China Suppliers: How to Import and Sell in the U.S. With an LLC

Last updated: October 14, 2026

Key Takeaways (TL;DR)

Yes, you probably need a U.S. LLC to import from China suppliers and sell to American customers safely and without payment blocks. The core reason isn’t red tape for its own sake: without a U.S. company, you have no EIN, no local bank account and more exposure to blocks from gateways such as Stripe and PayPal. This guide is for sellers who already run, or are setting up, a dropshipping or import operation with Chinese suppliers and want to sell in the U.S. market. The right plan depends on your exact tax profile (whether you hold inventory in the U.S., whether you generate income connected to the U.S. and whether you plan to be the Importer of Record), so confirm with a specialist before signing up. Keeping the company compliant costs from $998 a year, and most operations that sell physical products to U.S. customers fit the Essential plan ($1,308/year), excluding state and customs fees.

Table of Contents

1. What Changes When You Import From China to Sell in the U.S.
2. Where to Find Reliable China Suppliers
3. Why a U.S. LLC Makes a Real Difference
4. The End of De Minimis: What Has Changed Since 2025
5. EIN, Importer of Record and Customs Bond
6. Who Needs This Structure
7. Remote or Essential: Which Plan to Choose
8. Step by Step to Get Started
9. How to Choose the Right Partner to Form Your LLC
10. Frequently Asked Questions

China Suppliers: Platform Overview

Platform	Best For	What to Check Before Buying	Buyer Profile
Alibaba	Factories and trading companies with verification badges	Gold Supplier, Trade Assurance, reviews and years in business	Beginners and mid-size volumes
1688	Factory prices, Chinese domestic market	Requires an intermediary or sourcing agent; no English-language protection	Buyers with a local agent
Global Sources	Electronics, fashion and accessories with an export focus	Trade show participation, industry certifications	Experienced exporters
Made-in-China	Industrial and technical products	Business license, real factory photos, video call	Specialized B2B purchases

None of these platforms replaces manual verification. Ask for a sample before placing a large order. Confirm whether you’re dealing with the factory or an intermediary, because that changes price, lead time and who is responsible if there’s a quality problem.

What Changes When You Import From China to Sell in the U.S.

Buying from China suppliers to resell in your home country and buying to sell directly to American consumers are different operations. In the second case, you enter the U.S. customs and tax system, even without living there.

That involves three fronts that don’t exist in a domestic model: the import declaration with CBP (Customs and Border Protection), the tax structure of the company receiving payment from the American customer, and the bank account that processes that money in dollars. Ignoring any of them isn’t just a theoretical risk. Stripe and PayPal accounts of sellers based outside the U.S. are frequently restricted when the gateway detects a U.S.-facing operation with no American entity behind it.

Where to Find Reliable China Suppliers

Supplier research comes before legal structure, but the two decisions are connected. A serious supplier asks for the same information a U.S. bank asks about your company: a company registration or EIN, a verifiable business address and, for larger orders, a formal contract.

Start with platforms that have public review histories. On Alibaba, filter by Gold Supplier and prioritize those offering Trade Assurance, the platform’s own payment protection system. On 1688, prices are usually lower, but service is in Mandarin and communication requires a sourcing agent based in China. Global Sources concentrates export-focused suppliers, which helps when a product needs certification to enter the U.S.

Three checks remove most of the risk:

• Ask for video of the production line, not just catalog photos.
• Request a physical sample before placing your first volume order.
• Confirm whether it’s a factory or a trading company, because that changes negotiating room and production lead time.

Why a U.S. LLC Makes a Real Difference

The biggest risk of importing without a U.S. company isn’t the fine. It’s personal exposure. Without an LLC, any dispute over a defective product, a customs hold on your cargo or a claim from the IRS falls on you personally, not on a separate legal entity.

