Many UK founders form a US LLC or C-Corp to bill American clients in dollars, use Stripe properly, sell on US marketplaces, or satisfy US investors. This guide covers the state choice, the EIN without a US Social Security number, banking, and the yearly filings you need to keep track of.
Why UK founders set up a US company
If you sell software, services, or products to US customers, a US company makes life easier. Stripe and other US payment processors work more smoothly with a US business entity and a US bank account. Some US marketplaces and platforms ask for a US tax ID before they pay out. US investors and accelerators often expect a Delaware C-Corp, not a UK limited company, before they write a check.
None of this requires a US visa or a trip to the US. You can form the company, get its tax ID, and open its bank account while staying in the UK the whole time.
No visa, no US visit needed
This is one of the most common misunderstandings. Forming a US LLC or C-Corp is a paperwork process, not an immigration process. Owning a US company does not give you the right to live or work in the US, and it does not require you to travel there. You handle formation, tax registration, and banking online or through your registered agent.
Choosing a state: Wyoming or Delaware
Most UK founders running an online business, a service company, or an e-commerce store choose Wyoming. It has low ongoing costs, simple annual reporting, and fast formation.
If you are raising venture capital or plan to issue stock options to a US-based team, Delaware is the standard choice for a C-Corp. US investors are used to Delaware's corporate law and expect it.
| Factor | Wyoming LLC | Delaware C-Corp |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Freelancers, SaaS, e-commerce, agencies | Venture-backed startups |
| Formation speed | 1 to 3 business days | 1 to 3 business days |
| Ongoing complexity | Lower | Higher, more corporate formalities |
| Investor familiarity | Lower | Higher |
If you are not sure which structure fits your plans, a free consultation covers this before you commit.
Getting an EIN without a US Social Security number
Every US LLC or corporation needs an EIN, the federal tax ID, even before it earns any income. As a UK founder without an SSN, you can still get one. The IRS processes non-resident EIN applications, but it takes longer than for a US resident, typically 2 to 4 weeks. If you need it faster, an expedited EIN service can cut that down to days.
You do not need an ITIN to get an EIN as a foreign owner. The EIN is tied to your company, not to a personal US tax number.
Opening a US business bank account
Once your EIN is issued, you can apply for a US business bank account. PowerLaunch introduces clients to Mercury, Wise Business, and Relay after the EIN is ready. Each bank makes its own approval decision based on its own checks, and approval is never guaranteed by PowerLaunch or by us naming these partners. Most founders who apply with a clean company record and a real business purpose get approved without issue.
Having a US bank account matters because it lets you connect Stripe properly, pay US-based contractors or tools in dollars, and avoid repeated currency conversion costs on every transaction.
Yearly US filings you cannot skip
Owning a US LLC as a foreign, non-resident owner comes with specific federal filing duties, even if the company made no profit or had no US activity.
- Form 5472 with a pro forma 1120: due by 15 April each year, for foreign-owned single-member LLCs. This is an information return, not necessarily a tax bill, but missing it carries real risk, so file it every year without exception.
- State annual report: most states, including Wyoming, require a yearly filing to keep your company in good standing. Miss it and the state can dissolve your company.
- BOI reporting: under the current 2026 interim FinCEN rule, US-formed companies are exempt from beneficial ownership reporting. Rules can change, so check FinCEN's site if you want to confirm the latest position before you rely on this.
Your UK tax position
Forming a US company does not remove your UK tax obligations. Depending on how you are taxed personally and how the US LLC is treated, you may need to report the company's income, its ownership, or dividends on your UK tax return. There are also UK rules about controlled foreign companies and offshore disclosures that can apply to founders who own foreign entities.
These rules depend on your personal residence status, the structure you choose, and how you take money out of the company. This guide will not guess at specific UK rates or thresholds, because they change and depend on your situation. Talk to a UK-qualified accountant or tax adviser who can look at your full picture before you file anything, alongside the US-side guidance you get through PowerLaunch.
How PowerLaunch handles this for UK founders
PowerLaunch forms the LLC or C-Corp, files for the EIN, drafts your operating agreement or bylaws, and sets you up with a registered agent, a virtual mailing and business address, and the AI assistant inside MyCG.AI. That is the Launch plan, $295 a year plus the state filing fee at cost.
If you want the annual state report, a licensed tax professional consultation, the actual 5472 and pro forma 1120 filed for you, transaction tracking, Stripe invoicing, and live financial reports handled all year, that is the Run plan at $1,995 a year. Scale, at $2,995 a year or $329 a month, adds expedited EIN, free dissolution if you ever close the company, live call scheduling, and a dedicated bookkeeper.
State fees are charged at cost on top of any plan and are never refundable. If PowerLaunch makes a formation error, we fix it at our cost and refund that part of the fee.
What to do next
If you are ready to start, go to powerlaunch.solutions/signup and pick Launch, Run, or Scale based on how much ongoing support you want.
If you want to talk through Wyoming versus Delaware, the EIN timeline, or how the yearly filings fit your plans first, book a free 20-minute consultation at powerlaunch.solutions/book. You can also email contact@powerlaunch.solutions or use the site assistant any time.
