Illinois Annual Report Requirements

Illinois businesses face annual filing obligations to maintain good standing with the state. Understanding these requirements, deadlines, and associated costs helps you avoid penalties and ensure your business remains compliant.

What Are Annual Reports?

Annual reports are periodic filings that update the Illinois Secretary of State with current information about your business. These reports typically include details about your business name, registered agent, principal address, members or officers, and business activity.

The filing serves two purposes: it keeps state records current and generates revenue for state operations through filing fees. Every LLC, corporation, and limited partnership formed in Illinois generally needs to file these reports to maintain active status.

Illinois Annual Filing Requirements

Illinois requires annual reports with specific deadlines and fees.

Filing Fee: Annual reports cost $75 to file.

Deadline: Reports are due before the first day of your LLC's anniversary month each year. For example, if you formed your LLC in March, your annual report is due before March 1st annually.

Late Penalty: Late filing results in a $100 penalty in addition to the regular $75 filing fee. Missing the deadline means paying $175 total instead of $75.

Where to File: You submit annual reports through the Illinois Secretary of State's business filing system at ilsos.gov.

Timing Importance: The penalty structure makes timely filing financially important. Paying attention to your deadline can save you $100 annually.

Additional Illinois Business Costs

Beyond the annual report fee, Illinois businesses should be aware of other state costs:

Formation Fees: Creating an LLC in Illinois costs $150 for the filing fee.

Registered Agent Changes: Illinois charges $25 for registered agent changes submitted by mail, or $75 when filed online.

Replacement Tax: Illinois has a 1.5% replacement tax on partnership income for LLCs taxed as partnerships. This is separate from the annual report requirement but represents an additional compliance obligation.

These costs are separate from the annual report fee and represent ongoing obligations of operating a business in Illinois.

What Information Gets Filed

Annual reports typically require you to provide or confirm:

• Business legal name and any assumed names
• Principal business address
• Registered agent name and address
• Names and addresses of members, managers, officers, or directors (depending on entity type)
• Business activity description
• Contact information

Even if nothing has changed since your last filing, you still generally need to submit the annual report to maintain active status with the state.

Consequences of Missing Annual Report Deadlines

Failing to file your Illinois annual report on time creates several problems:

Immediate Penalty: The state assesses a $100 penalty for late filing, more than doubling your filing cost from $75 to $175.

Administrative Dissolution: If your annual report remains unfiled for an extended period, Illinois may administratively dissolve your business entity. This means your business loses its legal standing and the liability protections that come with LLC or corporation status.

Reinstatement Costs: Getting your business reinstated after administrative dissolution typically involves paying all outstanding annual report fees, late penalties, and reinstatement fees—significantly more than simply filing on time.

Business Disruptions: Administrative dissolution can affect your ability to conduct business, maintain bank accounts, enter contracts, and operate legally in Illinois.

The penalty structure in Illinois makes timely filing particularly important compared to states with smaller or no late fees.

How Illinois Registered Agent Helps

While we're not a filing service and don't submit annual reports on your behalf, our registered agent service helps you stay on top of Illinois's compliance requirements.

Compliance Reminders: We send timely alerts about annual report deadlines so you know when filings are due and can submit them before facing the $100 late penalty.

Document Forwarding: If the Illinois Secretary of State sends notices about upcoming deadlines or missing filings to your registered agent address, we scan and forward them immediately so you're aware of any action needed.

Online Portal: Access all correspondence we've received on your behalf through our secure document portal, making it easy to reference past notices and track filing requirements.

Privacy Protection: When you file your annual report, it includes your registered agent information. Using our service means our professional address appears on these public filings instead of your personal address.

At $99 per year, our registered agent service provides an affordable foundation for maintaining Illinois compliance, with reminders and document handling that help you avoid the costly $100 late penalty.

Staying Compliant in Illinois

Annual reports are a significant part of maintaining your Illinois business in good standing. Between the $75 filing fee, $100 late penalty, and potential for administrative dissolution, staying organized and aware of deadlines is financially important.

A professional registered agent service provides structure and support for managing these requirements. Our compliance reminders give you advance notice of deadlines, and our reliable document handling ensures you receive all official correspondence from the state.

Get Started with Illinois Registered Agent

Simplify your Illinois business compliance with professional registered agent service for $99 per year. You'll receive:

• Registered office address in Illinois
• Same-day document scanning and forwarding
• Compliance reminders and alerts
• Online document portal
• Privacy protection—our address on public filings

[Get Started — $99/year]

Questions about Illinois annual reports or compliance requirements? Visit our FAQ page or contact us directly. We're here to help you understand your obligations and maintain good standing with the state.