An LLC solves this by creating a U.S. company with limited liability, its own EIN to move money and open accounts with partner banks such as Mercury, Lili and Revolut, and a business address accepted by banks, the IRS and the state of registration. Globalfy covers that full structure: state registration, EIN, business address, registered agent, AI bookkeeping via Fynance (license included, $360 value) and, after formation, the compliance calendar that prevents the most common mistake among people who form on their own: forgetting the Annual Report or the federal tax forms 5472 and pro-forma 1120. That support comes from human specialists in English, Portuguese and Spanish, not an automated ticket queue – the reason most often cited by clients who switch compliance providers.

Forming the company is the easy part. It’s in the twelve months that follow, between shipments, tax deadlines and customs reviews, that the difference between a full-service provider and a rushed form shows up. Globalfy has supported more than 10,000 founders in more than 100 countries, with a 4.9/5 rating from more than 700 reviews on Trustpilot.

One real case is worth noting. Falkk, a Brazilian furniture maker, expanded into the U.S. market in 2020 using this same logic: form the U.S. company first, then build logistics and sales. Today the brand operates in the country on a consolidated basis. At the other end of the spectrum is Douglas Negrisolli of L8Cup, a Globalfy client for ten years, one of the first to trust the platform and still active: the kind of retention that only happens when post-formation support really works.

The End of De Minimis: What Has Changed Since 2025

Until May 2025, a package worth up to $800 coming from China entered the U.S. duty-free under the exemption known as de minimis. That mechanism underpinned much of the direct China-to-consumer dropshipping model for nearly a decade.

Executive Order 14256, signed in April 2025 and in force since May 2 of that year, ended the exemption for goods of Chinese and Hong Kong origin, regardless of shipment value. A further executive order suspended de minimis for goods from all countries as of August 29, 2025, and in June 2026 CBP wrote that suspension into its regulations for every mode of transport, postal and non-postal. Congress has also eliminated de minimis by statute for all origins from July 1, 2027. In practice, that means mandatory formal entry, Section 301 tariffs applied from the first dollar and ten-digit HTSUS classification on every commercial shipment.

The model of shipping straight from the Chinese supplier to the American customer’s door, with no structure behind it, stopped being viable the way it was until 2024. Those still importing from China into the U.S. today are moving to consolidated inventory on U.S. soil and a single formal entry, and that requires exactly the company and bank account structure an LLC provides. We’ve written about how a U.S. subsidiary reduces the impact of these tariffs by acting as Importer of Record.

EIN, Importer of Record and Customs Bond

To be the Importer of Record for a shipment, CBP requires a tax identifier. U.S. companies use the EIN. Foreign companies without an EIN receive a CAIN (Customs Assigned Importer Number), which works, but puts the operation in the “foreign importer” category for insurers and customs bond brokers.

That has a practical cost: domestic entities (meaning with an EIN and registration in a U.S. state) have access to cheaper continuous bonds, without the surcharge applied to foreign importers. A standard continuous bond covers $50,000 and costs between $400 and $650 a year, a figure that rises considerably for those operating as a foreign importer with no local entity. Globalfy prepares and tracks the EIN application with the IRS, and the average issuance time is 2 to 3 business days after the company is registered.

Who Needs This Structure

The dropshipping reseller with no physical inventory. Sells via Shopify or a marketplace, and the product ships straight from the Chinese supplier to the customer. Even without U.S. inventory, selling physical products to U.S. customers counts as e-commerce with U.S. sales, which Globalfy’s Remote plan excludes, so the usual fit is Essential. Confirm your case with a specialist before signing up.

The seller with inventory in a U.S. fulfillment center. Consolidates cargo from China in a U.S. warehouse (Amazon FBA or a private fulfillment center) and ships locally. This model counts as a U.S. presence and normally requires the Essential plan.

The physical-product creator selling through their own platform. Imports components or finished products from China to build their own catalog sold in dollars.

The e-commerce consultant working for U.S. clients. Doesn’t physically import, but bills in dollars and needs a U.S. bank account and company to get paid without friction.

Remote or Essential: Which Plan to Choose

The exact fit depends on your operating model, not just on the fact that you sell to the U.S. The table below shows the difference between the two plans most relevant to importers from China; confirm with a Globalfy specialist which one applies to your case before signing up, since the Remote plan’s eligibility criteria are specific and worth reviewing with your sales profile in hand.

