For foreign-owned US single-member LLCs
How to File IRS Form 5472
Foreign-owned US single-member LLCs must file Form 5472 with an attached pro forma Form 1120 by April 15 each year. You can't e-file — the IRS only accepts these forms by mail or fax to the Ogden PIN Unit at +1-855-887-7737. Below is the full step-by-step process, broken down into every form, field, and decision you'll face — or skip the work entirely and use our accountant-reviewed 15-minute online filer from $199.
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Who has to file Form 5472?#
You must file Form 5472 if all three are true:
1. You own a single-member US LLC (Wyoming, Delaware, New Mexico, Florida, or any state).
2. You are NOT a US person — meaning you are not a US citizen, green card holder, or US tax resident.
3. Your LLC had at least one reportable transaction during the year (capital contributions in, distributions out, payments to or from the owner, loans, or any related-party transaction).
Even if your LLC had zero revenue, you still have to file. Capital contributions and distributions count as reportable transactions — and almost every foreign-owned LLC has at least one. The seed money you wired in to open the bank account counts. A reimbursement you took out for a business expense counts. A payment from the LLC to a company you also own counts.
In practice, every active foreign-owned single-member LLC files Form 5472 every year. The only realistic exception is an LLC that has been totally dormant — no bank account, no money in or out, no contracts signed.
What forms do you actually file?#
Form 5472 by itself is not enough. The IRS requires you to file it as an attachment to a pro forma Form 1120 (US Corporation Income Tax Return). The 1120 is "pro forma" — meaning you don't fill in most of it. You only complete the entity identification section and stamp "Foreign-Owned U.S. DE" across the top of page 1.
The full package is:
1. Cover letter identifying the filing.
2. Pro forma Form 1120 with the "Foreign-Owned U.S. DE" stamp.
3. Form 5472, Parts I, II, III, IV, V, and VII fully completed.
4. Part V supporting statement that lists each reportable transaction in detail.
5. Reasonable Cause Statement (only if you are filing late under DIIRSP).
Missing any one of these can trigger the $25,000 penalty, even if you've technically "filed". The IRS treats incomplete returns the same as missing returns under IRC § 6038A.
How do you file Form 5472 step by step?#
1. Gather your LLC info: legal name as registered with the state, EIN, US address, date of formation, country of incorporation (US), state of incorporation, NAICS / principal business activity code.
2. Gather your owner info: full legal name as on passport, foreign tax ID (FTIN) or self-assigned Reference ID, residential address abroad, country of citizenship, country of tax residence, country of organization of any related foreign entities.
3. Add up year-end financials: capital contributions in, distributions out, total assets at year-end (in USD), and a list of every transaction between the LLC and any related party.
4. Fill in Form 1120: entity identification (lines A-E), name, address, EIN, date of formation, total assets. Leave income and tax sections blank. Stamp or type "Foreign-Owned U.S. DE" across the top margin.
5. Fill in Form 5472: Part I (reporting corporation), Part II (25%+ foreign shareholder), Part III (related party), Part IV (monetary transactions), Part V (cost-sharing or other transactions), Part VII (foreign disregarded entity info).
6. Build the Part V supporting statement: one line per reportable transaction with date, amount, related party, and nature.
7. Sign every signature line in pen. Digital-only signatures are not accepted by the IRS for these filings.
8. Fax the complete package to +1-855-887-7737 (IRS Ogden PIN Unit). Keep the fax confirmation receipt — it is your proof of timely filing.
What goes on each part of Form 5472?#
Part I — Reporting Corporation: the LLC. Name, EIN, address, total assets, country of incorporation, principal business activity code, total value of gross payments to/from foreign related parties.
Part II — 25%+ Foreign Shareholder: you, the foreign owner. Name, address, US ITIN (if you have one) or Reference ID, country of citizenship, country of organization.
Part III — Related Party: same as Part II for a single-owner LLC, since you are both the 25%+ shareholder and the related party. For multi-related-party scenarios, you list each one.
Part IV — Monetary Transactions Between Reporting Corporation and Foreign Related Party: dollar amounts of sales, services, rents, royalties, interest, loans, and other payments in each direction.
Part V — Reportable Transactions of a Reporting Corporation That Is a Foreign-Owned U.S. DE: this is where capital contributions, distributions, and most owner-to-LLC payments get reported. Must be backed by a supporting statement.
Part VII — Additional Information for FDE: confirms the LLC is a disregarded entity and identifies it as foreign-owned.
