What "foreign LLC" means
"Foreign" here means out-of-state, not out-of-country. If your LLC is formed in Wyoming but you're physically doing business in Nevada, you generally need to register the Wyoming LLC as a "foreign LLC" with Nevada.
Nevada foreign LLC registration cost
- Certificate of authority filing fee: roughly the same as a new domestic LLC in Nevada — ~$75.
- Certificate of good standing from home state: $10-$50.
- Registered agent in Nevada: $50-$200/year (you need a separate one for each state).
- Annual report in Nevada: $350 per year.
- No franchise minimum.
When you must register
"Doing business" definitions vary, but typically include: having an office or employees in Nevada, owning property in Nevada, or executing repeated transactions with Nevada customers. Casual sales to Nevada customers usually don't trigger registration.
Penalties for not registering
- Loss of access to Nevada courts for collections.
- Back-payment of all years' annual fees with penalties.
- Personal liability exposure (the corporate veil weakens in some states).
The math: is it worth forming out-of-state?
If you operate in Nevada, forming in Wyoming or Delaware almost always costs more than just forming in Nevada, because you pay both states. Forming out-of-state pays off only for true holding companies and non-residents.