Guide

BOI Filing Cost Guide

Filing a BOI report directly with FinCEN costs $0. Third-party services charge $49-$199. There is no government fee. ein.so handles your EIN for $49.

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Filing a BOI report directly with FinCEN costs $0. There is no government fee for any beneficial ownership submission. Third-party BOI services charge $49 to $199 to prepare and file the report for you. The FinCEN e-filing system at fincen.gov/boi is free and takes 15 to 30 minutes per company. A separate IRS EIN is also free, though ein.so handles the Form SS-4 fax for $49 Standard or $97 Express.

The Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) report is a federal filing required of most LLCs and corporations under the Corporate Transparency Act. It tells FinCEN who owns and controls the company. The single most misunderstood fact about BOI is its cost: the government charges nothing. Confusion comes from third-party services that charge $49 to $199 and present the fee as if it were mandatory. This guide breaks down the real cost of BOI filing, when paying a service makes sense, and how BOI fits alongside your EIN and Form 5472 obligations.

Filing	Government fee	Paid-service fee	Where to file
BOI report	$0	$49-$199	fincen.gov/boi
EIN (Form SS-4)	$0	$49 (ein.so Standard)	IRS fax 855-215-1627
Form 5472 + 1120	$0	$200+ (CPA)	IRS
LLC formation	$50-$500 (varies by state)	$0-$300	State office
Annual report	Varies by state	$0-$200	State office

Cost Breakdown

How Much Does a BOI Filing Cost in 2026?

A BOI filing costs $0 when submitted directly to FinCEN. There is no government fee for a beneficial ownership report. Third-party services charge $49 to $199 to prepare and submit the report on your behalf, but the underlying FinCEN cost stays at zero.

Method	Cost	Best for
FinCEN direct (fincen.gov/boi)	$0	Single company, simple ownership
Third-party service	$49-$199	Multiple companies, complex ownership
ein.so BOI assistance	$49	Non-residents wanting hands-off filing

Why the FinCEN Filing Is Free

FinCEN does not charge for BOI report submissions. The federal government funds the e-filing system. No filing fee, processing fee, or annual fee applies. Any platform that charges a "government fee" for BOI misrepresents the cost.

What a Paid Service Actually Buys

A paid service does not buy access to FinCEN. It buys convenience and accuracy. You pay for data entry, foreign-address reformatting, multi-company handling, document storage, and deadline reminders. Non-US owners value this most, because foreign ownership chains are harder to enter correctly.

Free vs Paid

When Should You Pay for a BOI Filing Service?

You should pay for a BOI filing service when you manage multiple companies, hold complex ownership structures, or want hands-off filing in English. For a single LLC with one or two owners, the free FinCEN filing at fincen.gov/boi is fast and sufficient.

Multiple Companies

Founders with several LLCs file a separate BOI report per company. A paid service batches the filings, stores the records, and tracks each deadline. The FinCEN fee stays $0 per company, so the service fee is the only cost.

Complex Ownership

When ownership runs through holding companies, trusts, or multiple individuals over 25%, mapping every beneficial owner is harder. A service reduces the risk of an incomplete report, which can trigger penalties.

Non-English Owners

Non-US owners often prefer a service that translates instructions and reformats foreign addresses and passport data to FinCEN's expected format. This prevents a silent rejection of the report.

Hands-Off Filing

Some founders simply value their time. A $49 service handles the 15-to-30-minute filing and the recordkeeping so the owner does not track the FinCEN portal directly.

The decision is purely about convenience. The free option carries no penalty and no downside beyond your time. See the full BOI filing process before deciding.

Step-by-Step

How Do You File a BOI Report for Free at FinCEN?

You file a BOI report for free at fincen.gov/boi by entering your company details and each beneficial owner's identifying information. The portal accepts a foreign passport number as the identifying document. The filing takes 15 to 30 minutes per company and costs $0.

Gather Company Details

Collect your legal company name, any trade names, your principal US business address, the formation state, and your EIN. If you do not have an EIN yet, ein.so files Form SS-4 for $49 so your company has a federal tax ID first.