	Remote ($998/year)	Essential ($1,308/year)
Best for	Single-member LLC with no U.S. sales of physical goods, no inventory and no physical presence in the U.S.	LLC selling physical goods to U.S. customers, with inventory in the U.S., multiple members or a physical presence in the country
State registration + EIN	Included	Included
Bank account (Mercury/Lili/Revolut)	Included	Included
Compliance calendar	Included	Included
Federal filings	Form 5472 + pro-forma 1120	1040NR + Sch. C, 1120, 1065, K-1, 5472
Sales Tax / Resale Certificate	Not included	Not included (available on the Scale plan)

If your operation grows into holding inventory on U.S. soil, for example when moving to Amazon FBA, you can switch plans at any time, with prorated billing for the rest of the cycle.

Step by Step to Get Started

1. Validate the supplier. Ask for a sample, confirm certifications and place your first purchase at low volume.
2. Form the LLC in the right state. Wyoming registers in 1 to 7 business days and has the lowest annual maintenance cost among the states non-residents use most.
3. Apply for the EIN. Form SS-4 is prepared and tracked until issuance, with no SSN required.
4. Open the bank account. Mercury, Lili and Revolut accept applications from non-residents, even before the EIN is issued.
5. Set up the Importer of Record. With the EIN in hand, a customs bond broker can issue the continuous bond in your LLC’s name.
6. Activate the compliance calendar. The Annual Report, Franchise Tax and federal filings go on the radar automatically, avoiding administrative dissolution over a missed deadline.

How to Choose the Right Partner to Form Your LLC

Not every LLC formation company follows through after formation. Six factors separate those who solve the whole problem from those who only solve the first step:

• Support in your language with a dedicated specialist, not an English-only ticket queue: the reason most often cited by people who switch providers after a bad experience with English-first competitors.
• Ongoing compliance included, not sold as an add-on once the company is already formed.
• Full cost transparency, including the state fees that sit outside the subscription.
• Real banking assistance with partners that accept non-residents even before the EIN is issued.
• AI bookkeeping included via Fynance (a $360 license at no extra cost), useful precisely for tracking how the new tariffs affect your margin.
• Partner credits that offset the subscription: Globalfy brings together more than $200,000 in credits with partners such as Stripe (the payment processor, unrelated to the Stripe Atlas formation service), OpenAI and Google Ads. Just combining the Stripe fee waiver (up to $500) with the $1,000 OpenAI credit already covers a good part of the Remote plan.

Everything You Need to Know

Category	Key Information
China suppliers	Alibaba, 1688, Global Sources and Made-in-China hold the largest supply; manual verification is a must
LLC formation time	Wyoming: 1–7 business days · Florida: 25–30 days
EIN issuance	2–3 business days after registration
De minimis for China	Eliminated since May 2, 2025; formal entry required
Importer of Record	EIN (domestic entity) or CAIN (foreign importer)
Continuous customs bond	$50,000 coverage, $400–650/year
Recommended plan	Essential for most importers and dropshippers selling to U.S. customers; Remote only with no U.S. sales, inventory or presence (subject to confirmation)
Globalfy track record	10,000+ founders, 100+ countries, 4.9/5 from 700+ reviews on Trustpilot

Form Your LLC With a Partner That Handles What Comes After

Forming the company is the easy part. Globalfy doesn’t just sell formation: the EIN, bank account, annual compliance, Fynance bookkeeping and multilingual support continue after the LLC is registered – the same package that helped businesses like Falkk consolidate operations in the U.S. and kept Douglas Negrisolli of L8Cup as a client for ten consecutive years. More than 10,000 founders in more than 100 countries use this structure, with a 4.9/5 rating from more than 700 reviews on Trustpilot.

If you’ve already decided to import from Chinese suppliers to sell in the U.S. market, the right structure prevents account blocks, penalties for missed deadlines and personal exposure if something goes wrong with a shipment. Talk to a specialist to confirm which of the Remote and Essential plans applies to your case, and start forming your LLC this week.

