Business & law · September 16, 2025

Does an Estonian exporter need a US company? Usually not

Setting up an LLC seems a mark of being taken seriously. In reality it is a cost and an obligation rarely needed at the start.

What you can do without an LLC

An Estonian OÜ can sell to the US, issue invoices and receive money without any US entity at all. In B2B transactions a foreign seller is entirely normal: your customer imports, you export. Even DDP deliveries can be arranged without a local company; the broker clears the customer as importer of record or under a special arrangement.

A US company becomes relevant when you need a local warehouse in your own name, hire people in the US, or when large customers demand a local contracting party.

What an LLC brings with it

Setting one up is cheap, but maintaining it is not: federal and state tax returns, a registered agent, bookkeeping in two systems, and the complexity of avoiding double taxation. An LLC set up without thinking it through is a common way to waste a few thousand dollars a year.

Opening a bank account in the US is also a bureaucratic process for a foreign owner.

Could your product sell in the USA?The first consultation is free: we show the real import numbers for your category and a few sample buyers.

The right order

Sell from your Estonian company for the first few years. Once turnover and customer demands grow large enough, set up an LLC together with a tax advisor who knows the Estonia-US tax treaty. In our launch package we review this need honestly, and in most cases the answer is: not yet.

Let's talk about your export plan

The first consultation is free: together we'll see who in the US already buys your product and how to reach them.