Can I form an LLC in Florida if I live in Ecuador and have never visited the US?

For owners in Ecuador: yes. US LLC formation does not require US residency, a US visit or a Social Security Number. Founders based in Ecuador form Florida LLCs remotely using a registered agent for the required US address, and they apply for an EIN with "Foreign" or "N/A" in place of an SSN.

Can an Ecuadorian resident open a Mercury or Relay account?

Yes in principle. Ecuador is not on Mercury's prohibited list (residence-based) or on Relay's list (owners' citizenship or residency), subject to each bank's own review.

How long does a Florida LLC take from Ecuador?

For owners in Ecuador: state approval in Florida typically takes a few business days to about two weeks depending on filing volume, and the EIN can often be obtained the same week by phone. Most founders have the LLC, the EIN and a bank application in 2-4 weeks.

What time can I phone the IRS from Ecuador?

The IRS international line is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern. Ecuador is on UTC-5 all year, so the window is 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. in US daylight time and 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. in US standard time.

Does Ecuador have controlled foreign company rules?

BDO's note says Ecuador's rules apply from 1 January 2024, with control at 25 percent or more and a low-tax test of an effective rate below 60 percent of the Ecuadorian rate or unknown.

What ongoing filings does an Ecuadorian founder need for a Florida LLC?

For owners in Ecuador: two matter most: Florida's own annual requirement ($138.75 mandatory annual report, due every year) and the federal Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120, due every year for a foreign-owned single-member LLC. Missing the federal filing carries a $25,000 minimum penalty.

Is income taxed in Ecuador if the LLC does not distribute it?

Under the note, the net passive income attributed to the Ecuadorian ultimate beneficiary is declared in the annual return and taxed even if not distributed, with credit for foreign tax paid.

Form a Florida LLC from Ecuador: Complete 2026 Guide

Everything an Ecuador-based founder needs to form, bank, and run a Florida LLC — costs, EIN process, and tax angles specific to Ecuador.

Start your formation View pricing

$125 · State filing fee

$138.75/year, due by May 1 · Annual fee

5-10 business days · Avg. filing time

Wire/ACH via a US business bank… · Transfer method

Quick Summary

Country: Ecuador
State: Florida
Avg. filing time: 5-10 business days (standard online filing)
State filing fee: $125 ($100 Articles of Organization + $25 registered agent designation)
Annual report fee: $138.75/year, due by May 1 (mandatory - not free, unlike Texas; $400 late penalty and eventual administrative dissolution if missed)
Transfer method: Wire/ACH via a US business bank account (eligibility depends on your country of residence and citizenship)

Why Florida

Florida is a common choice for Ecuadorian founders who want a US LLC without moving to the US. Filing costs $125 by mail ($125 online where available), and the yearly state obligation is $138.75 mandatory annual report fee, due every year. Florida has no personal state income tax, which keeps state-level compliance simple, although what Ecuador does with the LLC's profits is a separate question. On privacy: Florida is the only one of these five states that discloses member names on its public annual report. In short, Florida is the only one of the five that publishes member names.

What It Costs

Forming in Florida costs $125 in state fees ($125 online where available). Add a registered agent, which every state requires and which typically runs $100-150 a year, a free IRS EIN application, and a US business bank account that is usually free with Mercury or Relay. Ongoing state cost: $138.75 mandatory annual report fee, due every year. EasyBrise's Global Launch plan is $295 for year one including a registered agent, then $149 a year to renew, so most founders in Ecuador budget well under $500 for the first year, state fee included.

Who This State Is For

Florida tends to be the right fit if you want a well-known state with strong US business infrastructure and don't mind that Florida is the one state on this list requiring member names on the public annual report. Compare it with the other four states on cost, privacy and reporting before filing; switching states later means dissolving and re-forming rather than a simple amendment.

Post Formation Checklist

After your Florida LLC and EIN are in place: sign an Operating Agreement (banks and payment processors ask for it even where the state doesn't), skip BOI reporting because FinCEN's rule in force since August 14, 2026 permanently exempts all US-formed LLCs, open the bank account, apply to Stripe or PayPal (each runs its own eligibility review), and put your Florida annual obligation ($138.75 mandatory annual report, due every year) plus the federal Form 5472 and pro forma 1120 deadline in your calendar.

Calling The IRS From Ecuador

The IRS international EIN line (267-941-1099) answers from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern. Ecuador is on UTC-5 all year with no daylight saving. In US daylight time that window is 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Ecuadorian time, and in US standard time the two clocks match, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Any daytime call is comfortable. Plan on 45-60 minutes.

How The Formation Process Works

The steps are the same for any Ecuador-based founder: pick a name, file Articles of Organization with the Florida Secretary of State (yourself or through your registered agent), appoint a registered agent with a physical Florida address, then apply for an EIN. You have no US Social Security Number, so on Form SS-4 you enter "Foreign" or "N/A" in that field. The phone route (267-941-1099, international callers) usually takes 45-60 minutes on the line; fax or mail takes 4-6 weeks. With the EIN in hand you apply for a US business bank account remotely.

