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

For owners in Ghana: yes. US LLC formation does not require US residency, a US visit or a Social Security Number. Founders based in Ghana 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 a Ghanaian resident open a Mercury or Relay account?

Yes in principle. Ghana 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 Ghana?

For owners in Ghana: 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 Ghana?

The IRS international line is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern. Ghana stays on UTC+0 all year, so the window is 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. in US standard time and 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. in US daylight time.

Does Ghana tax residents on worldwide income?

Yes. PwC's Ghana summary states that resident individuals are taxed on their worldwide income, at rates from 0 percent up to 35 percent. Ask a Ghanaian accountant how profit from your LLC is treated.

What ongoing filings does a Ghanaian founder need for a Florida LLC?

For owners in Ghana: 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.

Form a Florida LLC from Ghana: Complete 2026 Guide

Q: Do I need to send money to a US LLC through a Ghanaian bank?

Section 15(1) of the Foreign Exchange Act, 2006 requires payments in foreign currency between a resident and a non-resident to be made through a bank. Use your bank for the transfer, keep the paperwork and confirm the current rules with it.

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

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$125 · State filing fee

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

5-10 business days · Avg. filing time

Quick Summary

Country: Ghana
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)

Why Florida

Florida is a common choice for Ghanaian 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 Ghana 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 Ghana 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 Ghana

The IRS international EIN line (267-941-1099) answers from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern. Ghana stays on UTC+0 all year, so the window runs from 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. Ghanaian time in US standard time and from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. in US daylight time. Any daytime call is comfortable. Plan on 45-60 minutes.

How The Formation Process Works

The steps are the same for any Ghana-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 Ghanaian Founders

Florida appeals to Ghanaian founders with customers or relatives in the state. Its public annual report names members, and the $138.75 annual fee recurs every year.

Banking From Ghana Mercury And Relay

Ghana 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. Neither bank's published rules restrict international wires involving Ghana. Cedis are converted to dollars when you fund the account, and the Foreign Exchange Act requires payments in foreign currency between a resident and a non-resident to be made through a bank, so use your Ghanaian bank for the transfer and keep the paperwork.

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 a Ghanaian owner, the questions that matter most are how Ghana taxes worldwide income and how money can move out through the banks, so plan for a written view from a Ghanaian accountant before you form.

Ghanaian Worldwide Taxation And Your LLC

PwC's Ghana summary states that resident individuals are taxed on their worldwide income, at progressive rates from 0 percent up to 35 percent. That means profit from an LLC that reaches a Ghanaian resident is not outside the Ghanaian tax net just because the LLC is American. The summary's exemption for employment income earned outside Ghana for more than 183 days applies to employment and not to business income. Ask a Ghanaian accountant how your LLC's profit is treated, whether as business income of yours or as a dividend, and what you must declare.

Your Recurring Dates As A Ghanaian Owner

As a Ghanaian 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 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. Ghanaian time in US standard time (10 a.m. to 3 a.m. in US daylight 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.

When The Bank Of Ghana Can Ask For Permission Or Information

Under section 16 of the Act, where the Bank of Ghana has reason to believe an offence is likely or has occurred, it may require its permission before a payment is made, and permission is granted on the basis that the payment is consistent with Ghana's laws. Section 1 also lets the Bank require a resident to furnish details of foreign exchange transactions. Keep clear records of each transfer to and from the LLC, with invoices or contracts that explain it.

Ghanaian Personal Tax Rates And What They Mean For LLC Profit

PwC lists Ghana's resident personal income tax bands from 0 percent on the first part of income, through 5, 10, 17.5, 25 and 30 percent, to 35 percent on the highest band. The summary's own band amounts do not add up to its stated top threshold, so confirm the current figures with the Ghana Revenue Authority. The point for a founder is that profit taxed as personal income can reach a high marginal rate, so the choice between drawing profit and leaving it in the LLC deserves a proper calculation.

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 (Mercury / Relay)
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

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 Ghana

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