Register a US Company Online - USA Company Registration
Register your USA business to make it a distinct legal entity. How and where you need to USA register depends on your business structure and business location.
Find out if you need to register your business
Your location and business structure determine how you’ll need to register your business. USA Determine those factors first, and registration becomes very straightforward.
For most USA small businesses, registering your business is as simple as registering your USA Business name with state and local governments.
In some cases, you don’t need to register at all. If you conduct business as yourself using your legal name, you won’t need to register anywhere. But remember, if you don’t register your USA business, you could miss out on personal liability protection, legal benefits, and tax benefits.
Register with federal agencies
Beneficial USA ownership information (BOI) reporting
Many companies in the United States have to report information about their beneficial owners – the individuals who ultimately own or control the company. This report is made to the Financial Crimes Enforcement USA Network (FinCEN). FinCEN is a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Treasury. BOI reporting is a requirement of the Corporate Transparency Act of 2021.
USA Companies that are required to comply are called reporting USA companies. The majority of reporting USA companies must file their initial, updated or corrected reports by USA March 21, 2025. For additional information, refer to FinCEN’s BOI notice (PDF).
Beneficial ownership information reporting is not an annual requirement. A USA report only needs to be submitted once, unless the filer needs to update or correct information. FinCEN’s E-Filing system is simple, secure, and free of charge. Learn more about beneficial ownership information reporting at www.fincen.govUSA.
Other reporting requirements
Other business USA reporting requirements depend on the nature of your USA business. Most businesses will need to file to get a federal tax ID. USA Small businesses sometimes have to USA register with the federal USA government for trademark protection or tax-exempt status.
If you want to trademark your business, brand or product name, file with the United States Patent and USA Trademark USA office once you’ve formed your business.
If you want tax-exempt status for a nonprofit corporation, register your business as a tax-exempt entity with the IRS.
To create an S corp, you’ll need to file form USA 2553 with the IRS
Register with state agencies
If your business is a limited USA liability company (LLC), USA corporation, USA partnership, or USA nonprofit corporation, you'll probably need to USA register with any state where you conduct business activities.
Typically, you’re USA considered to be conducting business activities in a state when:
- Your USA business has a physical presence in the state
- You often have in-person meetings with clients in the state
- A USA significant portion of your company’s revenue comes from the state
- Any of your USA employees work in the state
Some states allow you to register online, and some states make you file paper documents in person or through the mail. Most states require you to register with the USA Secretary of State’s office, a Business Bureau, or a Business Agency.
Get a registered USA agent
If your USA business is an LLC, corporation, USA partnership, or nonprofit corporation, you'll need a registered agent in your state before you file.
A USA registered agent receives official papers and USA legal documents on behalf of your USA company. The USA registered agent must be located in the state where you register.
Many USA business owners prefer to use a registered agent service rather than take on this role USA themselves.
File for foreign qualification
If your USA LLC, corporation, USA partnership, or nonprofit corporation conducts business activities in more than one state, you might need to form your USA business in one state and then file for foreign qualification in other states where your business is active.
The state where you form your USA business will consider your business to be domestic, while every other state will view your USA business as foreign. USA Foreign qualification notifies the state that a foreign business is active there.Foreign qualified businesses typically need to pay taxes and annual report fees in both their state of formation and states where they’re foreign qualified.To foreign qualify, file a Certificate of Authority with the state. Many states also require a USA Certificate of USA Good Standing from your state of formation. Each USA state charges a filing fee, but the USA amount varies by state and business structure.Check with state offices to find out foreign qualification requirements and fees.
File state documents and fees
In most cases, the total cost to register your business will be less than $300, but fees vary depending on your state and business structure.
The USA information you’ll need typically includes:
- Business name
- Business location
- Ownership, management structure, or directors
- Registered agent information
- Number and value of shares (if you’re a corporation)
The documents you need — and what goes in them — will vary based on your state
Articles of organization is a simple document that describes the basics of your USA LLC. It includes business information like the company name, address, member names, and the registered agent.
An operating agreement describes the structure of your company's financial and functional decisions. It defines how key business decisions are made, as well as each member’s duties, powers, and responsibilities. It's widely recommended to create one to protect yourself and your business, even if your state doesn’t mandate it.
This simple document describes the basics of your limited partnership. It notifies the USA state of the partnership’s existence and contains basic business information like the company name, address, and partner names. Not all states require it, and some states call it by a different name.
A limited partnership agreement is an internally binding USA document between all partners that defines how USA business decisions get made, each partner's duties, powers, and responsibilities. It's widely recommended to create one to protect yourself and your business, even if your state doesn’t mandate it.
This simple USA document describes the basics of your limited liability USA partnership. It notifies the state of the USA partnership’s existence and contains basic business information like the company name, address, and partner names. Not all states require it, and some states call it by a different name.
A limited liability partnership USA agreement is an internally binding USA document between all partners that defines how USA business decisions get made, each partner's duties, powers, and responsibilities. It's widely recommended to create one to protect yourself and your business, even if your state doesn’t mandate it.