Florida LLC For Ecuadorian Founders

Florida's links with Latin America appeal to some Ecuadorian founders. Its public annual report names members, and the $138.75 annual fee recurs every year.

Five Year State Cost Of A Florida LLC

Over five years, the state-level cost of a Florida LLC is a $125 filing fee plus $138.75 a year for five years, so $818.75 in total, before the registered agent. That makes Florida the second most expensive of the five states on this measure. The same arithmetic across the five states runs from $50 to $2,110. For an Ecuadorian owner, Ecuador's controlled-foreign-company regime is the main tax question, because it taxes attributed passive income even when nothing is distributed.

Banking From Ecuador Mercury And Relay

Ecuador is not on Mercury's prohibited-countries list, which is based on country of residence, and it is not on Relay's list, which looks at the citizenship and residency of the owners. Both banks run their own reviews, so approval is never guaranteed. Relay's help page also lists countries involved in wire restrictions, and Ecuador is on neither of its lists. Because Ecuador uses the US dollar, you can fund the account without a currency conversion, though your Ecuadorian bank may charge a transfer fee.

Ecuador S Controlled Foreign Company Regime

BDO's note on Ecuador's tax law says its controlled-foreign-company rules apply from 1 January 2024. Control means a participation of 25 percent or more of capital, voting or similar rights, directly or indirectly, and a foreign company counts as low-taxed where its effective rate is below 60 percent of the Ecuadorian rate or is unknown. The company's net passive income is attributed to the Ecuadorian ultimate beneficiary and must be declared in that person's annual return and taxed in Ecuador even if not distributed, with credit for foreign tax paid. The note does not say whether individuals are caught as controllers and does not define passive income, so ask an Ecuadorian adviser how an LLC earning fees for services would be treated.

Your Recurring Dates As An Ecuadorian Owner

As an Ecuadorian owner, your recurring dates look like this. State: Florida's $138.75 annual report is due every year between January 1 and May 1. Federal: Form 5472 with the pro forma Form 1120 is due on the return due date, April 15 for a calendar-year LLC, extendable with Form 7004. For the one-off EIN call, the IRS line (6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern) is open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Ecuadorian time in US daylight time (6 a.m. to 11 p.m. in US standard time). Put the state date and the federal date in your calendar when the EIN arrives, because a missed Form 5472 carries a $25,000 minimum penalty.

Attribution Without Distribution And The Foreign Tax Credit

Under the note, attributed income is declared in the ultimate beneficiary's annual return and taxed in Ecuador even if the LLC pays you nothing, with a credit for foreign tax paid. For a typical LLC with no US federal income tax, that credit is small. Plan cash for any Ecuadorian tax on attributed income, and ask your adviser to model a year with profit left inside the LLC.

Passive Income Attribution And Why It Matters For A Service LLC

The regime attributes the foreign company's net passive income to the Ecuadorian ultimate beneficiary, and the note does not define passive income or mention exemptions. An LLC that invoices clients for work you perform is a different case from one that holds investments, and the classification affects whether anything is attributed to you. Ask an Ecuadorian adviser to classify your revenue in writing and keep contracts and invoices that show the nature of the work.

Requirements

Requirement	Needed
US Social Security Number
US visit required
Registered agent with US address
Florida annual filing
Federal Form 5472 + pro forma 1120

Costs

Item	Cost
State filing fee	$125 (mail) / $125 (online)
Registered agent (annual)	$100-150/yr (or included in EasyBrise Global Launch)
EIN application	Free via IRS (or via a paid service)
US business bank account	Free at most US business banks (eligibility varies by country)
EasyBrise Global Launch (year 1, incl. registered agent)	$295
EasyBrise renewal (year 2+)	$149/yr

Who Should Choose Florida

Choose Florida if

you want a well-known state with strong US business infrastructure and don't mind that Florida is the one state on this list requiring member names on the public annual report

Consider another state if

your priorities (fundraising plans, revenue level, or reporting tolerance) point more strongly to one of the other four states in the comparison table above.

Comparison

State	Filing Fee	Annual Requirement	State Income Tax	Privacy
Wyoming	$100 mail / $102 online	$60	None	No public member names
Delaware	$110	$400 flat annual franchise tax	None	No public member names
Texas	$300	$0 franchise tax for LLCs with revenue below the no-tax-due threshold	None	No public member names
New Mexico	$50	$0 ever	None	No public member names
Florida	$125	$138.75 mandatory annual report fee, due every year	None	Member names public

Taxes

No US-Ecuador income tax treaty or totalization agreement (TIEA only, since 2021); 5% exit tax (ISD) applies to money leaving Ecuador

Banking

Mercury
Popular with non-resident founders; requires US LLC + EIN; no US visit needed
Relay
Remote-friendly for non-residents; requires formed US entity

Frequently Asked Questions

More guides for founders in Ecuador

Or browse all formation guides by country.

Ready to start your Florida LLC?

No SSN and no U.S. address required. Get your LLC, EIN and banking readiness handled in one place.