What are the options?
| Option | How it works | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domestication or conversion | The same LLC transfers to the new state | Same entity: contracts, accounts and usually the EIN continue | Both states must allow it |
| Merger into a new LLC | Form a new LLC in the new state; merge the old one into it | Works in most states | Two filings; assets and contracts pass by merger, so counterparties may need telling |
| Register as a foreign LLC | Keep the old LLC and register it in the new state | Quick and simple | Two states' fees and filings every year |
| Close and restart | Dissolve the old LLC and form a new one | Clean break | New EIN, bank account and contracts; possible tax on transferring assets |
How does domestication work?
Check both states' laws
The old state must allow its LLC to leave, and the new state must accept it.
Approve the move
As the operating agreement requires, usually by members' vote.
File in the new state
A certificate of domestication, conversion or continuance, with the new state's formation details.
File in the old state
A certificate of transfer or similar, once old-state fees and taxes are paid.
Update everyone
IRS address, bank, licenses, contracts and state tax accounts.
Wyoming and Delaware are among the states that accept LLCs domesticating from elsewhere, and many states using the Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act provide for it.
What are the tax effects?
A domestication or a conversion that keeps the same LLC usually keeps its federal tax classification and, generally, its EIN. Check the IRS guidance on when a new EIN is needed for your entity type. A merger can have tax effects of its own, and closing and restarting can trigger tax if assets are treated as transferred. Register for taxes in the new state, and file final state returns in the old one. See how LLCs are taxed.
When is registering as a foreign LLC enough?
When the move is temporary, or the LLC operates in both states. Otherwise it costs more every year: for example, an LLC formed in Delaware but run from California pays Delaware's $400 and California's $800 each year. See foreign LLC registration.
What happens to contracts, bank accounts and licenses?
With a domestication or conversion, the LLC continues as the same entity, so its contracts, property and debts stay with it. Banks will still ask for the new state's filing and may update their records. Licenses tied to the old state or city do not move: apply for the licenses the new location needs and cancel the old ones. With a merger, assets and contracts pass to the new LLC by law, but some contracts require the other party's consent to an assignment or change of control, so read them first.
What about the old state?
Close properly. File the transfer, withdrawal or dissolution, file final state tax returns, and close state tax accounts. Leaving the old state's filings to lapse causes penalties and can block the move. See how to dissolve an LLC.
Moving your LLC?
We check whether both states allow domestication, file the move, and update the IRS, your bank and your state tax accounts.
Questions people ask
Can I move my LLC to another state?
Yes. Where both states allow it, a domestication or conversion moves the same LLC. Otherwise you can merge into a new LLC, register as a foreign LLC, or close and restart.
Do I need a new EIN if I move my LLC?
Usually not with a domestication or conversion that keeps the same LLC. Closing and restarting needs a new EIN.
What is LLC domestication?
A filing that transfers an existing LLC from one state to another, so it continues as the same entity under the new state's law.
Should I just register my LLC as foreign in my new state?
Only if the move is temporary or you operate in both states. Otherwise you pay both states' fees every year.
Sources
Every fee, date and rule on this page was taken from these official and primary sources.
- IRS: Do you need a new EIN?
- Revised Uniform Limited Liability Company Act: domestication and conversion
- Delaware Code, Title 6, section 18-212: domestication of non-United States entities and other entities
- Wyoming Secretary of State: Business Division fee schedule, effective July 1, 2026
Rules and fees change. If you are reading this long after October 1, 2026, confirm the figures with the source before you rely on them.
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This guide is general information. It is not tax or legal advice for your situation.