What Is a BOI Report? Understanding Beneficial Ownership Information Reporting

Some LLCs must file a Beneficial Ownership Information Report. Learn the reason for these reports and who may need to file one.

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Updated on: April 9, 2025
Read time: 4 min

As of March 21, 2025, the Beneficial Ownership Information Report is voluntary for domestic companies. FinCEN removed the requirement that U.S. companies and U.S. persons file a report. Foreign companies still have to file.

This is an evolving situation, with additional updates expected this year.

In the meantime, LegalZoom’s Compliance Filings can help you track these developments and manage your business’ compliance needs—from filing your BOIR to annual reports and amendments.

Our attorneys continually monitor federal and state filing requirements that may affect your business, and you’ll receive personalized compliance alerts whenever something needs your attention. Plus, you’ll have a direct line to our compliance specialists, who can answer your compliance questions as they come up.

Meanwhile, LegalZoom’s Compliance Filings can help you stay current with these changes and submit your business’ required filings—whether BOIRs, annual reports, or amendments. Our attorneys track filing requirements at the state and federal levels, and you’ll get timely alerts when action is needed. If you need immediate support, we also have a dedicated team of compliance specialists ready to answer your questions.

The Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR, also known as BOI Report) provides details about the people who own and control businesses that operate in the U.S. It’s part of a broader effort to combat money laundering and other criminal activity that threatens fair business practices. Business entities such as LLCs and corporations may file BOI Reports. Here’s what you need to know.

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What is a BOI Report? Understanding beneficial ownership information reporting

The Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report falls under the federal Corporate Transparency Act (CTA). A BOI Report lists a company’s “beneficial owners”—non-U.S. citizens who own at least 25% of the company or exercise substantial control over the business. 

The beneficial ownership report may be filed online with the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). Beneficial owner information is stored in a secure database, where it may be used by law enforcement officials, certain government agencies, and financial institutions subject to due diligence requirements. The information will not be available to the general public.

Exploring BOI reporting

The Corporate Transparency Act is the result of a bipartisan effort to crack down on criminals who form anonymous American shell companies and use them to disguise their identities as they engage in illicit activities like money laundering, drug trafficking, and human trafficking. These illegal enterprises pose threats to legitimate businesses, the U.S. economy, and national security.

The beneficial ownership information reporting rule requires foreign businesses operating in the U.S. to file a report providing information about the people who own and control the company. These reports introduce a new level of transparency that should make it harder for bad actors to hide behind American business structures. 

Who is considered a Reporting Company under the CTA? 

Under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), the beneficial ownership report is required for foreign reporting companies. A foreign reporting company is a foreign business that has registered with a U.S. state or Native American tribe.

A domestic reporting company may file voluntarily and is not required by law to file. This may be a business entity such as an LLC, corporation, or S corporation created in a U.S. state.

Sole proprietorships and general partnerships aren’t reporting companies and don’t have to file a BOI Report. 

How to file a BOI for an LLC

To prepare an LLC BOI Report, start by identifying the “beneficial owners” of your company. These are non-U.S. citizens who:

  • Own at least 25 percent of the limited liability company.
  • Exercise “substantial control” over the business. Examples include a senior officer of the company, anyone with authority to appoint and remove senior officers or members of the governing board, an important decision maker, or someone who exercises substantial control in some other way.

If you file, your LLC BOI should include the following information for each beneficial owner:

  • Full legal name
  • Current street address
  • A copy of a government-issued ID document such as a driver’s license, U.S. passport, or other ID document issued by a U.S. state or Native American tribe, with the driver’s license number or other identifying number clearly visible. Beneficial owners who don’t have any of these documents can submit a foreign passport.

 You'll provide information about your company in your BOI report:

  • Its legal name and any DBAs
  • The address of its principal place of business or primary U.S. location
  • The state or foreign jurisdiction where the LLC was created
  • For foreign LLCs, the state or tribal jurisdiction where the LLC first registered to do business
  • The LLC’s tax ID number

Once you’ve gathered your beneficial ownership information, you can complete your free BOIR filing on the FinCEN website, either by filling out the form directly on the website or by completing a PDF form offline and then uploading it. You’ll receive an email confirmation when your BOI for an LLC has been accepted.

You can also have an outside company, such as LegalZoom, assist you with filing accurately. When you use LegalZoom to submit your BOI Report, you can:

  • Enjoy peace of mind
  • File with confidence
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Understanding BOI

Although a Beneficial Ownership Information Report doesn’t expire, it may be updated if any of the information in it changes. LegalZoom can help you with ongoing BOI report update filings

Where can I find the BOI reporting forms and instructions?

The BOI form, along with detailed instructions, is available on the FinCEN website. LegalZoom can help your business file the report.

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This article is for informational purposes. This content is not legal advice, it is the expression of the author and has not been evaluated by LegalZoom for accuracy or changes in the law.

70 days ago
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Representative was highly skilled

Representative was highly skilled, knowledgeable, and promptly took appropriate actions to assure that my LLC is in total compliance with New York State regs. Excellent service!

Edward Jordon
78 days ago
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Jeffrey was so helpful and very patient…

Jeffrey was so helpful and very patient walking me through all the steps they were doing to make sure my business stays in compliance. Very knowledgeable of the area where I needed help. Very responsive in terms of giving me what I needed to comply so they could assist me even further.

Marta Poncio
86 days ago
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LaReina is awesome

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bm franklin
92 days ago
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Carrisa is wonderful to work with

Carrisa is wonderful to work with. She answered all of my questions and is an immense help in the baffling area of compliance. I rest easy now, knowing that I am fully compliant with my LLC, thanks to Carissa!

Mary Lee Beck
99 days ago
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Very helpful and professional

Very helpful and professional. Knowledgeable of all the LLC requirements and compliance guidelines.

Klaeton Orsted
103 days ago
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MY "A" TEAM

SHARLENE TORREJOS, from the Compliance Department, knew what I was trying to accomplish. She walked me through the process step by step and got my order out for rush processing. Thanks A Million.

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107 days ago
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Scot Byrd
111 days ago
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146 days ago
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Quick easy and efficient

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