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From Estonia · Europe

Start a US company from Estonia

For Estonian founders who sell into the US as a US vendor or raise from US investors. An Estonian OÜ already gets you Stripe and pays no tax on profit it keeps, and Mercury and Wise Business both serve founders here. Estonia doesn't make a US company resident because you run it from here, but its income still reaches your return, so read that section first.

Start from Estonia From $351.40 in the first year

Launch + Wyoming filing; the tax return is separate.Checked by Saais Patel, compliance reviewer.

At a glance

Mercury takes applications from founders living in Estonia. Wise Business is the usual second account.

The banks, in detail
US tax treaty
In force
Local Stripe
Yes
Mercury
Yes
Currency
EUR
Our fee
from $249
Wyoming's fee
$102.40
Until we file
Refunded in full

You can form a US company while living in Estonia, without an SSN or a US visit, and Mercury and Wise Business both open for founders here. Launch starts at $351.40 in Wyoming, including our plan and state filing fee. An Estonian OÜ already gets you Stripe and pays no tax on profit it keeps, so the reason is usually US buyers or investors. The Estonian points: running a US company from here doesn't make it Estonian, but you declare its income.

Before you form

Start with whether a US company beats an OÜ for what you're building.

  • You may not need a US company

    A company that keeps its profit untaxed

    An Estonian OÜ pays no tax on profit it keeps, and 22/78 on what it distributes. Stripe supports it too.

    Getting access to Stripe
  • A Wyoming LLC or a C-Corp, after advice

    Selling into the US as a US vendor

    Some US buyers and platforms want a US contracting party. Running either from Estonia doesn't make it Estonian.

    US companies for SaaS
  • A Delaware C-Corp

    Raising from US investors

    US investors usually want a Delaware C-Corp. How its payments reach your Estonian return is the question for your adviser.

    Raising from US investors
  • A US subsidiary

    An Estonian company expanding to the US

    An Estonian OÜ can own a US company as its subsidiary. Price dealings between them at arm's length.

    US holding companies

BaseAcross's Wyoming LLC and Delaware C-Corp options for founders in Estonia

Wyoming LLC

Owner-run business selling to US customers, after advice.

State filing
$102.40
Yearly state charge
From $60
Wyoming LLC formation

Delaware C-Corp

Raising from US investors.

State filing
$110
Yearly state charge
$450 for the model shown
Delaware C-Corp formation

Both charges are the state's, before our plan, optional services and your advisers' fees. Wyoming sets a minimum yearly charge, and Delaware's franchise tax depends on how it's calculated. Staff, stock or premises in another state can bring obligations there. An S-corporation isn't an option, because nonresident aliens can't hold its shares.

Prepare the information

Different documents are needed at different stages.

You provide

Before state filing

  • Your proposed company name, business activity and chosen structure.
  • Owners' names exactly as on their passports, ownership shares, managers and home addresses.
  • How the company's profit will reach you, because Estonia wants all foreign income declared.
  • The approved company name and formation details.
  • The responsible party. Without an SSN or ITIN, the application goes on Form SS-4.
  • Accurate mailing and principal business addresses, and your signed authorization where required.
You confirm; we prepare

After formation, for the EIN

  • A passport for each owner the provider asks about.
  • Formation documents, the EIN confirmation and the operating agreement.
  • A real business address, your website, a description of the business and the source of funds, as each provider asks.
The provider verifies

For bank and payment applications

  • Your income tax return, with the company's income in the foreign income tables.
  • Any US tax paid, for the credit.
  • The operating agreement, for how your adviser classes the LLC's profit.
You and your tax adviser

For the Tax and Customs Board

You don't need an Estonian company to form a US company. The EIN is the US company's tax ID. Send identity documents through a secure request, and only the ones asked for.

How it works

Seven steps from Estonia to a maintained US company.

The state approves the company, the IRS issues the EIN and each provider approves its own account. In Estonia, you or your tax adviser handle the Tax and Customs Board; we don't file there.

