State hub · Illinois
Illinois LLC true cost (2026)
Illinois state side: $150 formation filing, $75 for LLC Annual Report (Form LLC 50.1) in the 3-year model, ~$375 state fees over three years (methodology below) — #34 of 51 on the cheapest-states ranking. Provider markup is separate — use the table for formation/RA path + state fees.
Illinois state filing fees
These are state fees — not Northwest / ZenBusiness / Bizee / LegalZoom service fees. The collecting agency is Illinois Secretary of State — Department of Business Services. Filings go through www.ilsos.gov/departments/business-services.
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles / Certificate of Formation | $150 | Statutory fee for domestic Articles of Organization (Form LLC-5.5) is $150 under 805 ILCS 180/50-10. Online non-expedited listed at $150 (~10 business days); 24-hour service $250 total ($150 + $100 expedite). Series LLC articles $400 ($500 with 24-hour). Payment processor fee may apply online. |
| LLC Annual Report (Form LLC 50.1) | $75 | 805 ILCS 180/50-10 sets $75 for a standard LLC annual report. Series LLCs: $75 plus $50 per series with a certificate of designation in effect. Late filing under 805 ILCS 180/50-15 can trigger a $100 penalty plus $100 per additional year of delinquency until returned to good standing. |
| 3-year state subtotal (model) | $375 | Articles $150 + three Annual Reports at $75 each ($225) = $375. Excludes expedites, series fees, assumed-name fees, processor fees, and commercial registered-agent costs. |
When Illinois actually bills you
Illinois's recurring filing is due Before the first day of the LLC's anniversary month each year — put it in a calendar the day you form, because the state will not chase you before it penalises you.
| Point in time | What Illinois charges | Amount | Running total |
|---|---|---|---|
| At formation | Articles / Certificate of Formation | $150 | $150 |
| Year 1 cycle | LLC Annual Report (Form LLC 50.1) | $75 | $225 |
| Year 2 cycle | LLC Annual Report (Form LLC 50.1) | $75 | $300 |
| Year 3 cycle | LLC Annual Report (Form LLC 50.1) | $75 | $375 |
Provider + Illinois state (3-year)
Provider totals from the national comparison (formation + RA Y1–Y3, state fees excluded there) plus the Illinois state subtotal of $375.
| Provider | Plan | Provider 3-yr | + state |
|---|---|---|---|
| northwest | Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) | $289 | $664 |
| zenbusiness | Starter $0 + RA add-on | $497 | $872 |
| bizee | Basic $0 (RA Y1 free) | $298 | $673 |
| legalzoom | Basic $0 + RA $249/yr | $747 | $1,122 |
Partner link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices above are researched from public pages, not supplied by the provider. How this site makes money.
How Illinois ranks against the other 50 charters
Across the 51 jurisdictions covered on this site, Illinois sits at #34 — the 34th cheapest three-year state charter — at $375 in Secretary of State and revenue-department dollars. That is $340 more than Montana, the cheapest charter in the ranking ($35), $95 above the $280 median, and $2,135 less than California at $2,510. In plain terms, Illinois lands in the pricier half of the table.
Ranking caveat for Illinois: Exact online payment-processor surcharge amount at checkout (varies by card).
- Just cheaper: Connecticut ($360), New Jersey ($325).
- Just pricier: Washington ($390), New Hampshire ($400).
- Full table: all 51 states ranked by 3-year state fees — including where the ranking flips once you add a professional registered agent.
Registered agent (Illinois)
- Illinois LLC must appoint and maintain a registered agent with an Illinois street address. Failure to maintain an agent can put the LLC not in good standing. Commercial RA common for non-residents; DIY requires Illinois presence.
Put the agent next to the state's own bill: three years of Illinois state fees is $375, while the cheapest provider path in our national 3-year comparison runs $289 (Formation $39 (RA Y1 included)) and the most expensive runs $747 (Basic $0 + RA $249/yr) — a $458 spread for the same statutory job. On the cheapest path the service, not Illinois, is about 44% of your three-year outlay. Choosing the agent well is usually a bigger lever than choosing the state.
Gotchas (fact-based)
- Series LLC formation and annual fees are substantially higher ($400 articles; annual $75 + $50 per series).
