State or Companies House Filing Is Usually the Fast Part
The formation filing itself — the LLC's Articles of Organization or an LTD's Certificate of Incorporation — is often the quickest step, sometimes processed within a day or two depending on the state or jurisdiction's current backlog.
The Steps That Actually Take Time
EIN issuance for foreign-owned entities, and then bank account approval afterward, are usually the slower parts of the timeline — both depend on external agencies or institutions rather than your formation provider, so '24-hour company' marketing rarely reflects when you can actually bank or invoice.
Key Insights
- 1Formation filing speed varies a lot by state — some process same-day, others take longer during peak periods.
- 2An EIN for a foreign-owned LLC generally takes longer to obtain than for a US-resident-owned one.
- 3Bank account approval is the step most likely to add unplanned delay, especially with traditional banks.
- 4Planning your launch date around bank access — not just formation filing — avoids the most common timeline surprise.
