Form 5472 for foreign-owned US LLCs
Every US single-member LLC with a foreign owner must file Form 5472 each year, even with no income. Here is what it covers, how it is filed, and how our team keeps your LLC compliant.
The Xavion team resolves banking and payment cases like the one in this guide every week. Send us your case for a free review, if we approve it, your onboarding outcome is guaranteed.
What is Form 5472 used for?
It reports the foreign owner of a US company and the transactions between the company and its related parties to the IRS.
- Do I need to file Form 5472 if my LLC had no income: Yes. A foreign-owned single-member LLC files every year, even with no income. Funding the company or paying its fees is already a reportable transaction.
- When is Form 5472 due: April 15 for calendar-year companies, attached to a pro forma Form 1120. Form 7004 gives a six-month extension.
- Where do I send Form 5472: For foreign-owned disregarded LLCs it is faxed or posted to the IRS, not e-filed through normal software. Check the current IRS instructions for the address and fax number.
Get your Form 5472 handled.
Tell us when the LLC was formed and where the owner lives. We review your filings and coordinate the return with our US tax preparation partners.
1. What is Form 5472?
Form 5472 is an IRS information return. Since 2017 every US single-member LLC owned by a non-US person must file it, even if the company had no income and owes no US tax.
It tells the IRS who the foreign owner is and which transactions happened between the LLC and that owner or other related parties.
2. Who must file
A US LLC with one foreign owner, treated as a disregarded entity, must file every year it exists. That includes dormant companies and companies formed late in the year.
US corporations that are at least 25% foreign-owned also file Form 5472, attached to their regular Form 1120.
3. What counts as a reportable transaction
Money the owner puts in to form or fund the LLC, money taken out as distributions, loans in either direction, payments of fees or expenses on behalf of the company, and sales or services between the LLC and related parties.
Paying the state formation fee from your personal card is itself a reportable transaction, which is why almost every foreign-owned LLC has something to report in its first year.
4. How it is filed: pro forma 1120 and deadline
For a foreign-owned disregarded LLC, Form 5472 is attached to a pro forma Form 1120 that contains only basic identifying information. It cannot be filed through the normal online systems; it is sent to the IRS by fax or post.
The deadline is April 15 for calendar-year companies. Form 7004 extends it by six months. The LLC needs an EIN before it can file.
5. The $25,000 penalty
Missing, late or substantially incomplete filings carry a $25,000 penalty per form, per year, with further penalties if the failure continues after IRS notice. Many founders only discover the obligation when a penalty letter arrives.
Records also matter: the LLC must keep books that support the reported transactions, and banks increasingly ask for proof of filing during reviews.
6. Keep your US LLC compliant with our team
Contact our team and we handle it with our US tax preparation partners: free review of your LLC, Form 5472 and pro forma 1120 filing, EIN if you do not have one yet, registered agent and annual report. Forming a new company? We set it up compliant from day one, with US bank account opening. Guaranteed banking and payment processing solution for approved businesses.
Email info@xavioncapital.com, message us on Telegram at @xavioncapital (https://t.me/xavioncapital), or use the form on this page. Xavion does not provide tax advice; filings are prepared by licensed US preparers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Form 5472 used for?
It reports the foreign owner of a US company and the transactions between the company and its related parties to the IRS.
Do I need to file Form 5472 if my LLC had no income?
Yes. A foreign-owned single-member LLC files every year, even with no income. Funding the company or paying its fees is already a reportable transaction.
When is Form 5472 due?
April 15 for calendar-year companies, attached to a pro forma Form 1120. Form 7004 gives a six-month extension.
Where do I send Form 5472?
For foreign-owned disregarded LLCs it is faxed or posted to the IRS, not e-filed through normal software. Check the current IRS instructions for the address and fax number.
What is the penalty for not filing Form 5472?
$25,000 per form, per year, plus additional penalties if the failure continues after IRS notice.
Can you file Form 5472 for me?
Yes. Contact our team at info@xavioncapital.com or on Telegram @xavioncapital and our US tax preparation partners prepare and file it.
Kris , Partner, Xavion Capital
Partner at Xavion Capital. Runs the banking and payment-rails desk: account placement, high-risk onboarding files, and replacement banking after a termination.
Related US LLC guides
Wyoming vs Delaware privacy, and who still sees the owners.
EIN vs ITIN vs SSN, and getting an EIN without an SSN.
Formation, EIN, US banking and HMRC points for UK residents.
Wyoming o Delaware, EIN, banca en EE. UU. y Hacienda.
LLC, EIN et compte professionnel américain depuis la France.
Contact our team today.
Guaranteed banking and payment processing solution for approved businesses. Email info@xavioncapital.com or Telegram @xavioncapital.
This article is general information from Xavion Capital and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice. Regulatory treatment of digital assets and market structure varies by jurisdiction and changes frequently. Obtain qualified counsel in each relevant jurisdiction before acting on anything in this guide.