You and your tax adviser

Check the Estonian side first

Decide whether a US company beats an OÜ for you, and how its profit will reach your Estonian return.

You leave this stage with: A structure and tax plan that fits Estonia's rules.

01 / 07

Plan the wait

Formation, the EIN and banking have separate timelines.

Published service estimates and prerequisites for a Wyoming company from Estonia

  1. Wyoming formationSame day
  2. Ordinary EINsix to eight weeks
  3. Expedited EINtwo to three weeks
  4. Bank and payment accountsProvider review
  5. US Stripe accountStripe's review

  1. Wyoming formation

    Same day

    The clock starts
    Complete filing accepted by the state
    What can change it
    Our order checks and filing batch come first. Expedited filing changes our queue; it doesn't speed up the EIN.

  2. Ordinary EIN

    six to eight weeks

    The clock starts
    EIN application after formation
    What can change it
    Included in the plan. This is our published estimate; the IRS queue can change.

  3. Expedited EIN

    two to three weeks

    The clock starts
    EIN application after formation
    What can change it
    Optional $199 service. An estimate, with issuance controlled by the IRS.

  4. Bank and payment accounts

    Provider review

    The clock starts
    Company and owner information ready
    What can change it
    Mercury, Wise and any other provider set their own timing, may ask for more documents and can decline an application.

  5. US Stripe account

    Stripe's review

    The clock starts
    US bank account and website ready
    What can change it
    Stripe reviews the business and the person behind it, and can decline.

These are service estimates, not promised completion dates. The IRS and each provider set their own processing times. Names or addresses that differ between documents slow every stage.

What it costs

The same price from Estonia as from anywhere.

Charged in US dollars, with the Wyoming state fee passed on at cost. Where you live changes which bank we introduce you to, not the price.

LLC cost calculator

Launch

To start

$351.40

$249 our fee + $102.40 Wyoming fee

Renews from $309 a year

OperateBilled yearly

To start

$2,490.40

$2,388 our fee + $102.40 Wyoming fee

Renews from $2,448 a year

Included in both plans

  • State formation filing
  • Registered agent and registered office
  • EIN application without an SSN
  • LLC Operating Agreement or corporate bylaws
  • Bank and payment application guidance
  • Filing calendar and reminders

What changes because you live here

The filing is the same from anywhere. Four things aren't.

Treaty status, payment availability, bank eligibility and time zones. Sources checked 14 October 2026; account approval remains with the provider.

1 of 4: The tax treaty

The tax treaty

The tax treaty: In force

The US–Estonia income tax treaty is in force.

It caps interest and royalties at 10%, and dividends at 15%, or 5% for a qualifying company shareholder. Pay for work you do in Estonia generally isn't US-source income, so the treaty matters less for a services business.

How Estonia sees it

Estonia goes by registration, not management, but you declare the income.

Residence, foreign income and the non-cooperative rule come from the Tax and Customs Board's own pages; the rates from PwC's summary. They run alongside the US steps below.

  1. If you run it from here

    The company

    Not Estonian-resident; only companies established under Estonian law are.

  2. Each year, on your return

    You

    Declare its income as foreign income, even if exempt or taxed abroad.

  3. If it's in a non-cooperative jurisdiction

    You, if residents control it

    A proportional part of its income counts as yours, paid out or not.

Worked example

A one-person LLC run from Tallinn, worked through

This is an illustration, not a quote. How the LLC's profit is classed on your return is for your tax adviser.

  1. Your Wyoming LLC makes €60,000 of profit, and you run it from Tallinn.

  2. Estonia doesn't make it Estonian-resident, because it wasn't established under Estonian law.

  3. If your adviser classes the profit as your business income, the flat 22% rate makes it €13,200.

  4. An OÜ earning the same and keeping it would pay nothing until it distributed.

What Estonia expects

Owning a US company doesn't take you out of Estonia's tax system.

