Last updated: September 25, 2026
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
Yes. To sell through Mercado Libre’s international program (Global Selling, also called Cross Border Trade or CBT), you need a company registered in the United States, China or Hong Kong – Mercado Libre doesn’t accept individual sellers in this program. The LLC is the structure most non-resident sellers use because it’s quick to form, doesn’t require U.S. residency and has low maintenance costs. This requirement applies only to the international program: to sell domestically in your own country, your local registration is still enough. The right decision depends on three factors: how much you already sell, whether you plan to use Mercado Envíos Full or direct shipping, and whether payment platforms are already blocking you for operating as an individual outside the U.S. Opening the LLC costs $588 to $998 in the first year, or $1,308 if you hold inventory in the U.S. or use a U.S. 3PL, plus the state registration fee.
Table of Contents
- What Mercado Libre Global Selling is
- Do you need an LLC to sell on Mercado Libre internationally: overview
- Why a local company isn’t enough for the international program
- Who really needs to worry about this
- Which documents Mercado Libre requires
- Why the LLC is the most common choice
- How long it takes to form the company and get the EIN
- How much it costs to open an LLC to sell on Mercado Libre internationally
- Step by step to form the company and activate the international account
- Mercado Libre Global Selling vs. Amazon Global Selling
- Why work with Globalfy
- Frequently Asked Questions
Do You Need an LLC to Sell on Mercado Libre Internationally: Overview
| Question | Direct answer |
| Do I need a company to sell on Mercado Libre internationally? | Yes, it’s mandatory |
| Which countries are accepted for a foreign seller’s company? | United States, China or Hong Kong |
| Do I need to live in the U.S. to have the LLC? | No, residency isn’t required |
| Company documents | Registered name, EIN, U.S. address |
| Personal documents | Passport, W-8 form, personal details |
| Average time to form the LLC | 1 to 7 business days, depending on the state |
| First-year cost (LLC + state fee) | From $588 + state fee |
What Is Mercado Libre Global Selling?
Mercado Libre’s international program – officially called Global Selling or Cross Border Trade (CBT) – lets you sell to buyers in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile and Argentina from a single account, without opening a separate account in each country. The buyer pays in local currency; you get paid in U.S. dollars. It’s Mercado Libre’s equivalent of Amazon Global Selling.
The key difference from selling on a “regular” Mercado Libre marketplace (the usual Brazilian, Argentine or Mexican site) is who can sign up. A domestic account accepts individual sellers. An account in the international program doesn’t.
Why a Local Company Isn’t Enough for the International Program
If you already sell on Mercado Libre in your own country, you know you can start as an individual at small scale and formalize a local company as you grow, which unlocks more tools. That’s true, but it only describes the domestic account.
The international program follows a different rule. Mercado Libre itself requires sellers to have a legal entity formally registered in the United States, China or Hong Kong to get a Global Selling account. A company registered in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia or any other country doesn’t replace that requirement, because CBT registration is tied to the jurisdiction of the inventory and payments, not to the seller’s.
In practice, a seller who already does well on their local Mercado Libre still needs a U.S. company to sell via CBT to other countries in the region from the same account.
Who Really Needs to Worry About This
Not every Mercado Libre seller needs an LLC. It’s worth pausing here to confirm whether your case is one of them.
The cross-border seller already operating internationally
If you already buy inventory in the United States, use a U.S. 3PL or already sell on Amazon and want to add Mercado Libre Global Selling to the mix, the LLC is practically mandatory – without it, CBT registration doesn’t even move forward.
The info-product seller and digital creator
Anyone who gets paid in U.S. dollars through Hotmart or similar platforms and faces withholding at source runs into the same structural problem: there’s no U.S. entity to reduce the friction of receiving USD. The LLC solves both problems at the same time.
The seller who only operates domestically
If your entire operation is domestic, with local buyers, local inventory and national shipping, you don’t need an LLC. Your local registration remains the right path until the day you decide to expand beyond your country.
Which Documents Mercado Libre Requires
Global Selling registration asks for documents about the company and about the person responsible for it.
For the company:
- Company name registered in the U.S.
- EIN (Employer Identification Number, the U.S. federal tax ID)
- U.S. business address
For the responsible person:
- Valid passport
- W-8 form (to show you’re not a U.S. taxpayer)
- Personal details: full name, nationality, date of birth and address
None of these items requires you to be a U.S. citizen or resident. That point, more than any other, settles the question of “selling on Mercado Libre internationally as a foreigner”: the requirement is about the company, not about the passport of the person who controls it.
