On this page · 6 sections
| Document | Issued by | When you get it | Who asks for it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stamped Articles of Organization (Wyoming) or Certificate of Formation (Delaware) | The state, on approval | The same day it is filed in Wyoming; two to three weeks in Delaware | Banks, payment processors, marketplaces and clients' supplier forms |
| File number and formation date | The state, on the stamped document | With the articles | Bank forms and every later state filing |
| EIN confirmation letter (CP 575) | The IRS, once | When the EIN is assigned | Banks, processors, marketplaces and tax forms |
| Signed operating agreement | Drafted by us, signed by the members | At formation | Banks, investors, and a court if it ever comes to that |
| Registered agent details | The agent | At formation | The yearly state filing, bank forms, and anyone serving legal papers |
| Receipt for the state fee | The state | At filing | Your accountant, and Form 5472, where paying the fee counts as a reportable transaction |
A corporation has bylaws instead of an operating agreement, along with the incorporator's action, the first board consent, the stock ledger, the founders' share certificates or book entries, and any 83(b) elections.
| They ask for | Send |
|---|---|
| Proof the company exists | The stamped articles, or a recent certificate of good standing |
| Proof of the EIN | The CP 575 letter, or a 147C letter if it's lost |
| Who owns and runs the company | The operating agreement, and a certificate of incumbency if it's a bank abroad |
| A US address for the company | Your principal address, which can be abroad, or a virtual mailbox if a platform insists. Not the registered agent's |
| Documents for use in your own country | A certificate of good standing or certified articles, with an apostille |
| Document | Wyoming | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of good standing | Free online; $20 certified | $50 short form; $175 long form, listing every filing |
| Certified copy of the articles | $10 for the certification | $50, ordered with the filing or later |
| Apostille | From the Secretary of State, on a certified document | From the Division of Corporations, on a certified document |
- A certificate of good standing confirms the company exists and is up to date with its filings. Banks abroad and some platforms want one dated within the last few months. Delaware's long form lists every filing, which a bank doing deeper checks may ask for.
- A certified copy of the filed articles, from the state, is for when a stamped copy isn't enough.
- An apostille is added by the Secretary of State to a certified document so authorities in other Hague Convention countries accept it. Countries outside the Convention ask for legalisation through their consulate instead. An IRS letter is a federal document, so its apostille comes from the US Department of State, not the state. You can order one from us.
- A certificate of incumbency, signed by the company's manager or an officer, lists who holds which position. Some banks abroad ask for one.
Ask the state for a certified copy of the articles, or print a fresh good-standing certificate. Ask the IRS by phone for a 147C letter in place of the CP 575, because the IRS issues the CP 575 only once; CP 575 or 147C explains how. A lost operating agreement can be re-signed by the members on the same terms, noting the original date.
Each document goes into your documents when it arrives, with the certificate and the EIN letter at the top, so the current versions are in one place when a bank asks. Keep any paper originals too, and scan the CP 575 the day it arrives.
That the company's legal name is spelled the same everywhere, the EIN matches the IRS letter, the addresses agree, and the owner's name on the operating agreement matches the passport. When a bank declines for a reason other than your country, a mismatch between two documents is a common cause, so read everything through once before you apply. A US bank account for a non-resident's LLC lists what each bank asks for.
Sources
Checked by Saais Patel against these official pages.
Next in Starting out:How long a US company takes to form from abroad, step by step