Guides / Formation

Do I need to file a BOIR?

The Beneficial Ownership Information Report is a federal filing required for most US LLCs and Corporations.

TL;DR

If you formed an LLC, Corporation, or similar entity in the US, you probably need to file a BOIR with FinCEN — disclosing who actually owns and controls the business.

What is a BOIR?

The Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR) is a filing the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) requires under the Corporate Transparency Act. It identifies the real human beings who own or control a business — to make it harder for shell companies to hide illicit activity.

A “beneficial owner” is anyone who...

  • Owns 25% or more of the company, OR
  • Exercises substantial control (senior officers, decision-makers).

It applies to most...

  • LLCs and Corporations formed in the US
  • Foreign companies registered to do business in the US

Who's exempt?

FinCEN lists 23 exempt entity types. The most common:

Large operating companies (20+ full-time US employees AND $5M+ revenue)
Publicly traded companies and most regulated financial institutions
Banks, credit unions, and SEC-registered investment advisers
Insurance companies and accounting firms
Tax-exempt nonprofits (501(c) organizations)
Inactive entities with no assets or activity since Jan 1, 2020

Most small businesses, startups, and holding companies do not qualify for any exemption.

What information do you submit?

Two categories of data — about the company and about each beneficial owner.

About the company

  • Legal name and any trade names (DBAs)
  • Current US street address
  • Jurisdiction of formation
  • IRS Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN)

About each beneficial owner

  • Full legal name
  • Date of birth
  • Current residential address
  • A unique ID number from a passport, driver's license, or state ID — plus an image

When is it due?

Deadlines depend on when your company was formed.

Companies formed before Jan 1, 2024

Subject to ongoing legal challenges — check current FinCEN guidance.

Originally Jan 1, 2025
Companies formed in 2024

From the date the state confirms your filing.

90 days from formation
Companies formed in 2025+

A much shorter window — easy to miss without help.

30 days from formation
Updates to existing reports

Address moves, ownership changes, new ID documents — all trigger updates.

30 days from any change

What happens if you don't file?

Penalties are severe

$500
per day, civil penalty
$10,000
criminal fine
2 yrs
maximum prison sentence

Penalties apply for willful failure to report, willful provision of false information, and willful failure to update changes within 30 days.

Auto-Compliance

We file your BOIR for you.

Our Auto-Compliance service files your initial BOIR with FinCEN, monitors for changes, and submits updates within the 30-day deadline. You don't have to touch a federal portal, ever.

  • Initial BOIR filing included
  • Automated update reports when ownership or addresses change
  • Annual reports and franchise taxes also covered
  • Enable Auto-Compliance