How to pass Mercury verification with a Connecticut LLC

Mercury is a fintech banking platform whose deposits are held at FDIC-member partner banks (currently Choice Financial Group and Column N.A., Members FDIC), making it popular with startups and small businesses including those with non-US founders. To open a Mercury account for a Connecticut LLC, you must provide the company's formation document (in Connecticut, the Certificate of Organization), an IRS-issued EIN confirmation, a government ID for the beneficial owner(s), and a physical US address. Mercury supports all US-state LLC types and is commonly used by foreign founders who have formed a US LLC, since it does not require founders to be US citizens or residents.

In Connecticut the entity behind that check is an LLC created by filing a Certificate of Organization, which costs $120. Connecticut publishes a turnaround of most online filings auto-accepted. Because Connecticut names a member or manager on a routine public filing, the owner name Mercury asks you to confirm is already a matter of public record.

What Mercury requires, and how a Connecticut LLC meets each

Connecticut-specific things to watch

• Connecticut names a member or manager on a routine public filing, so Mercury's beneficial-owner check will line up with public state records, and you still upload a government ID for each owner. (Connecticut's annual report discloses the LLC's members or managers, a public filing.)
• Connecticut issues a Certificate of Organization rather than "Articles of Organization." When Mercury asks for "formation documents," upload your Certificate of Organization.

Connecticut sales tax & nexus rules for Mercury sellers

Connecticut charges a 6.35% state sales-tax rate. Payments through Mercury are not covered by marketplace-facilitator laws, so you collect and remit yourself. Registration is required before your first taxable sale if you have physical presence in Connecticut (an in-state location, inventory, or employees), or once you cross Connecticut's remote-seller economic-nexus threshold of $100,000 in sales AND 200 transactions (both thresholds must be met).

Connecticut is one of the few states that requires BOTH the dollar and transaction thresholds to be met. Exceeding only one is not enough to create nexus. Connecticut does not allow local sales taxes, so the 6.35% state rate is the only rate you'll charge.

Register for Connecticut sales tax directly with the state: portal.ct.gov/DRS.

How to verify your Connecticut LLC on Mercury

1. LLC formation documents. Upload the Certificate of Organization Connecticut returned to you, stamped and approved.
2. IRS EIN confirmation letter. Provide your federal EIN (free from the IRS; non-US founders without an SSN must apply via Form SS-4 by fax or phone rather than the online tool), independent of Connecticut.
3. Government-issued ID for owner(s). Provide a government ID for each beneficial owner named in your Connecticut filings. Connecticut names a member or manager on a routine public filing, so at least one name already matches state records.
4. US business address. Use a US street address registered to the LLC in Connecticut (your Connecticut registered-agent or virtual business address), since a PO box is usually rejected.

Non-US founders with Connecticut LLCs

Mercury explicitly supports non-US founders who have formed a US LLC, Connecticut included. A non-US passport is accepted for identity verification. The entity must be formed and registered in the United States, and a US business address is required, which a Connecticut registered agent address satisfies. No US Social Security Number is needed from the founder.