Start a Illinois LLC
How to start an LLC in Illinois →
Name, registered agent, Articles of Organization and bank account, step by step.
Illinois LLC cost →
What it costs to form and to keep, and a three-year comparison.
Illinois operating agreement →
Not required by law, but every LLC needs one. Create yours free.
Run a Illinois LLC
Illinois Annual Report →
Every year. Due dates, first filing, and what happens if you miss it.
Illinois registered agent →
Every Illinois LLC needs one. Ours is included in year one.
Compliance deadline tracker →
Every federal and Illinois deadline for your LLC.
Changing or closing it: add or remove a member, change your registered agent, move to another state, dissolve the LLC.
Illinois LLC at a glance
Formed with
Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services
Formation document
Articles of Organization
Recurring filing
Annual Report, every year
Online filing
Yes
Illinois LLCs file an Annual Report every year. It is due before the first day of the LLC's anniversary month each year (the month it was formed).
Illinois follows the federal classification: an LLC taxed as a partnership files Form IL-1065 and pays Personal Property Replacement Income Tax on its Illinois net income; an LLC taxed as a corporation files IL-1120 (or IL-1120-ST for an S corporation); a single-member disregarded LLC has no separate Illinois return
Must contain "Limited Liability Company", "LLC" or "L.L.C."; may not contain "Corporation", "Corp.", "Incorporated", "Inc.", "Ltd.", "Co." or "Limited Partnership", and it must be distinguishable from names already on the Illinois register.
- A late filing penalty applies when the Annual Report is not filed before the first day of the anniversary month.
- An LLC providing services licensed by IDFPR must use "Professional Limited Liability Company", "PLLC" or "P.L.L.C." instead.
Forming a Illinois LLC from outside the US?
The steps above are written for people who live in the US. If you live abroad, the bank account and tax filings work differently.
Illinois LLC for non-residents →Sources
Nearby states
All states
Frequently asked questions
How do I start an LLC in Illinois?
Choose a name, appoint a registered agent in Illinois, and file a Articles of Organization with the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services. Then write an operating agreement and open a business bank account. Our step-by-step guide covers each one.
How much does a Illinois LLC cost?
Illinois charges a one-time filing fee to form an LLC. With StartGlobal it is $399 in total, with that fee, your operating agreement and first-year registered agent included.
Does a Illinois LLC file an annual report?
Illinois LLCs file an Annual Report every year. It is due before the first day of the LLC's anniversary month each year (the month it was formed).
Does Illinois tax LLCs?
Illinois follows the federal classification: an LLC taxed as a partnership files Form IL-1065 and pays Personal Property Replacement Income Tax on its Illinois net income; an LLC taxed as a corporation files IL-1120 (or IL-1120-ST for an S corporation); a single-member disregarded LLC has no separate Illinois return
Is an operating agreement required in Illinois?
No, but every Illinois LLC should have one.
