Wyoming's Secretary of State runs a Business Division from the Herschler Building East in Cheyenne. That division forms LLCs and corporations, accepts annual reports and issues certificates. Its online system is called WyoBiz, and it handles both the public company search and most filings.
Two details matter more here than in most states. The yearly report is tied to a license tax on Wyoming assets, so a company with large assets pays more than the $60 minimum. And the deadline is the first day of your anniversary month, not the last day of it.
Searching Wyoming company records
The WyoBiz filing search is where you check a company or test a name. Type part of a name with Starts With or Contains, or enter the Filing ID if you have it. The state calls this its name availability search, and it is the same tool.
| Official business search | wyobiz.wyo.gov/Business/FilingSearch.aspx (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| You can search by | business name, entity or file number (wyobiz.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Name availability check | wyobiz.wyo.gov/Business/FilingSearch.aspx (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| What a result means | Filer is responsible for searching before registering; a name found non-distinguishable can cost extra paperwork and fees (W.S. 17-16-401). (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
- Search both singular and plural forms of a name; if either is found the name is not available.
- The name availability search ignores spaces, punctuation and capitalization.
- Search without non-distinguishable words: A, The, And, &, punctuation, plurals, and designators like LLC, Inc., Company, Co.
- Results may include Inactive - Administratively Dissolved or Inactive - Revoked records; the name is available only if the sub-status is Archived.
- Search by Filing Name (Starts With or Contains) or Filing ID.
From sos.wyo.gov, checked .
You are the one responsible for that search. Under W.S. 17-16-401, if your chosen name turns out not to be distinguishable, you may face extra paperwork and fees, so take a few minutes with the tips above before you file.
What Wyoming record statuses tell you
Active means the company filed its annual report on time. Delinquent starts the day after the grace window and is a warning. Inactive with the Archived sub-status frees the name for someone else.
Fees at the Wyoming Business Division
Forming a Wyoming LLC costs $100, and the same applies to a for-profit corporation. A series LLC adds $10 for each series. An LLC from another state pays $150 for a Certificate of Authority, and a nonprofit pays $50 to form.
| Form an LLC | $100 (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Form a corporation | $100 (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Form a nonprofit | $50 (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Register an out-of-state LLC | $150 (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Reserve a name | $60 (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Annual or biennial report | LLC: $60 minimum, or $0.0002 times Wyoming assets, whichever is greater; corporation: $60 minimum, or $0.0002 times Wyoming assets, whichever is greater (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Good standing certificate | Free online; $20 for a signed paper certificate (Certificate of Existence/Evidence/Good Standing)Free at the state (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Faster processing | Same business day $1,400 per document (received by noon MT); next business day $700 per document. Not available for filings that can be done online. (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
Rather not file it yourself? Ask our private filing service about forming or reporting in Wyoming. State fees are separate.
Online formations become active right away. Mailed papers can take up to 15 business days. Paid expedite is only for paper filings that cannot be done online: $700 for next business day and $1,400 for same business day, per document.
Wyoming annual report and license tax
Each LLC and corporation files an annual report and pays the license tax with it. The tax is the greater of $60 or two hundredths of a cent for every dollar of assets located in Wyoming. Paying by card online adds a processor fee.
The fee, the due date, late penalties and the filing steps are in our Wyoming annual report guide.
Miss the date and the report turns delinquent. If it is still unfiled 60 days after the due date, the state dissolves the company. Reinstatement for the tax is possible only within two years and costs $100. Our page on annual report deadlines by state lists how this compares elsewhere.
Wyoming LLC name rules
An LLC name needs "limited liability company", "limited company" or a short form such as LLC, L.L.C., LC or L.C. Some longer forms like "Ltd. liability co." also count. The name cannot suggest a purpose outside your articles, or suggest the company is a corporation or nonprofit.
| LLC name must include | limited liability company, LLC, L.L.C., limited company, LC, L.C., Ltd. liability company, Ltd. liability co., limited liability co. (low profit LLC uses L3C forms) (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Words that are limited | No fixed list found. Names may not imply a purpose other than the articles, or imply organization under the Business Corporation Act or Nonprofit Corporation Act (for LLCs), W.S. 17-29-108(a)(i),(iii). (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| How different a name must be | Distinguishable if it has one or more different letters or numerals or a different sequence. Not distinguishing: designators, the/and/a, punctuation, capitalization, singular vs plural. W.S. 17-16-401(f); LLCs via W.S. 17-29-108(a)(ii). (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation fee | $60 (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation lasts | 120 days (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Reservation form | sos.wyo.gov/Forms/Business/General/LLC/LLC-NameReservation.pdf (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
Wyoming judges names by their letters, numbers and order. Plurals, punctuation, capital letters, "the", "and", "a" and designators like LLC do not make a name different. A name reservation costs $60, lasts 120 days and is accepted by mail only.
Registered agent in Wyoming
Every domestic and foreign entity must keep a registered office at a physical street address in Wyoming and a registered agent. A PO box may be added but not used alone. (sos.wyo.gov, checked )
Our guide on changing a registered agent explains the order of steps.
Wyoming certificate of good standing
The Business Division issues a Certificate of Good Standing, also sold as a Certificate of Existence or Evidence. You can download it from WyoBiz at no charge. If someone asks for a signed paper copy, that costs $20.
What it costs, where to order it and what blocks it are in our Wyoming good standing guide.
Trade names in Wyoming
Registering a trade name is optional in Wyoming. When you do register one, it is filed with the Secretary of State rather than a county.
Contacting the Wyoming Secretary of State
| Office | Wyoming Secretary of State (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
|---|---|
| Division | Business Division (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Officeholder | Chuck Gray (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Phone | 307-777-7311 (Business Division); 307-777-7378 (main office) (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Hours | 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. MST, Monday to Friday, except state holidays (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Mailing address | Wyoming Secretary of State, Business Division, Herschler Building East, Suite 101, 122 W 25th Street, Cheyenne, WY 82002-0020 (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
| Street address | Herschler Building East, Suite 101, 122 W 25th Street, Cheyenne, WY 82002-0020 (sos.wyo.gov, checked ) |
The Business Division sits in Suite 101 of the Herschler Building East. If you mail paper filings, write "Business Division" on the envelope and allow for the 15 business day processing window. For a question about one company, have its Filing ID ready when you call the division line.
Sources
- sos.wyo.gov/contactus.aspx: office name, division, street address, phone, contact page. Checked .
- sos.wyo.gov/AboutUs/AboutSecretary.aspx: officeholder. Checked .
- sos.wyo.gov/Business/Docs/BusinessFees.pdf: mailing address, LLC filing fee, corporation filing fee, nonprofit filing fee, foreign LLC fee, expedite fees, certificate fee. Checked .
- sos.wyo.gov/faqs.aspx?root=BUS: hours, report fee. Checked .
- sos.wyo.gov/Business/: business search. Checked .
- wyobiz.wyo.gov/business/filingsearch.aspx: search fields. Checked .
- sos.wyo.gov/Forms/WyoBiz/Name_Search_Tips.pdf: name check, search disclaimer, search tips. Checked .
- sos.wyo.gov/Forms/WyoBiz/LLC%20-%20Name%20Statutes%2017-29-108%20-%2017-16-401.pdf: LLC name endings, restricted words, name rule. Checked .
- sos.wyo.gov/Forms/Business/General/LLC/LLC-NameReservation.pdf: name reservation fee, name reservation term, name reservation form. Checked .
- sos.wyo.gov/Forms/WyoBiz/Registered_Offices_and_Agents_Act_Chapter_28.pdf: registered agent rule. Checked .