Estonia treats only companies established under its own law as resident, wants residents to declare all foreign income, and taxes them on a controlled company's income in a non-cooperative jurisdiction.

Where it is established

A company is Estonian-resident only if it's established under Estonian law; there's no management test. Running a US company from Estonia doesn't make it Estonian.

Sources

Declaring foreign income

Residents declare all their foreign income in Estonia, including business income and income as a shareholder, even if it's exempt or already taxed abroad. Personal income tax is a flat 22%.

Sources

Non-cooperative jurisdictions

If Estonian residents control a legal person in a jurisdiction listed as non-cooperative for tax purposes, a proportional part of its income counts as theirs, paid out or not.

Sources

Residence

You're resident if your place of residence is in Estonia, or you stay here at least 183 days in 12 consecutive months.

Sources

On the record

We form US companies. We aren't Estonian tax advisers. These are the rules as they're generally published, they change, and how they apply to you depends on details this page can't know. Take this list to a tax adviser in Estonia before you order, and we'll tell you what the US forms need.

After formation

Someone has to own each filing, in each country.

US information reporting

A US LLC with one foreign owner is usually a disregarded entity that files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 when it has reportable transactions with you. Money you put in, take out or are paid for your work can count even in a year without sales. The IRS penalty for not filing starts at $25,000.

For a calendar-year company, the return is usually due 15 April, and Form 7004 requests an extension before then. A C-Corp, or an LLC with more than one owner, files different returns.

Form 5472 and the pro forma 1120
Who handles each formation, banking and filing responsibility
TaskWho handles itWhere the responsibility ends
Formation and EIN applicationBaseAcross prepares and submitsThe state approves formation; the IRS issues the EIN.
Bank and payment applicationsYou, with our guidanceThe provider verifies the information and decides.
Estonian returnYou and your tax adviserWe provide the US company records they need.
Annual state filingYou, or our optional filing serviceReminders are included; managed filing and the state charge are separate.
US federal returnsYou and your US tax preparerLaunch and Operate remind you; they don't file the return.

Prepare the conversation

Take these questions to your tax adviser before you order.

Bring the owners, where each lives, the operating agreement, how the company will pay you and the business activity. Each question is also in Estonian.

Download the checklist for your tax adviser (.txt)
  1. 01
    EN

    Is my US LLC's profit business income for me, or a dividend when it's paid out?

    ET

    Kas minu USA LLC kasum on minu jaoks ettevõtlustulu või väljamaksmisel dividend?

  2. 02
    EN

    Does running it from Estonia create a permanent establishment here?

    ET

    Kas selle juhtimine Eestist tekitab siin püsiva tegevuskoha?

  3. 03
    EN

    Could the rule on controlled companies in non-cooperative jurisdictions reach it?

    ET

    Kas mittekoostööaldistes jurisdiktsioonides asuvate kontrollitavate juriidiliste isikute reegel võib seda puudutada?

  4. 04
    EN

    How do I declare its income, and get credit for any US tax?

    ET

    Kuidas deklareerida selle tulu ja arvestada USA-s makstud maksu?

  5. 05
    EN

    Do I owe social tax on this income?

    ET

    Kas pean sellelt tulult maksma sotsiaalmaksu?

  6. 06
    EN

    Would an Estonian OÜ serve me better than a US company?

    ET

    Kas Eesti OÜ sobiks mulle paremini kui USA ettevõte?

  7. 07
    EN

    How should I keep records for the US return and my Estonian return?

    ET

    Kuidas pidada arvestust USA deklaratsiooni ja minu Eesti tuludeklaratsiooni jaoks?

Questions

Questions from Estonia.

If yours is not here, email us at hello@baseacross.com before you order.

Can an Estonian resident own a US LLC?

Yes. US law doesn't require an LLC's owners to be US citizens or residents, and formation, the EIN and the bank applications all happen remotely. The Estonian question is how its profit reaches your return.

Does running the company from Estonia make it Estonian?

