that still tells domestic LLCs to file. Read the alert on that page, then ask your attorney how it applies to a foreign holding company if you use one.
Why investors title rentals this way
Holding each property — or a small group — in a privacy-focused LLC limits what an opposing party can find in a quick search and cleanly separates assets for liability purposes. Jaken Finance Group funds business-purpose investment loans to entities, so LLC vesting fits naturally into how we close.
State-by-state comparison table
| State | Member names public? | Annual report | State income tax | Charging order strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | No | Yes (~$60) | None | Strongest — exclusive remedy |
| New Mexico | No | None required | None | Strong |
| Delaware | No | Yes (franchise tax) | None for out-of-state LLCs | Strong — Chancery Court |
| Nevada | No | Yes + business license | None | Strong |
| Alaska | No | Yes | None | Moderate |
Formation costs run $100–$500 depending on state and registered agent. Annual maintenance ranges from $0 (New Mexico) to $500+ (Nevada with business license).
Worked example: privacy LLC for a rental portfolio
An investor owns four rentals across Illinois and Indiana:
| Property | Title holder | Public record shows |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago two-flat | Chicago Prop 1 LLC | Registered agent only |
| Gary duplex | Gary Prop 2 LLC | Registered agent only |
| Indianapolis SFR | Indy Prop 3 LLC | Registered agent only |
| Holding entity | Wyoming Holdings LLC | Registered agent only |
Wyoming Holdings LLC owns the four state LLCs. A tenant or opposing party searching the investor’s name on county recorder sites finds entity names — not the investor’s home address.
Financing closes in each property LLC: DSCR at 5.75%–10.5% on stabilized holds, hard money at 8.99%–13.5% on value-add acquisitions.
Limitations investors must understand
Public silence is not lender silence. A domestic LLC may be off the FinCEN BOI filing list under the August 2026 rule, and the lender and the title company still collect the names of the people who own and guarantee the deal.
Foreign vs. domestic LLC. Some states treat out-of-state LLCs differently for land-title and tax purposes. An Illinois property is typically best held by an Illinois LLC (or series LLC) even if a Wyoming holding company sits above it.
Charging order protection varies. Privacy and charging order strength are related but distinct. See what is charging order protection.
Lender requirements. Jaken Finance Group closes to LLCs but requires guarantor packages — anonymity from the public registry does not eliminate underwriting disclosure to the lender.
Resources: should I hold real estate in an LLC · asset protection for Tennessee investors · pre-qualify entity loan
Entity stack and lender KYC — practical sequence
Privacy from public registries does not eliminate lender beneficial-owner disclosure. Typical stack: Wyoming holding LLC → property LLC in the asset state → close DSCR or hard money in the property LLC with guarantor package.
Order: form property LLC → EIN → operating agreement aligned with vesting → then loan application. Should I hold real estate in an LLC · Pre-qualify.
What Wyoming’s formation record actually asks for
Wyoming’s formation statute, W.S. 17-29-201, says the articles must state the company name and the registered agent’s name and street address. Member names are not on that required list. The Secretary of State’s articles of organization matches the statute. The form, revised June 2021, asks for the name, a close-LLC election if you want one, the registered agent, a mailing address, the principal office, and the organizer’s signature. It does not have a line for members or managers.
The instructions revised in May 2022 list a $100 filing fee. W.S. 17-29-210 sets the same $100 fee for the original articles. Those instructions say processing can take up to 15 business days and that Wyoming does not offer expedited filing. Paper checks go to the Wyoming Secretary of State. Online filing is through the state’s business site named on the form.
The annual report is a different document. W.S. 17-29-209 requires a certification of capital, property, and assets located and employed in Wyoming, plus the principal office address. The license fee is $60 or two-tenths of one mill on the dollar, whichever is greater. The section does not require a member roster. The May 2022 instructions say the report is due on the first day of the anniversary month. If it is not paid within 60 days of the due date, the state can dissolve the company.
What Delaware’s certificate has to include
Delaware’s certificate of formation statute, 6 Del. C. § 18-201, requires three things: the LLC name, the registered office address, and the registered agent’s name and address. Members may add other matters. They are not required to list themselves. The company exists when the certificate is filed, or at a later time stated in the certificate.
The Division of Corporations explains the practical steps on its how to form page. Every entity needs a registered agent with a physical street address in Delaware. A name reservation is optional. It holds the name for 120 days and the fee on that page is $75. The division’s phone number on the page is (302) 739-3073. That office does not underwrite a mortgage. It accepts the certificate.
The same Delaware page describes beneficial-ownership reporting as a FinCEN topic and points foreign entities to FinCEN. Pair that with the August 2026 update above before you treat a domestic Delaware LLC as a BOI filer.
The deed still shows the company
Anonymity in these two states is about the member list at the filing office. It is not a hidden deed. County land records show the grantee. If the grantee is “Harbor Two LLC,” a searcher sees that name and, if they pull the state file, the registered agent. The operating agreement and the lender’s guarantor package are where the people appear.
Illustration. An investor takes title to a rental in Harbor Two LLC, formed in Wyoming. The county grantor index shows Harbor Two LLC. The articles show a Cheyenne registered agent and no member line, because the form described above has none. The same investor signs a personal guaranty for the loan. A tenant who searches the recorder does not get a home address from the articles. The lender and the title company still do. That split is the point of the structure, and also its limit.
Nevada’s creditor statute is covered on charging order protection. The formation records confirmed here are Wyoming and Delaware. Open the current articles form in any other state, including Nevada, New Mexico, and Alaska, before you rely on member privacy there.
What Jaken Finance Group still collects
A loan file is not a public registry. Jaken Finance Group closes business-purpose loans to entities on non-owner-occupied property in all 50 states. Expect an operating agreement, an EIN letter, formation evidence, and a guarantor package even when the articles omit members. Fix-and-flip and bridge loans are interest-only from 8.99 percent to 13.5 percent and can close in 7 to 10 business days on a complete file. Flip terms run 6 to 12 months, up to 100 percent of cost on a qualified file, capped at 75 percent of after-repair value. Bridge terms run 12 to 24 months, up to 90 percent of the purchase price. DSCR loans are 5.75 percent to 10.5 percent and close in about 14 business days.
Formation sequence that matches a closing
- Choose the state whose form you have actually read, and appoint the registered agent that form requires.
- File articles that satisfy that statute. Add members only if you intend them to be public.
- Sign an operating agreement that names the members, even if the state never sees it.
- Get an EIN and a bank account in the LLC name before rent or earnest money hits a personal account.
- Vest the deed in the LLC that will be the borrower, or plan an assignment of contract that title will accept.
- Send the guarantor package with the loan request. Public privacy does not replace it.
Call (833) 264-7776 when the contract names an entity that is not formed yet. Title needs the company to exist before it can insure the deed. Start with should I hold real estate in an LLC.
Rates, terms and conditions offered only to qualified borrowers and are subject to change at any time without notice. Closing times are in business days and commence upon satisfaction of borrower conditions. All loans are subject to full underwriting for loan approvals. Jaken Finance Group only finances non-owner occupied investment properties.
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