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Formation Facts

What the state wants, and what it costs.

Foreign LLC guide · Illinois

Illinois Foreign LLC Registration (2026): What the State Charges and the 3 Best Services

For anyone bringing an out-of-state LLC into the state in Illinois this year, 2026, we would go with IL Registered Agent.org ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and Illinois Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. Rank 28th of 50: an LLC from another state pays $150 to register here, then $75 per report.
Briefing by the Formation Facts team

Illinois: the quick briefing

28th

of 50 on what a foreign LLC owes the state

The smaller the number, the less you pay, a tie. See every state side by side

  • Fee the state takes at registration

    $150

    ilsos.gov; we confirmed it in October 2026

  • Report you must file again

    $75

    Annual report

  • Paper from the home state

    60 days

    It must have been issued within

  • What the state collects in 3 years

    $300

    Three years of state fees for a foreign LLC

Illinois ranking

In order of weight: three-year fees, coverage, renewal terms, fit with Illinois, a clear state fee (method).

Our top choice

1. IL Registered Agent.org: best for a low-cost Illinois filing

$199 to register, then $99 a year

IL Registered Agent.org earns the top spot because you pay $199 plus the state fee, and your first agent year is included, then $99 a year for the agent.

Mainstay Filing costs more over three years, and that criterion is worth 33% of the score.

What your money gets you

  • Prepares and submits your registration
  • A year of agent service

What works

  • No agent fee in year 1
  • A fee of $199
  • $99 a year for the agent afterward

What to weigh

  • No help beyond this state
Visit IL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Biggest reach

2. Mainstay Filing: best for growing beyond your home state

$199 to register, then $149 a year

Mainstay Filing is second for you since $199 plus Illinois's state fee, then $149 a year for the agent from year 2.

Over three years it runs $100 above IL Registered Agent.org, and cost is the biggest weight in our score.

After year 1 the agent is $149 a year wherever you register.

What your money gets you

  • Prepares your registration and files it
  • Your registered agent for the first year is free
  • The same price in any state

What works

  • $199 to register
  • The first agent year is paid for
  • The same price in every state

What to weigh

  • The agent renews at $149, which is $50 above IL Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Home-state option

3. Illinois Registered Agent.co: best for registering only in Illinois

$199 to register, then $99 a year

Illinois Registered Agent.co is third for you since you pay $199 plus the state fee, and your first agent year is included, then $99 a year for the agent.

It ties with IL Registered Agent.org on price.

What your money gets you

  • Prepares and submits your registration
  • A year of agent service

What works

  • A fee of $199
  • No agent fee in year 1
  • $99 a year for the agent afterward

What to weigh

  • No help beyond this state
Visit Illinois Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Prices side by side

RankWhoYou pay in year 1Then per yearTheir fees across 3 years
1IL Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit IL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3Illinois Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Illinois Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Prices as shown on November 13, 2026. The state's $150 is not counted in the figures above.

Work out your total

The registration fee is $150, with a $75 report from year 2, and provider fees are added on top.
Choosing IL Registered Agent.org means paying $697 over 3 years, made up of $300 for the state and $397 for the service.

How Illinois compares with the states near it in the ranking

RankStateThree-year foreign LLC fees
26thWyoming$270
27thConnecticut$280
28thIllinois$300
28thNew Hampshire$300
30thWashington$320
To see the rest of the states, go to Foreign LLC fees by state.

How to register an LLC from another state in Illinois

You register by sending the Application for Admission to Transact Business (Form LLC-45.5) and $150 to the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division. Attach certificate of Good Standing or Existence, at most 60 days.

After you register, you must file the annual report ($75), within the 60 days before your anniversary month.

Gather these first

  • Certificate of Good Standing or Existence, dated within 60 days.
  • The exact legal name and formation date from your home state.
  • Your own registered agent with a street address in the state, named on the form.
  • A method for paying the $150 registration fee.

Risks of operating without registering

Until it registers, your LLC cannot sue in the state's courts (805 ILCS 180/45-45(a)). Your contracts stay valid (805 ILCS 180/45-45(b)). The state bills the fees for the unregistered years as well.

Why the Illinois list is in this order

What settled Illinois was price over three years, at 33%.

Over three years you would pay IL Registered Agent.org $397 in fees ($100 below Mainstay Filing).