Open My LLC Now →

Frequently Asked Questions About China Suppliers and a U.S. LLC

Do I need an LLC to import products from China and sell in the U.S.?

Yes, in practice you need an LLC to import from China and sell in the U.S. safely, especially since the end of de minimis in May 2025. Without a U.S. entity, you’re limited to a CAIN as a foreign importer, pay more for a customs bond and face a higher risk of blocks on gateways such as Stripe and PayPal. The LLC also separates your personal liability from the company, which matters when a shipment is held or a product arrives defective. Keeping the structure compliant costs from $998 a year, and most operations selling physical goods to U.S. customers fit the Essential plan at $1,308 a year.

Where can I find reliable suppliers in China?

Reliable suppliers in China appear mainly on four platforms: Alibaba, 1688, Global Sources and Made-in-China. Alibaba has the largest volume and offers Trade Assurance as payment protection; 1688 has factory prices but requires a local sourcing agent. Always ask for video of the production line and a physical sample before your first volume order. Confirm whether you’re negotiating with the factory or an intermediary, because that changes price and lead time significantly.

How long does it take to form an LLC in the U.S.?

State registration of an LLC in Wyoming takes 1 to 7 business days, the fastest among the states non-residents use. In Florida, the same process takes between 25 and 30 days. The EIN, issued by the IRS after state registration, comes through in 2 to 3 business days when the application is properly prepared on Form SS-4. No step requires a U.S. visa: only the member’s passport is needed.

What changed with the end of de minimis for products from China?

The end of de minimis removed, from May 2, 2025, the duty exemption for shipments worth up to $800 from China and Hong Kong, and the exemption has been suspended for all countries since August 29, 2025. Every commercial shipment now requires formal customs entry, with Section 301 tariffs applied from the first dollar and mandatory ten-digit HTSUS classification. The model of dropshipping straight from the Chinese supplier to the American consumer, with no U.S. inventory, lost much of the cost advantage it had until 2024. The law that makes this elimination permanent for all countries takes effect on July 1, 2027.

Can I be the Importer of Record without a U.S. company?

Yes, you can be the Importer of Record without a U.S. LLC, using a CAIN issued by CBP instead of an EIN. The practical difference is cost: foreign importers without a domestic entity pay a surcharge when underwriting a customs bond and face more documentation requirements on every shipment. An LLC with an EIN is treated as a domestic entity by CBP, which gives access to cheaper continuous bonds and a more direct approval process. For regular importers, the cost difference between the two routes often exceeds the cost of maintaining the LLC for a year.

Which Globalfy plan is right for dropshipping?

For dropshipping physical products to U.S. customers, the usual fit is the Essential plan, at $1,308 a year, because Globalfy’s Remote plan excludes e-commerce with U.S. sales even when there’s no U.S. inventory; confirm your case with a specialist before signing up. Essential includes state registration, EIN, a Mercury, Lili or Revolut bank account, the compliance calendar and the expanded federal filings (1040NR + Sch. C, 1120, 1065, K-1 and 5472). The Remote plan, at $998 a year, fits single-member LLCs with no U.S. sales of physical goods, no inventory and no presence in the U.S. You can change plans at any time, with prorated billing.

Do I need a U.S. visa to form my LLC?

No, you don’t need a U.S. visa to form an LLC in the United States as a non-resident. The whole process (state registration, EIN and opening a bank account with partners such as Mercury, Lili and Revolut) is done remotely, with a passport as the only identification document required. You don’t need an SSN or to visit the country at any stage of formation. A physical presence requirement only comes up in specific cases defined by the bank itself during its account review.

Does an LLC protect my personal assets if something goes wrong with an import?

Yes, that’s exactly the role of an LLC (Limited Liability Company): to separate the company’s liability from the member’s personal liability. If a shipment is held, a product harms a consumer or a supplier breaches a contract, exposure is limited to the LLC’s assets, not your personal assets back home. That protection only works if the company is kept compliant: Annual Report up to date, federal filings submitted and personal and business finances kept separate. That’s why ongoing compliance, not just formation, is the part that truly protects you.