Identify Beneficial Owners

List every individual with 25% or more ownership or substantial control, such as a CEO, CFO, or managing member. For each, record the full legal name, date of birth, residential address, and an identifying document number.

Provide Identifying Documents

Upload an acceptable ID for each owner. A non-US owner provides a foreign passport. A US owner provides a state ID, driver's license, or passport. Enter the document number exactly as printed.

Submit at fincen.gov/boi

Complete the form on the FinCEN portal and submit. FinCEN charges $0. You receive a confirmation of the filing. Save the confirmation as your proof of compliance.

BOI Report Required Fields

Field	Entry
Company legal name	Your registered LLC or corporation name
Company address	Principal US business address
EIN	Your IRS-assigned 9-digit EIN
Beneficial owner name	Full legal name as on the ID
Date of birth	DD/MM/YYYY as on the ID
Identifying document	Passport number (non-US) or state ID (US)

A foreign-owned LLC must have an EIN before most US compliance steps. See how to get an EIN and the SS-4 form guide for the federal tax ID side.

Compare

How Does BOI Cost Compare to Other Federal Filings?

BOI costs $0 to file, the same as an EIN ($0 from the IRS) and Form 5472 ($0 to self-file). The cost difference comes from optional paid help, not from any government fee. Only state-level filings like LLC formation carry mandatory government charges.

Filing	Government fee	Penalty for non-filing	Frequency
BOI report	$0	Up to $500/day; up to $10,000 + 2 years	Once, plus updates
EIN (Form SS-4)	$0	None	Once
Form 5472	$0	$25,000	Annual (foreign-owned LLC)
LLC formation	$50-$500 (varies by state)	Loss of good standing	Once
Annual report	Varies by state	Loss of good standing	Annual

The pattern is clear: federal information returns (BOI, EIN, Form 5472) charge no government fee, while state registrations charge mandatory fees. Confirm your specific tax filings with a CPA, since penalties for Form 5472 are severe. ein.so files EINs and does not provide tax advice.

Non-Residents

Do Non-US Residents Pay More to File BOI?

No. Non-US residents pay the same $0 government fee as US filers. FinCEN does not charge by nationality. A non-resident enters a foreign passport number as the identifying document for each beneficial owner, and the report submits for free at fincen.gov/boi.

Non-residents face two practical challenges, neither of which adds a government cost:

Foreign Address Formatting

Foreign addresses do not always map cleanly to the FinCEN portal fields. Entering a non-US address incorrectly can cause a rejected report. A paid service reformats the address to an accepted style.

Passport as the ID Document

A non-resident uses a passport number, not an SSN or ITIN, as the identifying document. This mirrors the EIN process, where the passport number replaces the SSN on Form SS-4 Line 7b. See EIN without SSN.

EIN First, Then BOI

Most non-resident LLC owners get the EIN before filing BOI, because the EIN identifies the company. ein.so files Form SS-4 by fax to 855-215-1627 for $49 Standard or $97 Express. See EIN for non-residents.

Coordinated Compliance

A foreign-owned single-member US LLC files BOI with FinCEN and Form 5472 with the IRS each year. The BOI is free; the Form 5472 carries a $25,000 penalty if missed. Confirm both with a CPA.

The bottom line: a non-resident never pays FinCEN a fee for BOI. Any cost is for optional help with formatting and recordkeeping.

EIN Connection

How Does BOI Filing Fit With Your EIN and Taxes?

BOI filing fits into a sequence: form the LLC, get an EIN, file BOI, then handle annual taxes. The EIN identifies your company to the IRS and is needed on the BOI report. The EIN is free from the IRS, and BOI is free from FinCEN.

1. Form the LLC

Register your LLC with a state office. State filing fees range from $50 to $500 depending on the state. This is the only mandatory government fee in the early sequence.

2. Get Your EIN

Apply for an EIN with Form SS-4. The IRS charges $0. Non-residents fax the form to 855-215-1627 using a passport number on Line 7b. ein.so handles this for $49. See EIN cost and EIN processing time.

