Starting an LLC in Illinois: Steps, Fees, and Form LLC-5.5
A clean Illinois registered agent setup for $99 per year. You get the office address on file, scanned legal mail, and compliance reminders ahead of state deadlines.
Launching an LLC in Illinois involves a single state filing, an ongoing registered agent, and a short list of compliance items each year. The filing is the Articles of Organization, Form LLC-5.5, the state's charge is $150, and processing runs about a week. Below: each step explained, the fee picture, and what our service covers.
Build Your Illinois LLC — $199
For a flat $199, we prepare and submit your formation document to Illinois Secretary of State. Allow about a week from filing to approval.
The Illinois LLC, Briefly Explained
A limited liability company is the entity choice that protects the owner's house, savings, and car from most business liabilities. Among Illinois small businesses, consultants, real estate holders, solo operators, and small partnerships all favor the LLC for its blend of low overhead and real protection.
The $150 Illinois Filing Fee
Illinois charges $150 to file LLC Articles of Organization. The rest of the picture:
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Our formation service | $199 one-time |
| Illinois filing fee (Form LLC-5.5) | $150 one-time |
| Registered agent (every Illinois LLC needs one) | $99/year |
| Annual report (Form LLC-50.1) | $75/year |
$199 flat to us, state fee to Illinois Secretary of State, and $99 per year for the RA service — three distinct items.
Planning a series LLC? Different form, different fee: Form LLC-5.5(S), at $400.
Form LLC-5.5: The Articles of Organization
The document that creates your company is authorized at 805 ILCS 180/5-5, which directs that the articles "shall set forth" the LLC's name and the address of its principal place of business, among the other items collected on the form. Beyond those two: the registered agent's name and Illinois office address, the management structure (member-managed or manager-managed), and the organizers signing the filing.
Two ways to file: online through the Secretary of State's system, or on paper, submitted in duplicate, by mail to the Department of Business Services. The $150 fee is printed right on Form LLC-5.5.
Steps to Form Your Illinois LLC
- Pick a compliant name. It needs an LLC suffix (Limited Liability Company, LLC, or L.L.C.) and can't duplicate or closely resemble an existing entity. Check the Secretary of State's entity database before ordering business cards or buying a domain, and skip bank, insurance, and government terms unless you're licensed for them.
- Line up your registered agent. Every Illinois LLC needs one, at a physical Illinois address, reachable during business hours. The name and address go straight into the public record. We provide the address and the staffing behind it for $99/year.
- File Form LLC-5.5 with the $150 fee. Online, or paper in duplicate by mail. The state usually returns approval within about a week.
- Draft an operating agreement. Illinois doesn't collect one, but it's fundamental: ownership, profit allocation, decision rights, and member exit procedures. No agreement means the statutory defaults run your company, and they weren't written with your business in mind.
- Get an EIN from the IRS. Free at IRS.gov, under ten minutes, issued immediately. Never pay a third party for one.
- Keep up with the recurring obligations. Agent on record at all times, Form LLC-50.1 filed before your anniversary month each year at $75, business and personal money strictly separated, taxes current. Miss enough of it and dissolution follows, taking the liability shield with it.
Want us to handle it? One $199 payment and we file the Illinois LLC for you.
The Registered Agent Requirement
The agent requirement extends to every LLC in Illinois — no exceptions, no workarounds. The agent has to:
- Keep a brick-and-mortar address in Illinois (P.O. Boxes don't count on their own)
- Be reachable throughout the standard business day to handle legal service
- Scan and route legal mail and state notices fast enough that the LLC can respond before deadlines
LLC owners who serve as their own agent expose their home addresses. Servers of process, marketers, and anybody interested can pull it up at will.
$99 per year covers our RA service in Illinois. We're the address on the public filing; you keep yours private.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Illinois?
The state's filing fee is $150, above the national midpoint. Beyond formation, the annual report comes to $75/year.
How long does it take to form an LLC in Illinois?
The state generally returns approval inside about a week.
Does Illinois require an annual report?
Yes, annually: Form LLC-50.1, $75, due before the first day of your anniversary month.
Do I need a registered agent for my Illinois LLC?
Yes. Illinois LLCs must keep a registered agent at a physical Illinois address every day the LLC is active.
Can I form an LLC in Illinois if I live in another state?
Yes. Illinois doesn't restrict LLC ownership to residents. (what you still need is the Illinois agent piece; our RA service at $99/year is the answer.)
File Your Illinois LLC Today
The DIY path is open through Illinois Secretary of State using the state's filing portal. The filing fee is $150 either way, and a registered agent must still be on record.
Our RA service can be listed on your formation paperwork from day one. For $99/year, it covers the public address, same-day scanning of documents, and due-date reminders for upcoming filings.
Just the agent, no formation? The agent-only registered agent plan costs $99/year.
Have more questions about Illinois LLC formation or about the agent service? Visit our FAQ page or reach out any weekday.
Ready to get started?
Begin coverage today — the annual rate funds office address, scanning, and reminders. No extras tacked on.