LLCroadGuide
Form 5472: the yearly IRS filing for a foreign-owned LLC
Verified on October 22, 2026 · By LLCroad
Short answer
A US LLC owned by a single non-US person files Form 5472 with a pro forma Form 1120 every year, even in a year without sales. For a calendar-year company it is due April 15, it is sent by fax to 855-887-7737 or by mail, and the IRS sets a penalty of $25,000 per missing or incomplete form.
What Form 5472 is
Form 5472 is an information return. It does not compute a tax: it tells the IRS which transactions took place between a US company and its foreign owner during the year. A single-member LLC is a “disregarded entity” for the IRS, and when its owner lives outside the US, the IRS asks the LLC to report these transactions itself.
Reportable transactions include the money you put into the LLC, the money you take out, loans between you and the company, and payments between the LLC and other companies you control. The official instructions are on the IRS Form 5472 page.
Who must file it
- A single-member LLC wholly owned by a non-US person, whatever the state of formation (Wyoming, Delaware, New Mexico or elsewhere).
- Even without revenue: contributing money to the LLC or paying its formation costs on its behalf is already a reportable transaction.
- Every year the LLC exists, including the year it is formed and the year it is closed.
An LLC with several members follows different filing rules and is not covered by this guide.
How it is filed: the pro forma 1120
Form 5472 is never sent alone. It is attached to a pro forma Form 1120, on which only the identity of the company is filled in: name, address, EIN, and the mention “Foreign-owned U.S. DE” written across the top. The owner’s details, the country of residence and the amounts of the reportable transactions go on Form 5472 itself.
This filing cannot be submitted electronically. The IRS accepts it by fax to 855-887-7737, or by mail to the address given in the instructions. Keep the fax confirmation: it is your proof of filing. Your LLC needs an EIN before anything can be filed, which is covered in our guide on getting an EIN without an SSN.
Deadline and extension
For a company whose financial year matches the calendar year, Form 5472 and the pro forma 1120 are due April 15 following the end of the year (Form 1120 instructions). If you need more time, Form 7004, filed before that date, grants an automatic extension. The extension covers the filing only, so it is worth gathering your bank statements early.
| Item | What applies |
|---|---|
| Forms | Form 5472 + pro forma Form 1120 |
| Deadline (calendar year) | April 15 |
| Extension | Form 7004, filed before the deadline |
| How to send | Fax to 855-887-7737 or mail |
| Penalty per missing form | $25,000 |
The penalty, and why we file it for you
The IRS sets the penalty at $25,000 for each Form 5472 that is not filed, filed late or filed incomplete. The form itself is short once you know which boxes apply, which is exactly why we handle it as part of our service.
Your first Form 5472 and pro forma 1120 are included in the $489 formation package. From the second year, the annual plan at $300 covers the registered agent, the Wyoming annual report with its state fee, and Form 5472 with the 1120. If you prefer to work with your own accountant, the Standby plan at $189 keeps the registered agent and annual report without the IRS filing. All plans are detailed on our pricing page.
Ready to form your LLC with the first Form 5472 already included? Start your order in a few minutes.