Wyoming's annual report: what it asks, what it costs, and what if it's late

On the first day of the month the company was formed in, every year, starting the year after formation. A company formed on 20 March files by 1 March in each following year.

The annual report licence tax is $60, or $0.0002 for every dollar of the company's assets located and used in Wyoming, whichever is more. Any company with $300,000 or less of assets in Wyoming pays $60, and that covers almost every company run from abroad. A company with $1 million of property in Wyoming would pay $200. Filed online, the card processor adds a small convenience fee on top.

• The company's principal office address, which can be abroad.
• A mailing address.
• The value of the company's assets in Wyoming, for the tax: zero, for most.
• The name of the person filing.

It doesn't ask for members, managers or owners, and Wyoming's public record doesn't show them.

Online, on the Secretary of State's website, with the company's filing number and a Visa or Mastercard, in a few minutes. You can file up to 120 days before the due date. The state emails a reminder 60, 30 and 10 days ahead from SOS_AnnualReports@wyo.gov, so keep the company's email on file current and that address out of spam. Every plan puts the date on your calendar, with a reminder a month ahead. You can file it yourself, or add annual state compliance for $149 a year and we'll file it and pass the state's fee on at cost.

The company is delinquent from the second day of the month after the due date. If the tax still isn't paid 60 days after the due date, Wyoming can start dissolving the company and sends a notice. If nothing is put right within 60 days of that notice, the state dissolves the company. A dissolved company can be reinstated within two years by filing the missed reports and paying the missed tax plus a $100 reinstatement fee. After that, a new company has to be formed. Reinstatement costs more than the report and takes time, which is the best argument for keeping the date on a calendar.

The annual report updates the principal office and mailing addresses. Between reports, the state's Update Form changes the principal office, mailing address, phone and email. Changing the registered agent, the company's name or anything in the articles is a separate filing with its own fee, covered in amending your articles.