Why the LLC Is the Most Common Choice
Among the options Mercado Libre accepts, forming a company in the United States is by far the fastest and cheapest for a founder based outside the U.S. In the U.S., the LLC (Limited Liability Company) is the structure chosen by 95% of non-resident founders, over the C-Corporation, which is mainly for those raising U.S. investment.
An LLC limits liability to the company, isn’t taxed twice (profit passes directly to the owner, with no separate corporate tax) and can be formed in any of the five states non-residents use most: Wyoming, Delaware, Florida, Texas and New Mexico. Wyoming is the state chosen by about 40% of Globalfy clients, mainly for its combination of low cost and fast registration.
How Long It Takes to Form the Company and Get the EIN
The timeline depends on two separate stages: state registration and EIN issuance by the IRS.
Registration in Wyoming usually comes through in 1 to 7 business days; in Florida, it rises to 25 to 30 days. The EIN, according to Globalfy’s sales team, is usually issued 2 to 3 business days after Form SS-4 is submitted, but founders without an SSN or ITIN depend on the IRS’s manual processing by fax or mail, and the physical confirmation letter can take much longer to arrive. Factor in that extra time when planning your CBT account activation.
How Much It Costs to Open an LLC to Sell on Mercado Libre Internationally
The cost has two parts: the state fee, paid directly to the government, and the support plan you choose.
| State | Registration fee |
| New Mexico | $50 |
| Wyoming | $103.75 |
| Delaware | $110 |
| Florida | $125 |
| Texas | $309 |
On top of the state fee, a seller who only needs the company formed (name, EIN, address, registered agent) fits the Starter plan, at $588 a year.
The right plan for someone who is about to sell depends on how you operate. If you’re a single member, sell 100% remotely and keep no inventory or physical setup in the U.S., the Remote plan ($998 a year) covers the compliance calendar, help opening a U.S. bank account (Mercury or Lili) and a yearly call with a tax specialist. But if you use a U.S. fulfillment center, have more than one member or keep any physical presence in the U.S. – as is the case for the cross-border seller described above who already buys inventory or uses a U.S. 3PL – the right fit is the Essential plan ($1,308 a year), which includes the broader federal filings required in that scenario (1040NR, 1120, 1065, K-1 and 5472). Confirm this with a specialist before signing up, because choosing the wrong plan because of your own inventory can mean rework later.
Remember the $200k in partner credits included in Globalfy’s plans: the Stripe fee waiver on the first $20,000 processed (up to $500) and the $1,000 in OpenAI API credits alone cover a good part of the annual cost.
Step by Step to Form the Company and Activate the International Account
- Choose the state. Wyoming if you prioritize cost and speed; Florida if you already have operations or partners in Latin America.
- Register the LLC and apply for the EIN. Globalfy prepares the SS-4 and follows the application with the IRS until it’s issued.
- Set up a U.S. business address. It’s required both by Mercado Libre and by the bank that will approve your account.
- Apply for a U.S. bank account. Mercury and Lili accept applications even before the EIN is issued.
- Gather your personal documents. Passport, W-8 and registration details – no residency required.
- Sign up for Global Selling. Submit the company details and wait for Mercado Libre’s validation.
- Set up shipping. Choose between Mercado Envíos Full (currently available for CBT sellers only in Mexico and Chile) or direct-to-consumer shipping.
Form the company. Get the EIN. Activate the international account.
Mercado Libre Global Selling vs. Amazon Global Selling
| Criterion | Mercado Libre Global Selling | Amazon Global Selling |
| U.S. company required | Yes (U.S., China or Hong Kong) | Not required in every marketplace |
| Markets reached | Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Argentina | North America, Europe, Asia and more |
| Languages supported | Spanish and Portuguese | English, Spanish, French, German and more |
| Competition | Lower, market still expanding | High, dominated by big brands |
If your focus is Latin America and you’re forming an LLC anyway, Mercado Libre Global Selling has a lower barrier to entry than Amazon for sellers who are just starting. If you already sell globally, it’s worth running both programs with the same U.S. company.
Why Work With Globalfy
Opening an LLC to sell on Mercado Libre internationally doesn’t change the usual challenge: formalizing a U.S. company from abroad, without setting foot in the U.S. and without losing time with an accountant who doesn’t understand cross-border e-commerce.
