US companies
California charges an $800/year minimum Franchise Tax on every LLC registered or doing business there — active or not. For most non-resident founders whose only US activity is Stripe/e-commerce, this makes California the wrong default, not the right one — unless you have a real reason to be there.
A UK Private Limited Company (Ltd) is a separate legal entity registered at Companies House. Non-resident founders can form one remotely through an authorised ACSP. Eteform handles the filing and checks in 24–48 working hours. Six service packages start from £226; the £100 Companies House fee is shown separately.
After incorporation you receive a CRN and digital documents. Many founders then open Wise Business or Revolut Business, set a London registered office if needed, and prepare for Stripe, Shopify or Amazon using matching company details. Annual duties typically include the Confirmation Statement (CS01), accounts, and Corporation Tax registration with HMRC when trading starts. Dormant companies still have lighter filing duties — they are not a full exemption from Companies House.
UK Ltd formation does not grant UK residency or a visa, and bank or payment-gateway approval is never guaranteed. What we control is a correctly filed, transparent entity with Arabic support from order to certificate — so you can compare packages, read the formation guide, or start your order with clear GBP pricing.
See also UK formation, 2026 cost breakdown, and the full guide.
If your business is remote e-commerce, dropshipping, SaaS, or consulting with no physical California presence, registering in California adds real annual cost with no functional benefit over Delaware or Wyoming — your LLC operates the same way for Stripe, banking, and contracts either way. We'll tell you this directly if you ask us about California without a specific California-nexus reason, rather than just processing the order.
California is available as a formation state within the US LLC Full Package if you have a genuine reason to register there (from $199 base package pricing plus California's own state fees — see /services/usa for current pricing).
Not because of Amazon specifically. Amazon FBA inventory location can create 'nexus' obligations in multiple states regardless of your formation state — that's a sales-tax question separate from where you incorporate, and worth discussing with a US tax accountant.
No — it applies even to a dormant California LLC with zero revenue. This is the single biggest reason it's usually not the default recommendation for a non-resident's first US LLC.
Yes — we can guide you through either staying compliant in California or dissolving and reforming in a lower-cost state if that fits your situation better. Message us with your specifics.
More in FAQ.
