How Long Does US LLC Formation Take for Non-Residents?
Published 18 February 2026 · Updated 31 August 2026 · Reviewed by Ashfaq Khattak, US Tax Consultant
The LLC itself is usually approved in one to fifteen business days depending on the state. Getting fully operational takes six to ten weeks, and the EIN is the reason. Wyoming typically approves in one to three business days and Delaware in one to two with expedited handling, but an EIN for an owner with no SSN takes four to six weeks on a paper application, and no bank will open an account until that EIN letter exists.
So the honest end-to-end timeline for a non-resident is: LLC approved in week one, EIN in weeks two to seven, bank account in weeks seven to nine. Anyone quoting you "48 hours" is describing the state filing alone.
Stage by stage
| Stage | Typical time | Depends on |
|---|---|---|
| Name check and reservation | Same day | Whether your first choice is available |
| State filing approval | 1-15 business days | State and whether you pay for expedited handling |
| EIN (with an SSN) | Same day | IRS online application availability |
| EIN (no SSN, by fax) | 4-6 weeks | IRS international unit backlog |
| Business bank account | 2 days-2 weeks | Provider checks; requires the EIN letter |
| ITIN, if you need one | 7-11 weeks | Runs in parallel; not needed to trade |
How long each state takes
- Wyoming: 1-3 business days online. Among the fastest and cheapest.
- Delaware: 1-2 business days with expedited service, around 10 days standard.
- Florida: 2-5 business days.
- Texas: 3-7 business days.
- New York: 1-7 business days for the filing, then a separate newspaper publication requirement that runs six weeks and costs several hundred dollars.
- California: 5-15 business days, plus the $800 minimum annual franchise tax.
What actually slows people down
- Name rejections. A name too close to an existing entity is rejected and restarts the clock. Checking availability first costs nothing.
- Applying for the EIN before the state approves the LLC. The entity must exist first, so a premature SS-4 is simply rejected.
- A wrong responsible party on Form SS-4. Correcting it means starting the four-to-six-week wait again.
- Applying to a bank without the EIN letter. Some providers block re-application for months after a decline.
What you can do in parallel
While the EIN is pending you can prepare the operating agreement, secure your US business address, get your bank application documents in order, and complete your BOI reporting position. What you cannot do is open the bank account, register on Amazon, or activate Stripe — all three require the EIN confirmation.