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An Illinois LLC costs $150 to form with standard processing, or $250 if you pay for 24-hour service online. The recurring state cost is the $75 annual report, filed before the first day of the LLC's anniversary month.
Those two numbers cover what the Department of Business Services charges for a typical LLC. For searching Illinois companies, our Illinois business entity search guide walks through the state's tool.
First year and each year after
Sources: the Secretary of State LLC instructions, the LLC forms and fees list, the LLC guide C 334 and the annual report form.
| Cost item | Illinois amount | Timing |
|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization, standard (10 business days) | $150 | Once |
| Articles of Organization with 24-hour service, online | $250 total | Once, instead of the standard fee |
| LLC annual report | $75 | Every year, before the anniversary month starts |
| Late filing penalty | $100 | If filed more than 60 days after the due date |
| Name reservation (form LLC-1.15), optional | $25 | 90 days, can be renewed |
| Certificate of Good Standing, optional | $25 | Bought online when needed |
The minimum state outlay is $150 for year one and $75 for each anniversary after that. With 24-hour service, the start is $250.
The state helps you stay on time. About 45 days before the due date, a pre-filled annual report goes to your registered agent.
Registering an LLC from another state
A foreign LLC files an Application for Admission to Transact Business for $150. It then owes the $75 annual report like a domestic LLC. Source: LLC forms and fees list. Our foreign LLC registration guide explains when an outside LLC must register in Illinois.
Corporations have a different cost picture in Illinois. They pay an initial franchise tax based on the consideration received for their shares. That tax does not appear in the LLC fee list.
What the state fees leave out
- Registered agent. An Illinois LLC needs one, and the pre-filled report goes to that agent. A paid agent service is a private cost.
- Attorney or accountant, if you decide to use one.
- EIN. Free. The IRS states "You never have to pay a fee for an EIN" on its EIN page. Our EIN for an LLC page covers when you need one.
- Local licences and permits from your city or county.
Late filing in Illinois, step by step
The cost of a missed report builds in stages, according to the C 334 guide:
- Past the due date. The LLC is placed in delinquent status.
- 60 days late. It moves to penalty status, and the $100 penalty applies on top of the $75 fee, as the annual report form states.
- 120 days from delinquency. If the report is still not filed, the LLC is administratively dissolved.
Dissolution has a side cost beyond fees. The name of an administratively dissolved Illinois LLC is not available to another LLC or corporation until three years have passed. Reinstatement and any back filings cost extra on top of what you skipped. Source: LLC instructions.
Choosing 24-hour service is the other common way the bill rises. It adds $100 to the formation, for $250 in total under the LLC instructions.
Compare Illinois with nearby states
Owners near the state line often compare Illinois with Indiana and Wisconsin. Our LLC fees by state table shows them side by side. To project five or ten years of Illinois fees, open the LLC cost calculator, and keep the annual report deadlines tool handy for the anniversary month rule.
To go from cost to action, see how to start an LLC in Illinois.