Mercury logoThe logo for Mercury, featuring a circular emblem with abstract, interconnected swirling lines on the left, and the word "MERCURY" in clean, uppercase letters to the right.

Set up your business with clarity and confidence

Registering an LLC or corporation can be tricky, for emerging and established entrepreneurs alike. Below are some resources and formation perks to get you started on the right foot.

Forming your business

Whether you’re starting something you intend to grow into the next great tech company, or forming your own agency or consulting business, check out these helpful resources on acing the registration process.
Illustration of incorporation document with a list and checkmarks.

Four steps to incorporate your startup

Explore the pros and cons of incorporation and see the whole process broken down into steps.

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"LLC" label within co-centric circles

How to form and register an LLC

Dive into the world of limited liability companies and how to set one up.

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Trusted partners to help you get started

LegalZoom

LegalZoom is the #1 online legal service, empowering over 9M people to confidently manage their legal journey. From business formation and compliance to ongoing legal support, they provide intuitive tools and access to attorney guidance for building your business on solid ground.

LLC partner perk

20% off Pro and Premium LLC Plans (excluding state filings fees)

Stripe Atlas

Join the 1 in 5 US founders who use Atlas to incorporate their startups. Within 2 business days, you'll have everything you need to fundraise, open a bank account, and accept payments.

Incorporation partner perk

30% off when you sign up through Mercury (including all state fees)
Get Started

Additional resources

From in-depth articles to practical guides, see all of our resources to help you start your business here.

Why startups should always incorporate

Explore the details of different business structures before making your decision.

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How to register a name for your company

Everything you need to know about choosing a business name and safeguarding your brand.

Read the article

How to trademark a company name

Why and how getting a trademark helps protect your brand, logo, and company name.

Read the article

Why so many startups choose to incorporate in Delaware

Incorporating in one of the most business-friendly states in the U.S. has its advantages.

Read the article

How to start a U.S. ecommerce business

Navigating some of the early decisions that can have a long-term impact on your business.

Read the article

How to choose the structure of your ecommerce company

The structure of your business determines your legal protections, taxes, and more.

Read the article

Frequently Asked Questions

There are many business structures available to startups and small businesses, including LLCs and corporations.The easiest business structure is to operate as a sole proprietor, because you do not need any formal business registration or separate tax return filing. This may work best for small scale operations if you’re not hiring employees, opening a business bank account, or signing contracts in a business name.For many founders, forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC) is the smartest starting point. It offers flexibility, protects your personal assets, and sets you up for future growth. Learn more about how to register an LLC here.The best business structure for any business owner hoping to grow their company, raise venture capital funding, and protect their personal assets from liabilities incurred by their business is a corporation. Incorporation can give your company notable advantages, but it also has implications when it comes to tax structures and costs. You'll want to weigh the pros and cons relative to your business's needs. Learn more about how to incorporate your business here.

Yes, you can form a business on your own. It’ll take a bit more legwork to handle the paperwork and requirements yourself. Check out our step-by-step guides on how to incorporate your business or how to register your LLC on how to get started.

Yes — every state requires one. You can be your own, but a professional service may offer better privacy and consistency.

You can, but make sure you're available during business hours and okay with your address being public.

A business bank account is not legally required to form a company, but there are many benefits to opening a business bank account once you start your business, including:  
  • Separation of finances: Keeps your personal and business finances distinct, which is critical for liability protection and bookkeeping.
  • Professionalism: Helps establish credibility with clients and vendors.
  • Tax and legal compliance: Makes it easier to track expenses, prepare taxes, and provide clear records if audited.

Mercury is radically different banking for entrepreneurs – engineered from the ground up to help you truly understand and manage your money like never before.Everything you need is built in: cards, invoicing, bill pay, spend management, and built-in AI that surfaces real-time insights and drives financial work end-to-end. And because it all lives in one place, it gets smarter the more you use it – surfacing what you need, when you need it, in ways a patchwork of tools never could.We offer:
  • Free business checking and savings accounts with no minimums or monthly fees
  • Up to $5M in FDIC insurance through our partner banks and their sweep networks
  • Debit and credit cards for your whole team, earning 1.5% cashback on credit spend
  • Free USD wires, ACH, and check payments
  • Treasury management with up to 3.81% yield
  • Built-in spend management, invoicing, bill pay, 1099s, accounting automations, and more
  • Mercury Command, built-in AI that helps complete financial work through natural language
  • Powerful API, MCP, and CLI capabilities to connect Mercury data and actions to your other tools
  • Multi-factor authentication, device verification, dark web monitoring, automatic risk screening on payments, and customizable permissions
  • Working capital loans, venture debt, and SAFEs to help you grow
  • Personal banking with high-yield savings accounts
  • An experience trusted by more than 300K entrepreneurs

You’ll need your company’s official formation documents, your IRS-issued EIN document, and a government ID (e.g., a passport or U.S. government identification document – see all acceptable documents here) for at least one person with operating control of the business, as well as  any owner with at least 25% ownership of your company. You'll also need to provide some information about your company and its owner with operating control.Customers must be formed and registered in the United States or a U.S. territory, have some type of existing or planned operations in the U.S., and have a U.S. or international address for their principal place of business. This can be a residential address, but may not be a registered agent, P.O. box, or UPS box address. Once you apply, we’ll review to ensure formation documents are up-to-date and that your company otherwise satisfies our onboarding requirements.We cannot currently support accounts for businesses with founders or financial controllers living in the countries and regions listed hereOpens in new tab.For more information on eligibility and required documents, please see this articleOpens in new tab.

Yes, we’re proud to support U.S. companies founded by people across the globe. Customers must be formed and registered in the United States or a U.S. territory, must have some type of existing or planned operations in the U.S., and have a U.S. or international address for their principal place of business. This can be a residential address, but may not be a registered agent, P.O. box, or UPS box address.We cannot currently support accounts for business with founders or financial controllers living in the countries and regions listed hereOpens in new tab.We’d love to support residents of more countries over time, so let us know at hello@mercury.comOpens in new tab if you live in one of the above countries and we’ll let you know if anything changes.

Mercury supports all types of businesses — from SaaS and ecommerce companies, to agencies, consultants, law firms, and real estate developers. Whether you're a solo entrepreneur, managing a team, or overseeing multiple businesses, Mercury is designed to fit your business as you grow. We accept most U.S. companies that aren’t money services businesses or involved with adult entertainment, cannabis or internet gambling. Our product might not be the best fit for businesses frequently dealing with physical cash and we cannot open accounts for trusts.

Mercury checking and savings deposits are FDIC-insured up to $5M through our partner banksOpens in new tab and their use of sweep networksOpens in new tab. As a broader effort, we are working on expanding all coverage even further. You can learn more about FDIC insurance hereOpens in new tab.

Disclaimers and footnotes

Mercury is a fintech company, not an FDIC-insured bank. Banking services provided through Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC. Deposit insurance covers the failure of an insured bank.