- Assumed-name (DBA) fees cycle by calendar year ending digit under 805 ILCS 180/50-10 (e.g., years ending in 1 or 6: $120).
- $100 late annual-report penalty after delinquency thresholds; no waiver provision in the Act.
Who Illinois is for / not for
Often a fit when…
- Operators with Illinois nexus who want a mid-cost Midwest domestic LLC and can calendar the anniversary-month annual report.
Often a poor fit when…
- Cost-minimizers comparing zero-annual-report states (e.g., Ohio), or anyone needing series LLC structure without budgeting the higher series fees.
Orientation only — not legal advice.
Common questions about Illinois LLC cost
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Illinois?
$150 to Illinois Secretary of State — Department of Business Services for the formation filing. Statutory fee for domestic Articles of Organization (Form LLC-5.5) is $150 under 805 ILCS 180/50-10. Online non-expedited listed at $150 (~10 business days); 24-hour service $250 total ($150 + $100 expedite). Series LLC articles $400 ($500 with 24-hour). Payment processor fee may apply online. That is the state charge only. A formation service is a separate bill on top: Formation $39 (RA Y1 included) works out to $39 in year one, versus $249 on the most expensive path we track.
What are the ongoing Illinois LLC fees after year one?
$75 for the LLC Annual Report (Form LLC 50.1), due Before the first day of the LLC's anniversary month each year. 805 ILCS 180/50-10 sets $75 for a standard LLC annual report. Series LLCs: $75 plus $50 per series with a certificate of designation in effect. Late filing under 805 ILCS 180/50-15 can trigger a $100 penalty plus $100 per additional year of delinquency until returned to good standing. Recurring state charges are what make a low formation fee misleading — they are the reason this site models three years instead of one.
What does a Illinois LLC really cost over three years?
$375 in Illinois state fees, plus whatever your provider charges. With the cheapest tracked path that is $664 all-in over three years; with the most expensive it is $1,122 — a $458 difference that has nothing to do with Illinois.
Do I need a registered agent in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois LLC must appoint and maintain a registered agent with an Illinois street address. Failure to maintain an agent can put the LLC not in good standing. Commercial RA common for non-residents; DIY requires Illinois presence. On the money side, the four providers tracked here charge $0–$249 in year one for formation plus the agent, then $125–$249 a year in agent renewal after that — separate from every Illinois figure above.
Is Illinois a cheap state to form an LLC?
On charter cost alone, Illinois ranks #34 of 51 at $375 over three years, against a $35 floor and a $2,510 ceiling. But cheapest charter is not the same as cheapest outcome: if you operate somewhere else you will likely foreign-qualify there and pay that state's fees and taxes too. See the full 3-year state fee ranking for the comparison.
How the Illinois three-year number is built
Articles $150 + three Annual Reports at $75 each ($225) = $375. Excludes expedites, series fees, assumed-name fees, processor fees, and commercial registered-agent costs. Figures are re-derived from the cited Illinois sources rather than copied from other guides.
Deliberately excluded from the Illinois state subtotal:
- Professional registered agent fees (same shopping problem in every state)
- County newspaper publication (NY, AZ, and similar — variable)
- Card / portal convenience fees unless fixed on the SOS schedule
- Expedites, name reservations, certified copies, foreign qualification
- Income / sales / payroll taxes and variable gross-receipts tiers above a stated floor
Unverified / confirm before filing
- item: unverified — check source —
- Re-check live Illinois Secretary of State — Department of Business Services fee schedules — amounts change.
Sources (official)
- 805 ILCS 180/50-10 — LLC fees (articles $150; annual report $75)
- 805 ILCS 180/50-15 — Annual report delinquency penalties
- Illinois SOS — Forming an LLC online (articles $150 / $250 24-hour)
- Illinois SOS — LLC publications and forms (Annual Report LLC 50.1 $75)
- Illinois SOS — LLC Annual Report electronic filing instructions
Keep comparing
- Cheapest states to form an LLC (2026)
All 51 charters ranked by three-year state fees — see exactly where Illinois's $375 lands.
- LLC formation true 3-year cost: Northwest vs ZenBusiness vs Bizee vs LegalZoom
The provider side of the Illinois math, with the upsells worth skipping.
- All 51 state hubs
Same fee model, state by state.