To form an Illinois LLC, you file Articles of Organization with the Illinois Secretary of State and pay $150 for standard processing, or $250 for 24-hour service, as of October 2026. You must appoint a registered agent in Illinois, and each year you file an annual report for $75. A series LLC costs $400 to form.
Illinois is one of the pricier states to start an LLC in, and its rules on registered offices are stricter than most. Here's what the Secretary of State's own instructions and fee table say, plus the step that quietly causes most dissolutions.
Illinois LLC fees at a glance
These come from the Secretary of State's LLC fee table, as of October 2026:
| Filing | Fee | Expedited fee (added on top) |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization | $150 | $100 |
| Articles of Organization (series LLC) | $400 | $100 |
| Certificate of Designation (each series) | $50 | $50 |
| Annual report | $75 | $50 |
| Application to reserve a name | $25 | $50 |
| Articles of amendment | $50 | $100 |
| Certificate of good standing | $25 | $20 |
| Reinstatement after administrative dissolution | $200 | $100 |
| Out-of-state LLC applying to do business in Illinois | $150 | $100 |
The online instructions put the totals as $150 for 10 business days or $250 for 24-hour service, and $400 or $500 for a series LLC. A payment processor fee is added to every transaction, and the office says debit cards aren't recommended.
The rules your Articles of Organization must meet
- The name must be unique and include Limited Liability Company, LLC or L.L.C.
- You must appoint and keep a registered agent in Illinois: either an individual who lives in Illinois or an entity authorized to do business there.
- The registered office must be in Illinois, have a street or road address (a P.O. Box alone isn't accepted) and be identical to the agent's business office address.
- The articles must list the names and business addresses of all managers, and of any member with the authority of a manager.
- To file online, the LLC can't be formed in another state and can't be required to use a specific purpose or provisions.
The Department of Business Services strongly recommends that legal counsel reviews all documents before you submit them, and your articles may need extra items for your situation.
The step that quietly causes dissolutions
This is the part people miss. The Secretary of State says all correspondence it starts is mailed to the registered agent at the registered office address. That includes reminders. If you pick a registered agent and then never hear from them, annual report notices can slip past you, and an LLC that stops filing can be administratively dissolved.
Getting back costs more than staying current: reinstatement is $200, against $75 for the annual report, and all penalties built up so far have to be paid with the filing fee. You also can't file the annual report online if the LLC has already been administratively dissolved. There's one small protection: the name of an administratively dissolved Illinois LLC isn't available to another LLC or corporation until three years after the notice of dissolution.
Member-managed or manager-managed?
Illinois makes you decide this up front, because the Articles of Organization must name every manager and any member with a manager's authority, with business addresses. If the owners will run the company day to day, it's member-managed. If you'd rather appoint one or two people to run it while other members stay passive, it's manager-managed. Changing your mind later means Articles of Amendment, which cost $50, as of October 2026, so it's worth getting right first time. Write the same arrangement into your operating agreement so the two documents never disagree.
Series LLCs in Illinois
Illinois lets an LLC establish a series. You form it with the series version of the Articles of Organization, at $400, and each series then needs its own Certificate of Designation on form LLC-37.40 at $50. The certificate can only be filed once the LLC itself has been created. If you only need one company, the standard $150 route is all you need.
Filing the annual report online
Domestic and foreign LLCs can file a standard annual report electronically, and an electronic report counts as an original filing. If nothing's changed, you can file it as a no-change report. If you need to change the registered agent or office, there's a separate form, LLC-1.36/1.37, which costs $25. Compare this with other states in my LLC annual report guide.
How to form an Illinois LLC, step by step
- Check name availability on the Secretary of State's business search.
- Line up an Illinois registered agent and a street address that matches theirs.
- Decide whether the LLC is managed by its members or by managers, and gather their names and business addresses.
- File the Articles of Organization online and pay $150, or $250 for 24-hour service.
- Get an EIN once the LLC exists. My guide to getting an EIN for a small business covers it.
- Diarise the annual report every year, and don't rely on mail alone.
If you're weighing up structures first, my guide on how to start an LLC covers the decisions that come before any state filing.
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My verdict
At $150 to start and $75 a year to keep, as of October 2026, an Illinois LLC is fair value for the protection you get. The real risk is administrative: a registered agent whose mail you don't read. Pick an agent you trust, put the annual report in your calendar, and the $200 reinstatement never comes up.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Illinois?
Articles of Organization cost $150 for standard processing or $250 for 24-hour service, as of October 2026. A series LLC costs $400, or $500 expedited.
How much is the Illinois LLC annual report fee?
It's $75, as of October 2026, with an extra $50 for expedited handling.
Can I use a P.O. Box as my Illinois registered office?
No. The registered office must be in Illinois with a street or road address, and a P.O. Box alone isn't accepted.
Who can be a registered agent in Illinois?
Either an individual who lives in Illinois or an entity authorized to transact business in Illinois.
What does it cost to reinstate a dissolved Illinois LLC?
The application for reinstatement following administrative dissolution costs $200, as of October 2026, and penalties owed must be paid at the same time.
Does an Illinois LLC name have to include LLC?
Yes. It must include Limited Liability Company, LLC or L.L.C.
How much is a certificate of good standing in Illinois?
It's $25, as of October 2026, plus $20 if you want expedited service.