No. A company is Estonian-resident only if it's established under Estonian law, and there's no management test. Its income still has to be declared, so ask your adviser how.

Do I declare the US company's income in Estonia?

Yes. Residents declare all their foreign income in Estonia, including business income and income as a shareholder, even if it's exempt or already taxed abroad.

Can Estonia tax me on profit the company keeps?

It can if Estonian residents control a legal person in a jurisdiction listed as non-cooperative for tax purposes. A proportional part of its income then counts as theirs, paid out or not.

Would an Estonian OÜ be simpler?

Often. An OÜ pays no tax on profit it keeps, and 22/78 on what it distributes, and Stripe supports it. A US company is for US buyers, platforms or investors that want one.

How much does a US company from Estonia cost?

Launch starts at $351.40: $249 for the plan plus $102.40 for the Wyoming filing. The plan and Wyoming's minimum yearly charge then total $309 a year. Your tax adviser's fees, US return preparation and Estonian filings are separate. Wyoming's license tax can be more than its $60 minimum.

Should I form a Wyoming LLC or a Delaware C-Corp from Estonia?

A Wyoming LLC suits an owner-run business selling to US customers, once you know how its profit reaches your Estonian return. A Delaware C-Corp suits raising from US investors. Nonresident aliens can't hold shares in an S-corporation.

Can I get an EIN without an SSN or ITIN?

Yes. Without an SSN or ITIN, the application goes on Form SS-4 instead of the IRS's online tool. We prepare it after the company is formed, and the IRS issues the number.

How long does it take from Estonia?

Each stage has its own clock. Wyoming's published turnaround is same day once a complete filing is accepted. Our ordinary EIN estimate is six to eight weeks after the application, or two to three weeks with the $199 expedited option. Banks, payment providers and Stripe each set their own review times. These are estimates, not promises.

Can I open a Mercury account from Estonia?

Usually you can apply. Estonia isn't on Mercury's list of countries it doesn't serve, and the list goes by where you live. Mercury still reviews each company and can decline.

Can I use Wise Business for the US company?

Usually, yes. Estonia is on Wise's list of places where people can hold money, so a US company run from Estonia can get USD account details. Wise reviews each business.

Do I pay US tax on work I do from Estonia?

Generally not. Pay for work you do in Estonia is generally not US-source income, so a US company with no US office or staff often owes no US income tax on it. A single-owner LLC still files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 when it has reportable transactions with you.

Is there a US–Estonia tax treaty?

Yes, it's in force. It caps interest and royalties at 10%, and dividends at 15%, or 5% for a qualifying company shareholder.

Does BaseAcross file the US and Estonian returns for me?

On Launch and Operate, we add deadlines and reminders; you or your accountant file the federal returns. Managed annual state compliance is an optional $149 service fee a year, with the state's charge separate. Your Estonian return is for you and your tax adviser.

Does my new US LLC need a BOI report?

US-created companies are exempt under FinCEN's current BOI rule, effective 14 August 2026. A company formed outside the US and registered to do business there is a different case. Banks still collect ownership details for their own checks.

Sources and editorial scope

Check the published rules behind the explanation.

Prepared by the BaseAcross team and reviewed by Saais Patel, compliance reviewer. Sources checked . This is general formation information, with source links for the tax and banking context. An individual tax or legal review remains with your qualified advisers.

Estonia

United States (IRS, Treasury and FinCEN)

Banks and payments

States

Residence and foreign income are read from the Tax and Customs Board's own pages. The rates come from PwC's Worldwide Tax Summaries. Confirm the current position with your tax adviser before acting.

Europe

Other countries in the region.

Every country

Ready when you are

Answer the questions. We do the filing.

It takes about four minutes. You see the whole order, state fee included, before anything is charged.

Compare the plans

Your company's route

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From

Tallinn

Estonia

To

Wyoming

LLC · Cheyenne, WY

Plan
Launch
First year
$351.40
To order
10 steps
Start from Estonia

Launch · $249 + $102.40 Wyoming · Same day