Your Illinois questions answered

How much will it cost to register my out-of-state LLC with Illinois?

$150 for the filing itself. A provider adds $199.

Which form do I use to register an out-of-state LLC with Illinois?

Use the Application for Admission to Transact Business (Form LLC-45.5) and send it to the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division.

Does the state want a certificate from my home state?

Yes, you need certificate of Good Standing or Existence, dated within 60 days of your filing.

Will my foreign LLC have to file anything every year?

Yes, you file the annual report and pay $75.

What happens if my LLC does business there without registering?

Until it registers, your LLC cannot sue in the state's courts (805 ILCS 180/45-45(a)). Your contracts stay valid (805 ILCS 180/45-45(b)). The state bills the fees for the unregistered years as well.

Must I appoint a registered agent when registering in Illinois?

Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.

Which service should I choose to register a foreign LLC?

Our ranking is IL Registered Agent.org, Mainstay Filing and Illinois Registered Agent.co.

Other briefings

Where this briefing comes from

  1. If you want proof of what we say about Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, open ilsos.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in August 2026.
  2. If you want proof of what we say about Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, open ilsos.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in August 2026.
  3. If you want proof of what we say about 805 ILCS 180/5-5, open ilga.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in August 2026.
  4. If you want proof of what we say about Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source, open ilga.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  5. If you want proof of what we say about Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source, open ilsos.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  6. If you want proof of what we say about Illinois registered agent statute, open ilga.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  7. If you want proof of what we say about Form LLC-45.5, Application for Admission, open ilsos.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  8. If you want proof of what we say about Form LLC-45.40, Application for Withdrawal, open ilsos.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  9. If you want proof of what we say about 805 ILCS 180/45-45, consequences of transacting business without, open ilga.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  10. If you want proof of what we say about 805 ILCS 180/45-47, activities that are not transacting, open ilga.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  11. If you want proof of what we say about 805 ILCS 180/45-45, open ilga.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in November 2026.
  12. If you want proof of what we say about Wyoming Secretary of State, foreign LLC application for, open sos.wyo.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  13. If you want proof of what we say about Wyoming Secretary of State, fee schedule, open sos.wyo.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  14. If you want proof of what we say about Wyoming Secretary of State, business FAQ, open sos.wyo.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  15. If you want proof of what we say about Certificate of Withdrawal, foreign LLC, open sos.wyo.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  16. If you want proof of what we say about Wyoming Statutes, Title 17, open wyoleg.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  17. If you want proof of what we say about Foreign LLC forms and fees, Business.CT.gov, open business.ct.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  18. If you want proof of what we say about Foreign Registration Statement form, open business.ct.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  19. If you want proof of what we say about Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 613a, open cga.ct.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  20. If you want proof of what we say about Foreign investigations penalties, open business.ct.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  21. If you want proof of what we say about Who can be an agent, open business.ct.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  22. If you want proof of what we say about Foreign annual report forms and fees, open business.ct.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  23. If you want proof of what we say about New Hampshire Secretary of State, LLC forms and, open sos.nh.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  24. If you want proof of what we say about Form FLLC-1, open sos.nh.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  25. If you want proof of what we say about RSA 304-C:174, activities that do not count, open gc.nh.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  26. If you want proof of what we say about RSA 304-C:175, registration, open gc.nh.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  27. If you want proof of what we say about RSA 304-C:191, fees, open gc.nh.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  28. If you want proof of what we say about Washington SOS, register a foreign LLC online, open sos.wa.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  29. If you want proof of what we say about Washington SOS, fee schedules and priority services, open sos.wa.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  30. If you want proof of what we say about RCW 23.95.520, activities that are not doing business, open app.leg.wa.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  31. If you want proof of what we say about RCW 23.95.505, consequences of not registering, open app.leg.wa.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  32. If you want proof of what we say about RCW 23.95.510, foreign registration statement, open app.leg.wa.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  33. If you want proof of what we say about Washington SOS, registered agents, open sos.wa.gov; that is the page we relied on, and we looked at it in October 2026.
  34. You can see pricing page for IL Registered Agent.org on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026
  35. You can see Illinois service page for Mainstay Filing on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026
  36. You can see pricing page for Illinois Registered Agent.co on its own website, which we looked at on November 13, 2026