BOI FAQs: Beneficial Owner

Check back often for the latest FAQs about beneficial ownership and BOI reporting requirements.

Who is a beneficial owner of a reporting company?

A beneficial owner is an individual who either directly or indirectly: (1) exercises substantial control over a reporting company, or (2) owns or controls at least 25 percent of a reporting company’s ownership interests. Because beneficial owners must be individuals (i.e., natural persons), trusts, corporations, or other legal entities are not considered to be beneficial owners. However, in specific circumstances, information about an entity may be reported in lieu of information about a beneficial owner.

What is substantial control?

An individual can exercise substantial control over a reporting company in four different ways. If the individual falls into any of the categories below, the individual is exercising substantial control:

• The individual is a senior officer (the company’s president, chief financial officer, general counsel, chief executive office, chief operating officer, or any other officer who performs a similar function).
• The individual has authority to appoint or remove certain officers or a majority of directors (or similar body) of the reporting company.
• The individual is an important decision-maker for the reporting company.
• The individual has any other form of substantial control over the reporting company as explained further in FinCEN’s Small Entity Compliance Guide.

Who qualifies for an exception from the beneficial owner definition?

There are five instances in which an individual who would otherwise be a beneficial owner of a reporting company qualifies for an exception. In those cases, the reporting company does not have to report that individual as a beneficial owner to FinCEN.

FinCEN’s Small Entity Compliance Guide includes a checklist to help determine whether any exceptions apply to individuals who might otherwise qualify as beneficial owners. (See Chapter 2.4. “Who qualifies for an exception from the beneficial owner definition?”).

Is my accountant or lawyer considered a beneficial owner?

Accountants and lawyers generally do not qualify as beneficial owners, but that may depend on the work being performed.

Accountants and lawyers who provide general accounting or legal services are not considered beneficial owners because ordinary, arms-length advisory or other third-party professional services to a reporting company are not considered to be “substantial control”. In addition, a lawyer or accountant who is designated as an agent of the reporting company may qualify for the “nominee, intermediary, custodian, or agent” exception from the beneficial owner definition.

However, an individual who holds the position of general counsel in a reporting company is a “senior officer” of that company and is therefore a beneficial owner. FinCEN’s Small Entity Compliance Guide includes a checklist to help determine whether an individual qualifies for an exception to the beneficial owner definition (see Chapter 2.4, “Who qualifies for an exception from the beneficial owner definition?”

Who is a company applicant of a reporting company?

Only reporting companies created or registered on or after January 1, 2024, will need to report their company applicants.

A company that must report its company applicants will have only up to two individuals who could qualify as company applicants:

The individual who directly files the document that creates or registers the company; and

If more than one person is involved in the filing, the individual who is primarily responsible for directing or controlling the filing.

Visit the BOI Updates page to learn more about this important topic.