How to Form an LLC in Illinois: Filing Steps and Fees
Our formation package is $199 plus the $150 Illinois filing fee and covers the full Articles of Organization process. Every Illinois LLC also needs a registered agent on file — that's a separate $99/year line item, billed annually after formation.
Forming an Illinois LLC comes down to one document: the Articles of Organization, authorized by 805 ILCS 180/5-5 and filed with the Illinois Secretary of State. The official Illinois filing fee is $150, processing usually takes several business days, and once approved the company moves into an annual maintenance cycle. Below is the full process, the fee breakdown, and how our service fits in.
Start Your Illinois LLC — $199
$199 gets you a complete filing service through Illinois Secretary of State. Approval timelines run about several business days.
Illinois LLCs: What They Are and Why People Use Them
A LLC-style liability company creates a legal distinction between the business and the owner — that distinction is what protects personal property. Among Illinois small companies, the LLC is popular with consultants, e-commerce operators, real estate investors, and freelancers thanks to its low formality and clear liability shield.
Illinois LLC Filing Fee: $150
The official Illinois filing fee for Articles of Organization is $150, paid to the Secretary of State. Here is the full picture for year one and beyond:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our LLC formation service | $199 one-time |
| Illinois filing fee (Articles of Organization, Form LLC-5.5) | $150 one-time |
| Registered agent (required for every Illinois LLC) | $99/year |
| Illinois annual report fee | $75/year |
We bill $199 for our filing service. State fees are paid to Illinois Secretary of State separately. The agent product is $99 annually.
Important Illinois-specific notes: the annual report is due before the first day of your LLC's anniversary month, a $100 penalty applies once a report is 60 days past due, and Illinois assesses a 1.5% replacement tax on partnership income for LLCs taxed as partnerships. Forming a series LLC instead? That uses Form LLC-5.5(S) and a $400 fee.
Articles of Organization: Form LLC-5.5
The formation document is the Articles of Organization, Form LLC-5.5, created under 805 ILCS 180/5-5. The statute requires the articles to set forth the company's name and the address of its principal place of business, along with the registered agent appointment and the other organizational details captured on the form. The $150 filing fee is printed on the form itself.
You can file online through the Secretary of State, or by mail, in which case Illinois asks for the form in duplicate. The Department of Business Services processes LLC filings, and current forms are collected on the state's LLC publications page.
How to Form an Illinois LLC: The Official Steps
- Name your Illinois LLC. The name must include "Limited Liability Company," "LLC," or "L.L.C." and be distinguishable from entities already on record. Run it through the Secretary of State's entity search before committing, and skip words that imply banking, insurance, or a government agency unless you hold separate authorization.
- Appoint your registered agent. Every Illinois LLC must list an agent with a physical Illinois address (a P.O. Box alone won't do) who is present during normal business hours. The agent's name and address become part of the public record. Our agent service handles that exposure for $99 annually.
- File the Articles of Organization (Form LLC-5.5) with the $150 fee. Submit online or mail the form in duplicate. The articles list the LLC's name, principal place of business, registered agent and office, management structure, and organizers. Expect several business days of processing.
- Put together an operating agreement. Illinois doesn't file or require one, but banks and courts will expect it. Cover ownership stakes, distributions, management, voting, and exit rules; without an agreement, the statute's default rules govern, and they're rarely a good fit.
- Get the LLC's EIN. Apply free at IRS.gov; the application takes about ten minutes and the number issues immediately. Paid EIN services add nothing.
- Stay on top of ongoing compliance. Keep the agent appointment continuous, file the $75 annual report before your anniversary month, keep business and personal finances strictly separated, and stay current on federal and state taxes. Neglect any of these and the Secretary of State can dissolve the entity, taking the liability shield with it.
Rather skip the paperwork? $199 buys our complete filing service for Illinois LLCs.
The Registered Agent Piece
The Illinois agent requirement is unconditional: every LLC, every day, agent on file. The agent's job is to:
- Maintain Illinois street-address coverage (PO box-only setups don't work)
- Be available across business hours to take legal correspondence and lawsuits
- Pass along incoming legal and state correspondence swiftly so deadlines stay intact
Many people launch an LLC partly for privacy. It joins the Illinois Secretary of State public filings and is searchable from day one.
We act as the agent in Illinois for $99/year. The agent on the public filings is us, not you.
FAQs
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Illinois?
The official Illinois filing fee is $150, in the upper-middle of the national range. The recurring annual report sits at $75/year.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Illinois?
From submission to approval, expect around several business days.
Does Illinois require an annual report?
Yes. Form LLC-50.1 is due each year before the first day of your anniversary month, with a $75 fee.
Do I need a registered agent for my Illinois LLC?
Yes. Every Illinois LLC needs an agent with an actual Illinois address on file. The rule applies continuously from formation forward.
Can I form an LLC in Illinois if I live in another state?
Yes — There's no Illinois residency requirement to form an LLC here. An in-state agent is the one requirement; our $99/year plan handles it.
Launch Your Illinois LLC
You can file your Illinois LLC directly with Illinois Secretary of State via the Illinois Secretary of State website. An agent is still mandatory — the state's filing fee is $150.
We're the agent you list on the form. For $99 annually, your filing carries our Illinois address, mail is scanned and emailed to you the day it arrives, and we ping you before every compliance date.
Want the agent product without the LLC filing? Our registered agent service is $99 annually.
More questions about forming an LLC in Illinois or how the agent role works? See our FAQ or contact us while the office is open.
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