"I want to register a US company - can it be done from mainland China? What conditions are needed? Which state?" This is asked often. US registration differs from Hong Kong and Singapore: no local director requirement, but two extra things - a "registered agent" and "choosing a state". Today let me explain US company registration conditions clearly - how to choose a state, how to solve the registered agent, and what to do about the EIN tax number.
The first step is choosing a state
The US is a federation and incorporation authority sits with state governments, so the state directly affects annual fees, tax forms and privacy requirements. Common states each have a positioning: Delaware is friendly to corporate governance and hosts many listed companies; Wyoming and Nevada are known for low annual fees and privacy protection; California and New York suit companies actually operating locally. Do not blindly follow the crowd to the "cheapest" state; look at where your business actually is and where the bank account will be. Another reality: the same company registered in Wyoming but operating in California must also do foreign qualification in California, with two annual fees and two annual reports. A comparison of common states first:
| Item | Delaware | Wyoming | California |
| Suits | Financing and listing | Small and mid-size holding | Local operations |
| Annual fee | Higher | Low | Higher |
| Privacy | Average | Good | Average |
| State tax | Depends | No state income tax | Has state tax |
| Annual report | Every year | Every year | Every year |
Choosing the state is the first step; choose wrong and you pay extra every year afterwards.
Registered agent is a hard requirement
Every US state requires an in-state registered agent to receive official state correspondence and legal documents. A foreigner not in the US cannot meet this condition, so you must buy in-state registered agent service through an agency and renew annually. This is the biggest difference from Hong Kong and Singapore - no local director, but a registered agent. After registration you also apply for a federal EIN for tax filing, account opening and contracts; whether the entity is an LLC or C-Corp is also settled at this step, since the tax forms differ.
Materials to prepare before registration, as a checklist:
| Material | Content | Remark |
| Company name | English search | End with Inc/LLC |
| Shareholder and director ID | Passport | Address proof |
| State of registration | Choose one state | By business |
| Registered agent | In-state agent | Provided by agent |
| Registered capital | No minimum | Subscription |
| EIN tax number | Federal application | After registration |
With these ready, a US company usually registers within about a week.
Trade client Ms Chen: wrong state
Ms Chen heard Wyoming fees were low and registered there. Later she wanted a local US bank account and Amazon local collection; the bank found her actual business and operating location in California and required foreign qualification there, adding California annual fees and state tax plus California sales tax filings. We completed the qualification and reminded her: choose a state by actual operating location, not only annual fees. Chen said the "cheap state" was not cheap for someone actually operating in the US.
This is the easiest pit within US company registration conditions: comparing only annual fees, not operating location.
Tech client David: EIN application stuck
David runs SaaS and registered the company smoothly, but his EIN application was rejected online because he has no US SSN. We took the overseas applicant EIN route, applying with company documents and agent information, and obtained the EIN in a few weeks, after which he could open a bank account and invoice US clients with it. David said foreigners can apply for an EIN - they just cannot use the online channel and must follow the specific overseas process.
E-commerce client Mr Wang: registered address vs operating address
Mr Wang runs Amazon and assumed the registered address was just where mail goes. We explained: the registered agent address is the statutory mailing address, but where operations, warehouses and offices actually are may trigger that state's tax and sales tax obligations. He first registered in Wyoming while his warehouse was in California, and was later required to file California sales tax for several quarters. Wang said for US companies "where registered" and "where operating" are two different things and must be viewed separately for tax.
Frequent follow-ups on US registration conditions
Q: Can mainland residents hold 100% of a US company? A: Yes; shareholders have no nationality restriction and no local director is needed.
Q: Must the registered agent be renewed every year? A: Yes, it is a statutory requirement; lapses flag the company as abnormal with the state.
Q: Is there a minimum registered capital? A: Most states have no minimum; subscription suffices without paid-in.
Q: Must I go to the US after registration? A: Registration needs no personal presence; account opening may require travel or video interview.
Q: LLC or C-Corp? A: LLC for trade and holding, C-Corp for financing and listing; tax forms and shareholder liability differ, so choose by purpose.
Remember the key conditions: choose a state by actual operating location, the registered agent is mandatory, overseas applicants use the dedicated EIN channel, and registration and operating locations must be treated separately for tax. Get these four clear and registration will not take detours.
To wrap up, the core of US company registration conditions is: choose the right state first, then solve the registered agent and EIN. There is no local director threshold, but state choice and the registered agent are hard requirements, and tax must treat registration and operating locations separately. If you are comparing several states and unsure where to register, tell me your business model and operating location and I will help judge the best state.
