What an annual report is
An annual report is a short state filing that confirms your company still exists and updates its public details: principal address, registered agent, and in many states the names of managers, members or directors. It is filed with the Secretary of State, not the IRS, and it is separate from your tax return.
Most states ask for it every year. A few ask every two years, and a handful have no report at all. Many states charge a fee or a tax with the report, and late filing leads to penalties and, eventually, administrative dissolution.
Who this is for
- Non-resident founders who formed an LLC or C-Corp and do not want to track US state deadlines from abroad.
- Companies registered as a foreign entity in a second state, which usually owe a report in both states.
- Owners who have moved address, changed agent or added managers and need the public record corrected.
Deadlines and fees in common formation states
Every state sets its own rules. Here is how three popular states for non-resident founders work, using official figures:
| State | What is due | When |
|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | Annual report with license tax of $60 or two-tenths of a mill on Wyoming assets, whichever is greater | First day of your formation anniversary month |
| Delaware (LLC) | No report, but a flat annual tax of $400 | On or before June 1 for the prior year |
| New Mexico (LLC) | No annual report for LLCs | Not applicable |
Delaware corporations are different from Delaware LLCs: they file an annual report and pay franchise tax by March 1. Our 2026 annual report deadlines by state guide covers the rest of the country, and each state page shows its renewal date.
Annual, biennial and anniversary deadlines
Due dates fall into three patterns. Some states use one fixed date for every company, such as Delaware's June 1 tax date for LLCs. Others use your formation anniversary, so a company formed in May reports every May. A third group asks for a report every two years, sometimes split by odd and even formation years.
This is why a deadline calendar built from memory tends to fail. If you own two companies formed in different months, or registered one company in a second state, you can have several unrelated due dates a year. We store the rule for each state and entity type rather than a single date, so the reminder follows the rule.
Corporations and LLCs are also treated differently in some states. A Delaware corporation files an annual report and pays franchise tax by March 1, while a Delaware LLC pays a flat tax and files no report. California has both a biennial Statement of Information and a separate annual franchise tax. Always check the rule for your exact entity type.
What the report does not cover
An annual report keeps your company registered. It does not replace your IRS returns, it does not renew business licenses issued by a city or county, and it does not keep your registered agent contract active. Each of those runs on its own schedule. Our LLC compliance checklist lists the full set.
What BookMyLLC handles
- Recording your state, formation date and entity type so the right due date is on file.
- Reminders well ahead of the deadline, with a request to confirm any changed details.
- Preparing the report with your current address, agent, managers or directors.
- Filing online with the state where the state allows it, and paying the state fee on your behalf.
- Sending you the filed report and receipt for your records.
Step-by-step process
- Confirm your details. We send the information currently on file with the state and ask you to confirm or correct it.
- Calculate the fee. Some states charge a flat amount. Others, like Wyoming, base it on assets located in the state, so we ask for a figure if it could be above the minimum.
- File the report. We submit it through the state's online system and pay the state fee.
- Deliver the evidence. You receive the filed copy, which banks and payment processors sometimes ask for when they check good standing.
Information you need
- Your company's exact legal name and state file number.
- Principal office and mailing address.
- Registered agent name and address.
- Names and addresses of managers, members, officers or directors, where the state asks for them.
- For asset-based taxes, the value of company assets located in that state.
Timeline
Most states process online annual reports quickly, often immediately. Mailed reports can take several weeks. We aim to file in the weeks before your due date, not on the day, so a rejected payment or a missing detail can be fixed without a penalty.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Confusing the state report with the IRS return. Filing your annual report does not satisfy IRS obligations such as Form 5472. See our federal tax filing service for that side.
- Ignoring a report because the company has no income. The obligation exists whether or not the company trades.
- Letting the registered agent lapse. If your agent resigns, the state may reject your report or start dissolution. Keep your registered agent active.
- Forgetting the second state. A company registered to do business in another state usually owes a report there too.
Wyoming, for example, treats an entity as delinquent the day after its due month begins and administratively dissolves it if the report is still missing 60 days after the due date. Reinstatement costs more than filing on time.