Why can't I e-file?#
Foreign-owned US disregarded entities are explicitly excluded from IRS e-filing for Form 5472 and the attached pro forma Form 1120. The IRS Modernized e-File (MeF) system cannot process these returns — the IRS publishes their fax number (+1-855-887-7737) specifically because there's no e-file option.
Fax is faster than mail and gives you a transmission receipt with a timestamp — which is your proof of timely filing under IRC § 6038A. Certified mail with a return receipt works too, but takes longer and is harder to track.
Do not try to file through a normal e-file service like TurboTax, FreeTaxUSA, or H&R Block. They cannot submit Form 5472 for a foreign-owned single-member LLC even if they accept your money. The return will simply not reach the IRS.
What does a real Form 5472 filing look like?#
Mei is a Hong Kong resident who incorporated a Wyoming single-member LLC in 2023 to run a Shopify dropshipping business. The LLC had $84,000 in revenue in 2024, $0 in US-source income (all customers were European), and she paid herself $30,000 in distributions to her HK bank account.
Her filing for tax year 2024:
• Pro forma Form 1120: stamped "Foreign-Owned U.S. DE". Entity info filled in. No income or tax fields completed.
• Form 5472 Part IV: reports the $30,000 distribution she took.
• Form 5472 Part V: reports the $5,000 capital contribution she wired in at the start of the year to fund inventory.
• Part V supporting statement: lists both transactions with dates and amounts.
• Faxed to +1-855-887-7737 by April 15, 2025.
Her total US federal tax owed: $0 (all income was foreign-source from a foreign-owned disregarded entity). Her filing obligation: still mandatory.
What are the most common Form 5472 mistakes?#
• Filing only Form 5472 without the pro forma 1120 — the IRS will reject this and treat it as not filed.
• Forgetting to stamp "Foreign-Owned U.S. DE" on the 1120.
• Leaving Part V blank when capital contributions or distributions occurred.
• Using a digital-only signature — the IRS requires a wet/ink signature on these specific forms.
• Filing for the wrong tax year (the package is for the tax year that ended, not the current year).
• Missing the Part V supporting statement — Part V references it but many DIY filers forget to attach the list.
• Reporting amounts in a foreign currency — all dollar figures must be in USD using the appropriate exchange rate.
• Sending to the wrong fax number — only +1-855-887-7737 is the IRS Ogden PIN Unit fax for these filings.
How much does it cost to file?#
Three ways to do it:
1. DIY with IRS forms: $0 in fees but 4-8 hours of careful work, and any mistake risks the $25,000 penalty. You also need a fax service ($2-$5).
2. Hire a US CPA: $400-$800 typical. Most CPAs are unfamiliar with Form 5472 for foreign-owned disregarded entities, so expect them to either decline the work or take 1-3 weeks while they research it.
3. Use Form5472 Prep: Standard $199 · Rush $279 · Premium $449. IRS fax delivery included on every plan. +$149 per additional past year.
Every package we prepare is reviewed by an accountant on our team before we fax it to the IRS. 100% money-back guarantee if we fail to submit.
What happens after you file Form 5472?#
The IRS Ogden Service Center will process your return over the following weeks. For most foreign-owned single-member LLCs there is no follow-up — no news is good news.
If the IRS has a question or wants additional information, they will mail a notice (usually a Letter 5891 or CP-15) to the LLC's US address. Make sure the address you put on the forms can actually receive mail — many foreign owners use a virtual mailbox service or their registered agent's address.
Keep your filing records for at least 6 years: the signed PDF, the fax transmission receipt, and copies of any IRS correspondence. The IRS can audit Form 5472 filings for up to 6 years after the filing date if the return is incomplete.
Next year, you'll do the same thing again — Form 5472 is an annual filing. Most customers come back to us each spring and we pre-fill from their prior year's filing.
Skip the work — file in 15 minutes#
Our online filer asks 12 simple questions about your LLC, owner, and year-end totals. We generate the entire package (cover letter, pro forma 1120, Form 5472, Part V supporting statement, reasonable cause statement if late). You sign once on screen — no printing or scanning. An accountant on our team reviews the package end-to-end. Then we fax it to the IRS Ogden PIN Unit and email you the timestamped fax transmission receipt as proof of filing.
Pricing: Standard from $199 · Rush $279 · Premium $449. IRS fax delivery included. +$149 per additional past year. 100% money-back guarantee if we fail to submit your filing.