3. File BOI

Submit the BOI report at fincen.gov/boi for $0. You need the EIN to complete it. Save the confirmation as proof. See the BOI filing guide.

4. File Annual Taxes

A foreign-owned single-member US LLC files Form 5472 with a pro-forma Form 1120 each year. The penalty for non-filing is $25,000. Confirm your filings with a CPA.

ein.so files your EIN and does not provide tax advice. The EIN is the starting point for both BOI and your annual IRS filings. For banking, your EIN unlocks a US business account, which you can read about in EIN for a bank account.

Next Steps

What To Do Next

Get your EIN — required before your BOI report; ein.so files Form SS-4 for $49 Standard or $97 Express
File your BOI report — free at fincen.gov/boi, 15-30 minutes per company
Read the EIN cost guide — the IRS charges $0; understand what you pay for and why
File Form 5472 — annual for foreign-owned LLCs, $25,000 penalty for non-filing
Open a US bank account — use your EIN with Mercury, Relay, or Wise

Apply for your EIN — $49

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to file a BOI report?

Filing a BOI report directly with FinCEN costs $0. FinCEN charges no government fee for any beneficial ownership submission. The e-filing system at fincen.gov/boi is free to use. Third-party filing services charge $49 to $199 to prepare and submit the report for you, but the underlying government cost stays at zero.

Is BOI filing free if I do it myself?

Yes. Self-filing a BOI report at fincen.gov/boi is completely free. You create no account fee and pay no submission fee. The form takes 15 to 30 minutes per company. You need your beneficial owners' full legal names, dates of birth, addresses, and an identifying document such as a passport number for each owner.

Why do third-party BOI services charge $49 to $199?

Third-party services charge $49 to $199 for convenience, not for any government fee. They reformat foreign owner data, handle multiple companies, store filings, and send deadline reminders. Non-US owners with complex ownership structures often pay for this. The FinCEN submission itself remains free, so a paid service buys time and accuracy, not access.

What is the penalty for not filing a BOI report?

The civil penalty reaches $500 per day for an ongoing willful violation. Criminal penalties include a fine of up to $10,000 and up to 2 years imprisonment. The daily civil penalty is adjusted for inflation over time. Filing on time at fincen.gov/boi avoids all penalties. Confirm your exact deadline with a CPA.

Does an EIN cost the same as a BOI filing?

No. An EIN from the IRS is free ($0), and a BOI report from FinCEN is also free ($0). These are two separate federal filings. ein.so charges $49 (Standard) or $97 (Express) to prepare and fax your Form SS-4 for the EIN. The IRS still charges nothing for the EIN itself.

Do non-US residents pay more to file a BOI report?

No. FinCEN charges every filer the same $0 government fee regardless of nationality. A non-US resident provides a foreign passport number as the identifying document for each beneficial owner. Many non-residents use a paid service because foreign addresses and ownership chains are harder to enter correctly, but the FinCEN fee stays at zero.

How does BOI filing cost compare to Form 5472?

A BOI report to FinCEN is free ($0). Form 5472 is also free to file yourself, but a CPA often charges $200 or more to prepare it for a foreign-owned LLC. Form 5472 carries a $25,000 penalty for non-filing. The two filings are separate: one reports ownership to FinCEN, the other reports related-party transactions to the IRS.

Is fincen.gov/boi the only place to file a BOI report?

Yes. fincen.gov/boi is the only authorized BOI filing platform. BOI is a federal filing, not a state filing, so no state office accepts it. Any website that charges a government fee for BOI is misrepresenting the cost, because FinCEN charges nothing. Third-party services may submit on your behalf, but the destination is always FinCEN.

Who counts as a beneficial owner for BOI cost purposes?

A beneficial owner is any individual with 25% or more ownership interest or substantial control over the company, such as a CEO, CFO, or managing member. The number of beneficial owners does not change the FinCEN fee, which is $0. A company with five owners and a company with one owner both file for free at fincen.gov/boi.

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