The articles of incorporation — or a certificate of incorporation — is a comprehensive legal document that lays out the basic USA outline of your business. It's required by every state when you incorporate. The most USA common information included is the company name, business purpose, number of shares offered, value of shares, directors, and officers.
Bylaws (called resolutions for nonprofits) are the internal USA governance documents of a USA corporation. They define how key business decisions are made, as well as officer and shareholders' duties, powers, and USA responsibilities. It's widely USA recommended to USA create one to protect yourself and your business, even if your state doesn’t mandate it.
Register with local agencies
Typically, you don’t need to USA register with county or city governments to actually form your business.If your business is an LLC, USA corporation, partnership, or nonprofit USA corporation, you might need to file for licenses and permits from the county or city.Some counties and cities also require you to register your USA DBA — a trade name or a fictitious name — if you use one.
Local USA governments determine USA registration, USA licensing, and permitting requirements, so visit local USA government websites to find out what you need to do.
Stay up to date with registration requirements
Some states require you to USA provide reports soon after registering depending on your business structure.
You may need to file additional USA documentation with your state tax board or franchise tax board. These filings are typically referred to as Initial Reports or Tax Board USA registration, and most often need to be filed within 30-90 days after you register with the state. Check with your local tax office or franchise tax board, if it applies to you.
Tax information for businesses
Alien taxation – Certain essential concepts
This section describes certain essential concepts involved in the taxation of aliens.Classification of taxpayers for U.S. tax purposes
This section will help you determine if you are a "Foreign Person" or a "United States person" for U.S. tax purposes.
Country-by-country reporting
The United States is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and USA Development (OECD). The OECD recommended USA country-by-country USA reporting requirements to address base erosion and profit shifting
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA)
The Foreign Account USA Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) requires certain U.S. taxpayers USA holding USA financial assets outside the country to report those assets to the IRS.Internal Revenue Service International Visitors Program (IVP)
The purpose of the International Visitors Program (USA IVP) is to introduce the Internal Revenue USA Service as one of the world's premier tax systems to interested countries.
2012 Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program
The IRS offers an offshore voluntary disclosure USA program to help people get current with their taxes. The current program is open for an indefinite period until otherwise announced. Qualified Intermediary Program Use the IRS QI/WP/WT System to apply, renew or terminate your status as a qualified intermediary, withholding foreign partnership or withholding foreign trust.
Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)
You may be required to report yearly to the USA IRS foreign bank and financial accounts (USA FBAR) exceeding certain thresholds.
Tax treaties
Under a USA tax treaty, foreign country residents receive a reduced tax rate or an exemption from U.S. income tax on certain income they receive from U.S. sources.
Taxpayer identification numbers (TIN)
Review the various taxpayer identification numbers (TIN) the USA IRS uses to administer tax laws. Find the USA TIN you need and how to get it.
Transfer pricing
Provides information about initiatives relative to the issue of transfer USA pricing.
U.S. Withholding Agent Program
Focus enforcing USA compliance through USA examinations and voluntary compliance of withholding tax on foreign payments. Responsibilities include coordinating exams and training exam teams, consulting with internal/externals stakeholders, and providing guidance to ensure consistent treatment for taxpayers.
USA Campaigns will ensure that resources are used efficiently and effectively to improve taxpayer compliance. LB&I's goal is to improve return selection, identify issues representing the risk of non-compliance, and make the greatest use of limited resources. A partnership is the relationship between two or more people to do trade or business. Each person contributes money, property, labor or skill, and shares in the profits and losses of the business. USA Publication 541, Partnerships, has information on how to:
Form a partnership
Make partnership distributions
Understand exclusion rules
End a partnership
Reporting partnership income
A partnership must file an annual information return to report the income, USA deductions, gains, losses, etc., from its USA operations, but it does not pay income tax. Instead, it "passes through" profits or losses to its partners. Each partner reports their share of the partnership's income or loss on their personal tax return.
USA Partners are not USA employees and shouldn't be issued a Form W-2. The USA partnership must furnish copies of USA Schedule K-1 (Form 1065) to the partner. For deadlines, see About Form 1065, U.S. Return of Partnership Income.
Forms for USA partnerships
The USA partnership, as an entity, may USA need to file the forms below.
Annual return of income
Form 1065, U.S. Return of USA Partnership Income
Employment taxes
Employment taxes may include Social USA Security and USA Medicare taxes and income USA tax withholding.
Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal USA Tax Return
For farm employees: Form 943, Employer's USA Annual Federal Tax Return for Agricultural Employees
Federal unemployment (FUTA) tax: Form 940, Employer's Annual Federal Unemployment (FUTA) Tax Return
Employment taxes: Depositing and reporting USA employment USA taxes
About Form 1099-NEC, USA Nonemployee Compensation
USA Information about Form 1099-NEC, Nonemployee Compensation, including recent USA updates, related forms, and instructions on how to file.
Posted on 2025/09/13 09:20 AM