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Form 5472 for Foreign-Owned LLCs: Who Files and How
If you live outside the US and own a single-member US LLC, the IRS expects Form 5472 every year, even if the LLC made no money. Missing it can cost $25,000. Here is what the form is, what goes on it, and how we file it for you.
Form 5472 is a yearly IRS information return that a single-member US LLC owned by a non-US person must file to report transactions with its owner. It is filed with a one-page pro forma Form 1120 by April 15, cannot be filed online, and is required even if the LLC had no income. The penalty for missing it starts at $25,000.
Reviewed by Arslan Ameer, founder of LLCPronto.
What Is Form 5472?
Form 5472 is an information return. It tells the IRS who owns your LLC and what money moved between the LLC and its foreign owner during the year. It does not calculate or pay tax.
Since 2017, the IRS treats a single-member LLC wholly owned by a foreign person as a corporation for this one reporting purpose. That is why the form is attached to a “pro forma” Form 1120: a corporate tax return filled in only with the basic company details.
Who Has to File Form 5472?
| Your LLC | Files Form 5472? |
|---|---|
| Single-member LLC, owner lives outside the US (not a US citizen or green card holder) | Yes, if it had any reportable transaction (almost always) |
| Single-member LLC, owner is a US citizen or resident | No |
| Multi-member LLC taxed as a partnership | No; files Form 1065 instead |
| LLC taxed as a corporation with a 25%+ foreign owner | Yes, with a full Form 1120 |
What Counts as a Reportable Transaction?
Any money or value moving between the LLC and its owner (or another related party). For a typical international founder, that includes:
- Paying the LLC’s formation fee, registered agent fee or other costs from your personal account
- Putting money into the LLC (a capital contribution)
- Taking money out of the LLC (a distribution)
- Loans between you and the LLC
- The LLC paying for things for you, or you paying for things for it
This is why “my LLC had no sales” does not mean “no filing.” If you paid even the formation fee personally, the LLC has a reportable transaction.
Deadline and How It Is Filed
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Due date | April 15 for a calendar-year LLC |
| Extension | Automatic 6 months (to October 15) with Form 7004, filed by April 15 |
| What you file | Form 5472 attached to a pro forma Form 1120 |
| How | By fax or mail to the IRS address in the instructions; e-filing is not allowed for foreign-owned single-member LLCs |
| Needs an EIN? | Yes. The LLC’s EIN goes on both forms |
Penalties for Missing Form 5472
The penalty is $25,000 per form for filing late, not filing, or filing an incomplete form. If the IRS sends a notice and the form is still missing 90 days later, an extra $25,000 can be charged for each further 30 days. The penalty applies even if the LLC owed no tax and made no money.
What You Need to Prepare
- The LLC’s legal name, address and EIN
- Your full name, address, country of residence and citizenship
- Your foreign tax ID, if your country issues one
- Total amounts for each type of transaction during the year (money in, money out, expenses paid)
- The LLC’s bank statements for the year
How LLCPronto Files Form 5472
- Each January, we remind you and send a short checklist.
- You send us your totals and bank statements.
- We prepare Form 5472 and the pro forma Form 1120, and you review and sign.
- We file by fax or mail before April 15 and send you a copy for your records. If you need more time, we file Form 7004 first.
Form 5472 filings are prepared by our tax team and handled by M. Hassan, CPA. Ask on WhatsApp for the current filing price. If your LLC has US employees, inventory in the US or several owners, your filing may be different, and we will tell you before you pay.
What Our Form 5472 Service Includes
Form 5472 filings at LLCPronto go through our tax team, which includes M. Hassan, CPA. He handles and oversees the preparation; the wider team collects your documents and keeps you updated.
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Form 5472 for one foreign-owned single-member LLC | Tax returns in your home country |
| The pro forma Form 1120 it must be attached to | Bookkeeping for the whole year |
| Form 7004 extension, if you need more time | State sales tax returns (quoted separately) |
| Review of your transaction totals before filing | Full Form 1120 or 1065 returns for LLCs with US employees, US inventory or several owners (quoted separately) |
| Filing by fax or mail, with a copy for your records | Legal advice |
When you need more than this filing: if your LLC keeps stock in the US, has US staff or a US office, has more than one owner, or you are unsure whether it owes US income tax, tell us before filing. Our tax team will look at your setup and quote any extra work first.
Common Form 5472 Mistakes
- Thinking “no income, no filing.” The formation fee alone is usually a reportable transaction.
- Trying to e-file. The IRS does not accept e-filed forms from foreign-owned single-member LLCs.
- Leaving out the pro forma Form 1120. Form 5472 must be attached to it.
- Missing the April 15 deadline without filing Form 7004 first.
- No records. Keep statements showing every payment between you and the LLC.
Form 5472 Filing Cost With LLCPronto
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Form 5472 with pro forma Form 1120 | Up to $60 |
One price covers both forms a foreign-owned single-member LLC files each year. We confirm the exact price before you pay.
Documents to Send Us for Form 5472
- The EIN letter (CP 575 or 147C)
- Your Articles of Organization
- Your passport and home address outside the US
- The LLC’s bank statements for the year
- A list of money you put into or took out of the LLC
Form 5472: FAQs
Does a foreign-owned LLC have to file Form 5472?
Yes, if it is a single-member LLC wholly owned by a foreign person and had any reportable transaction with its owner or another related party during the year. In practice almost every foreign-owned LLC has at least one, because even the formation fees the owner paid count.
Do I have to file Form 5472 if my LLC made no money?
Usually yes. Zero revenue does not remove the filing. If you paid formation costs, registered agent fees or other expenses for the LLC, or moved money in or out, those are reportable transactions.
When is Form 5472 due?
By April 15 for an LLC that uses the calendar year. You can get an automatic 6-month extension, to October 15, by filing Form 7004 before the deadline.
What is the penalty for not filing Form 5472?
$25,000 for each form that is late, missing or incomplete. If the IRS sends a notice and the form is still not filed 90 days later, a further $25,000 can be added for each 30 days it stays unfiled.
Can Form 5472 be filed online?
Not for a foreign-owned single-member LLC. The IRS instructions say these forms cannot be filed electronically. They are filed with a pro forma Form 1120 by fax or mail.
Does Form 5472 mean I owe US tax?
No. Form 5472 is an information return. It reports transactions; it does not calculate tax. Whether your LLC owes US income tax depends on its business activity.
Does a multi-member LLC file Form 5472?
Not usually. A multi-member LLC is taxed as a partnership by default and files Form 1065 instead. Form 5472 applies to it only if it has chosen to be taxed as a corporation and has a foreign owner of 25% or more.
What records do I need to keep?
Records of every payment between you and the LLC: money you put in, money you took out, expenses you paid for it, and loans. Bank statements and receipts are usually enough for a small LLC.
Related Services
- US LLC for non-residents
- EIN for non-residents
- Business bank account help
- LLC formation in all 50 states
File Your Form 5472 and 1120
Up to $60 for both forms. Send us your bank statements and we prepare and file them before the deadline.
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