Globalfy solves both parts of the problem, not just the initial formation. The LLC registration, EIN and business address come out of a single guided flow, and the compliance calendar afterward keeps you from missing Annual Report or federal filing deadlines while you’re busy selling. It’s the difference between forming the company and being on your own the following year – the same gap that formation-only competitors such as LegalZoom or ZenBusiness usually leave founders to handle alone once the company is open.
The other side of this is language. You work with a dedicated specialist in English, Portuguese or Spanish from start to finish, not an English-only chat or a ticket queue – a difference that matters more than it seems when the topic is the IRS and federal deadlines, and exactly where U.S. competitors such as doola and Firstbase, strong on product, still rely mostly on English-language support.
If your operation is outgrowing what you can run as an individual, or if a Stripe or PayPal block pushed you toward this decision, it’s worth talking to a specialist before choosing the state and the plan.
It’s the same pattern that shows up in reviews from clients such as Camila García of KORA.ME (Chile) and Igor Turano of TURALABS LLC (Chile) – two Latin American founders who formed their LLC through Globalfy and are among the named testimonials published on the site.
Frequently Asked Questions About Needing an LLC to Sell on Mercado Libre Internationally
Do I need an LLC to sell on Mercado Libre internationally?
Yes, you need an LLC (or another company registered in the U.S., China or Hong Kong) to sell through Mercado Libre’s international program. Mercado Libre doesn’t accept individual sellers in this program, even if you already have an active personal or company registration in your own country. The requirement is about the legal structure, not the nationality of the person managing the company. Without a formal company, Global Selling registration doesn’t move forward.
What is an LLC for Mercado Libre?
An LLC for Mercado Libre is the U.S. company used to meet the legal-entity requirement of the Global Selling program. The LLC (Limited Liability Company) protects the founder’s personal assets and pays no separate corporate tax – profit passes directly to the owner’s personal return. It’s the structure chosen by 95% of non-resident founders who form a company in the U.S., including e-commerce sellers. It replaces your local company only for international registration purposes, not for operations inside your own country.
Can I sell on Mercado Libre internationally as a foreigner?
Yes, you can sell on Mercado Libre internationally as a foreigner, as long as the company is registered in the U.S., China or Hong Kong. None of the required documents – passport, W-8 form and personal details – requires U.S. residency or citizenship. It’s the same model used by thousands of Latin American founders who form LLCs remotely. Globalfy has helped more than 10,000 founders from more than 100 countries through this process.
How do I open a company to sell on Mercado Libre?
To open a company to sell on Mercado Libre internationally, choose the state (Wyoming is usually the fastest and cheapest), register the LLC, apply for the EIN with the IRS and get a U.S. business address. Then gather your passport and W-8 form for the personal registration and submit everything for validation on Global Selling. The whole process can be done remotely, without traveling to the United States. Globalfy handles the four company steps in a single dashboard.
How long does it take to get the EIN for Mercado Libre Global Selling?
The EIN is usually issued 2 to 3 business days after Form SS-4 is submitted, according to Globalfy’s specialist team. Founders without an SSN or ITIN depend on the IRS’s manual processing, so the physical confirmation letter can take longer to arrive by mail. Ideally, apply for the EIN as soon as the LLC is registered, so you don’t delay your Global Selling registration. No step requires physical presence in the United States.
Is a company in my home country enough for the international program?
No, a company registered in your home country isn’t enough for Mercado Libre’s international program. A local registration unlocks the domestic marketplace’s tools, but Global Selling requires a company registered in the United States, China or Hong Kong. They’re two registrations with different rules, even though they belong to the same platform. Sellers who already operate with a local company still need a U.S. company to sell via CBT.
Which U.S. state is best for an LLC to sell on Mercado Libre?
Wyoming is usually the best-suited state for selling on Mercado Libre internationally, thanks to its combination of a low registration fee ($103.75) and a timeline of 1 to 7 business days. It’s the state chosen by about 40% of Globalfy clients. Florida is an alternative for those who already have operations or logistics partners in Latin America, although registration takes 25 to 30 days. The final choice depends more on your sales volume and expansion plans than on the fee alone.
Is it safe to open a U.S. LLC as a foreigner to sell online?
Yes, it’s safe to open a U.S. LLC as a foreigner to sell online, as long as the process is handled by a provider that delivers complete documentation and meets state and federal obligations. Globalfy has supported more than 10,000 founders in more than 100 countries through this process, with a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot from more than 700 reviews. The real risk isn’t in forming the company, but in missing annual obligations afterward – which is why it’s worth choosing a plan that includes a compliance calendar. No step of the process requires physical presence in the United States.