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+ $149 per additional year·Saves you from the $25,000-per-form IRS penalty
Frequently asked questions
- What's the deadline to file Form 5472?
- April 15 of the year following the tax year (e.g. April 15, 2026 for tax year 2025). You get an automatic 6-month extension to October 15 if you file Form 7004 by April 15. The extension shifts the Form 5472 deadline too, since 5472 is attached to the 1120.
- What happens if I file late?
- The IRS automatically assesses a $25,000 penalty per form, per year. If they send a notice and you still don't file within 90 days, another $25,000 is added every 30 days. You can request abatement under DIIRSP by attaching a Reasonable Cause Statement explaining why you missed the deadline.
- Can a US CPA file Form 5472 for me?
- Technically yes, but most US-based CPAs see this filing once or twice in their career and aren't comfortable with it. Expect $400-$800 and 1-2 weeks of back-and-forth while they research the requirements. Our flat-fee service starts at $199, takes 15 minutes, and is accountant-reviewed.
- Do I need a US ITIN to file?
- No. Form 5472 accepts either a US ITIN or a foreign tax ID (FTIN). If you don't have a FTIN either (some jurisdictions don't issue them), you can use a self-assigned Reference ID. Our wizard auto-generates one for you if you leave the field blank.
- What if my LLC had no transactions at all?
- A truly inactive LLC — no bank account, no money in or out — may not have a reportable transaction. But the bar is low: a single capital contribution to open the bank account counts. If you're unsure, file anyway. A $199 filing is cheaper than even a small percentage risk of the $25,000 penalty.
- Do I file Form 5472 or Form 1120 — or both?
- Both, together, as one package. The pro forma 1120 acts as the cover document; Form 5472 is the attachment. Neither one alone is a valid filing for a foreign-owned single-member LLC.
- I own multiple LLCs. Do I file once for all of them?
- No. Each LLC files its own separate Form 5472 + pro forma 1120. If you own three foreign-owned LLCs, you'll prepare three separate packages and fax three separate filings to the IRS.
- What about state tax filings?
- Form 5472 is a federal filing only. State requirements vary: Wyoming has no state income tax and no annual income filing. Delaware charges a $300 franchise tax due June 1 (handled directly via Delaware's website). Florida and Nevada have similar simple franchise/license fees. We handle the federal Form 5472 + 1120; state filings are separate.
- Is IRS fax delivery included in the price?
- Yes. IRS fax delivery to +1-855-887-7737 is included in every plan — Standard, Rush, and Premium. There is no separate fax fee. You will receive the timestamped fax transmission receipt as proof of timely filing.
- Does someone actually review my filing before it goes to the IRS?
- Yes. Every package is reviewed by an accountant on our team before we fax it. Nothing goes to the IRS on autopilot. If anything looks off, we'll reach out before submitting.
Related guides
The Form 5472 $25,000 Penalty Explained
Under IRC § 6038A(d), the IRS automatically assesses a $25,000 penalty per Form 5472 that is filed late, filed incompletely, or not filed at all — per year, per LLC. The penalty stacks at $25,000 per 30-day period if you don't fix it within 90 days of an IRS notice. Here's exactly how the penalty works, who it applies to, how to either avoid it entirely, and how to request abatement if you've already triggered it.
Form 5472 Instructions: Plain-English Walkthrough
The official IRS instructions for Form 5472 are 12 pages of dense regulatory language written for tax professionals. This is what each part actually means without the jargon, exactly what to put in each box, the common mistakes that trigger the $25,000 penalty, and how to put together a complete filing that the IRS will accept on the first read.
DIIRSP: Filing Late Form 5472 with Penalty Abatement
The IRS Delinquent International Information Return Submission Procedure (DIIRSP) is the official way to catch up on missed Form 5472 filings while requesting that the $25,000-per-form-per-year penalty be waived. Filing under DIIRSP requires a properly written Reasonable Cause Statement attached to each late return. Get it right and most first-time filers walk away with no penalty assessed. Get it wrong — or do nothing — and the IRS will eventually mail a CP-15 notice and start the clock on continuation penalties.
Form 5472 deadline — when it's due, and what to do if you've missed it
Form 5472 is due April 15 of the year following the tax year. You can get an automatic 6-month extension to October 15 by filing Form 7004 by April 15. Miss the deadline and the IRS charges $25,000 per form — but you can still catch up under DIIRSP. This is the complete deadline guide: exact dates, extension mechanics, what counts as on-time filing, late-filing penalties, the catch-up procedure, and a real timeline showing what happens after you submit.