How to Fill Out Form 5472, Line by Line (Foreign-Owned Single-Member LLC)
A line-by-line walkthrough of Form 5472 (Rev. 12-2023) for a foreign-owned single-member LLC — header, Parts I through VII, what to enter, what to leave blank, and common mistakes.
On this page
- What you need
- Header: tax year
- Part I — Reporting corporation (the LLC)
- Part II — 25% foreign shareholder (the owner)
- Part III — Related party
- Part IV — Monetary transactions with a foreign related party
- Part V — Other transactions of a foreign-owned U.S. DE
- Part VI — Nonmonetary and less-than-full-consideration transactions
- Part VII — Additional information
- Parts VIII and IX
- Common mistakes
- Sources
Short answer: A foreign-owned single-member LLC normally completes Part I (the LLC), Part II (the foreign owner), Part III (the same owner as related party) and Part V (contributions and distributions, with an attached statement), then answers the yes/no questions in Part VII. Parts IV, VI, VIII and IX are usually blank. Everything in English, amounts in U.S. dollars.
This guide follows the current IRS Form 5472 (Rev. December 2023) and Instructions for Form 5472 (Rev. December 2024).
What you need#
- The LLC's legal name, EIN, U.S. address (often the registered agent's) and formation date
- The owner's name, full address, citizenship and country of tax residence
- The owner's foreign tax identification number (FTIN), plus an ITIN or SSN if they have one
- Every money movement between the owner and the LLC during the year: expenses the owner paid for the LLC, deposits into the LLC's account, transfers out to the owner
Header: tax year#
Enter the beginning and end of the tax year — January 1 to December 31 for a calendar year. In the formation year, start from the formation date.
Part I — Reporting corporation (the LLC)#
| Line | Enter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1a | Name and address | Put the suite or room after the street |
| 1b | EIN | Format 12-3456789 |
| 1c | Total assets | Year-end total assets, usually the bank balance; 0 if none |
| 1d / 1e | Principal business activity / code | Code from the Form 1120 instructions, e.g. 541990 |
| 1f | Total of transactions on this form | Part IV lines 22 + 36, plus Part V amounts |
| 1g | Number of Forms 5472 filed | 1 for a single owner |
| 1h | Total across all Forms 5472 | Same as 1f when you file one form |
| 1i | Consolidated filing | Leave unchecked |
| 1j | First year filing Form 5472 | Check in the first year you file |
| 1k | Number of Parts VIII | Blank (no cost sharing arrangement) |
| 1l | Country of incorporation | United States |
| 1m | Date of incorporation | Date on the state formation documents |
| 1n | Countries where it files as a resident | A DE does not file as a resident anywhere; usually blank |
| 1o | Principal countries where business is conducted | Name the countries; "worldwide" is not accepted |
| 2 | A foreign person owned at least 50% | Check — the owner holds 100% |
| 3 | Foreign-owned U.S. DE | Must be checked |
Part II — 25% foreign shareholder (the owner)#
Per the instructions, a foreign-owned U.S. DE reports its foreign owner here.
| Line | Enter |
|---|---|
| 4a | Owner's name and full address — city, province, postal code, country (spelled out, not abbreviated) |
| 4b(1) | U.S. identifying number (SSN or ITIN), if any |
| 4b(2) | Reference ID number — required when 4b(1) is blank |
| 4b(3) | FTIN; enter "N/A" if the owner has none |
| 4c | Principal countries where the owner conducts business |
| 4d | Country of citizenship (for an entity owner, country of organization) |
| 4e | Countries where the owner files an income tax return as a resident |
Lines 5–7 cover a second direct shareholder and ultimate indirect shareholders; leave them blank for a single owner.
You create the reference ID number yourself — no IRS application. It must be alphanumeric (no spaces or special characters), at most 50 characters, and the same every year. When there is no ITIN, this site generates one from the LLC's EIN plus "FO1", e.g. 881234567FO1.
Part III — Related party#
Every reporting corporation completes Part III, even if the related party already appears in Part II. For a single-member LLC it is the same owner:
- Check foreign person in the heading
- 8a–8b: same as 4a–4b (same reference ID)
- 8c / 8d: the owner's own business activity and code; an individual can enter "Investor" and leave the code blank
- 8e: check Related to reporting corporation and 25% foreign shareholder
- 8f / 8g: the owner's principal countries of business and tax residence
Part IV — Monetary transactions with a foreign related party#
Usually blank for a no-activity LLC. Fill it in only for:
- loans from the owner — line 17 (beginning balance, and ending balance or monthly average)
- loans to the owner — line 31
- payments to the owner for services, rent, interest and the like — the matching lines 23–35
State amounts in U.S. dollars and attach the exchange rates used. If actual amounts can't be determined, a reasonable estimate (75%–125% of the actual amount) is allowed; check the estimates box.
Part V — Other transactions of a foreign-owned U.S. DE#
The part most often missed. Contributions, distributions and expenses the owner paid for the LLC go here: check the box and attach a statement listing each transaction. See Form 5472 Part V explained.
Part VI — Nonmonetary and less-than-full-consideration transactions#
For barter, free or below-fair-value transactions (for example, the owner letting the LLC use equipment for free). Usually unchecked for a no-activity LLC.
Part VII — Additional information#
All reporting corporations must complete Part VII. For an LLC with no operations the answers are typically No:
| Question | About | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | Imports goods from a foreign related party | No |
| 38a / 38c | Only if 37 is Yes | Blank |
| 39 | Foreign parent in a cost sharing arrangement | No |
| 40a | Interest or royalties disallowed under section 267A | No |
| 41a | Claiming an FDII deduction | No |
| 42a / 42b | Related-party loans under the safe-haven rate rules | No |
| 43a | Covered debt instruments under section 385 | No |
If the LLC imports from or borrows from its owner, go through each question carefully or ask a professional.
Parts VIII and IX#
Part VIII (cost sharing arrangements) and Part IX (base erosion payments) don't apply to a no-activity single-member LLC; leave them blank.
Common mistakes#
- Line 3 (foreign-owned U.S. DE) left unchecked.
- Treating "zero filing" as "all zeros" and leaving out the formation and registered-agent fees the owner paid (Part V).
- No ITIN, yet 4b(2) and 8b(2) left blank — or a different reference ID every year.
- Abbreviated country names (CN, PRC) or entries in a language other than English.
- Skipping Part III because the owner already appears in Part II.
- Sending Form 5472 without the pro forma Form 1120.
Sources#
- IRS: Instructions for Form 5472 (Rev. December 2024)
- IRS: Form 5472 (Rev. December 2023), PDF
- IRS: Instructions for Form 1120 — principal business activity codes
Generate the official forms online and fax them to the IRS
Fill in your details once to get Form 5472 + pro forma 1120, or Form 7004. Preview free; pay to download the PDF or have us fax it to the IRS.
Based on the IRS forms and instructions; for general information only, not tax or legal advice. This site is an independent document-preparation tool and is not affiliated with the IRS.