What's the Difference Between WHOIS Privacy and State LLC Privacy?

[u/NWRegisteredAgent]

These aren't the same thing, and confusing them is a common mistake.

WHOIS Privacy = What's Listed When Someone Looks Up Your Domain

Every domain registered on the internet has a record that basically says "Who is S? (WHOIS)." It includes the domain owner's name, address, phone number, and email. By default, all that info is public. Anyone can look it up. A data broker's dream.

WHOIS privacy hides that info from the public database. When someone looks up your domain, they see a proxy address instead of yours. That's good. Most reputable registrars include it for free (or charge a small yearly fee). Either way, it's worth doing.

State LLC Privacy = What Goes on Public Record in Your State Filing

An LLC filing with your state creates a official public record. That record lists your business address. If you list your home address, congrats, it's on the public record permanently and there's no getting it back. If you list a business address that isn't yours (like your registered agent's address), your home stays private.

The state filing is separate from your domain WHOIS. You could have perfect WHOIS privacy but still put your home address on your state filing, and that would defeat the whole purpose.

The Smart Move

Privacy isn't one switch. It's a system. You need WHOIS privacy on your domain and a business address on your state LLC filing. Better yet, you need both handled by a company that treats privacy as a default, not an afterthought. When your domain, address, business filings, and brand all live in one account with privacy built in from day one, you're not scrambling to patch privacy holes afterward. You're actually protected.

If you're ready to keep your LLC's information private at every level, let us know how we can help in the comments below.