Illinois fee chart
28th
on the foreign registration map, of 50
Providers for Illinois, ranked
The order follows five criteria described in the
method: three-year provider charges (36%), filings covered (24%), renewal price, match to Illinois rules and fee labeling.
Rank 1
1. IL Registered Agent.org: best for a single extra state
$199 plus $150 to the state; $99/yr later
Spot one goes to IL Registered Agent.org: registering costs $199 plus state fees, and the agent is covered in year one.
This ranking turns on cost: three years here cost less than three years with Mainstay Filing.
Price covers
- The state filing for foreign LLCs
- A year of agent service
Upside
- Then $99 each year
- A free first agent year
- $199 and the state's fee
Downside
- Covers Illinois only; your home state needs its own agent
Nationwide reach
2. Mainstay Filing: best for one price whichever state you add
$199 plus $150 to the state; $149/yr later
Placed second, Mainstay Filing offers registering costs $199 plus state fees, and the registered agent is free during year one.
Its three-year bill runs $100 above IL Registered Agent.org's, and cost is our heaviest weight.
After the free first year the agent is $149 per year in any state.
Price covers
- Registration papers drawn up and filed for you
- First-year registered agent service carries no fee
- Same fee wherever you file
Upside
- $199 above Illinois's fee
- One service charge for every state
- No agent charge in year one
Downside
- Renewal $50 higher than IL Registered Agent.org's
Regional pick
3. Illinois Registered Agent.co: best for registering with Illinois alone
$199 plus $150 to the state; $99/yr later
Next on the chart is Illinois Registered Agent.co, since registering costs $199 plus state fees, and the agent is covered in year one.
Prices match IL Registered Agent.org's exactly, so the two sit next to each other on the chart.
Price covers
- The state filing for foreign LLCs
- A year of agent service
Upside
- Then $99 each year
- $199 and the state's fee
- A free first agent year
Downside
- Covers Illinois only; your home state needs its own agent
The 3 providers compared
All prices here are as the companies showed them on November 12, 2026. Add the $150 state fee to every row.
Foreign LLC budget
The registration fee is $150, with the $75 report from year two; each provider's prices go on top.
Illinois and the states beside it on the chart
Illinois foreign LLC registration fee and form (official)
The route in is the Application for Admission to Transact Business (Form LLC-45.5), delivered to the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division with $150. Alongside it, the state asks for certificate of Good Standing or Existence, at most 60 days.
After that comes the annual report ($75), within the 60 days before your anniversary month.
Documents to collect
- Certificate of Good Standing or Existence, at most 60 days.
- Name and formation date as the home state lists them.
- A registered agent with a street address here; each provider ranked above can supply one.
- Payment of the $150 filing fee.
If you never register
An unregistered LLC cannot sue in the state's courts (805 ILCS 180/45-45(a)). Contracts are not voided (805 ILCS 180/45-45(b)). Unpaid fees from the period before registering are collected as well.
Basis for the order
IL Registered Agent.org wins on service cost across three years, worth 36% of the total; Mainstay Filing follows.
Three years with IL Registered Agent.org cost $397 in provider charges, $100 less than Mainstay Filing.
Questions answered
What does Illinois charge a foreign LLC to register?
$150 as the official fee. Provider fees: $199.
Which form does a foreign LLC file with Illinois?
The form is the Application for Admission to Transact Business (Form LLC-45.5), and it goes to the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division.
Does the filing need a certificate from the home state?
Yes: certificate of Good Standing or Existence, dated within 60 days of filing.
Does a foreign LLC have a yearly obligation?
A yearly filing applies, namely the annual report, which costs $75.
What happens if the LLC does business there without registering?
An unregistered LLC cannot sue in the state's courts (805 ILCS 180/45-45(a)). Contracts are not voided (805 ILCS 180/45-45(b)). Unpaid fees from the period before registering are collected as well.
Must a foreign LLC name a registered agent for Illinois?
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Which provider should register my foreign LLC?
Rank IL Registered Agent.org first and Mainstay Filing and Illinois Registered Agent.co after it; the deciding factor is service cost across three years.
Where each number comes from
- Behind Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services: ilsos.gov, seen August 2026.
- Behind Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services: ilsos.gov, seen August 2026.
- Behind 805 ILCS 180/5-5: ilga.gov, seen August 2026.
- Behind Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source: ilga.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source: ilsos.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Illinois registered agent statute: ilga.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Form LLC-45.5, Application for Admission: ilsos.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Form LLC-45.40, Application for Withdrawal: ilsos.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind 805 ILCS 180/45-45, consequences of transacting business without: ilga.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind 805 ILCS 180/45-47, activities that are not transacting: ilga.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind 805 ILCS 180/45-45: ilga.gov, seen November 2026.
- Behind Wyoming Secretary of State, foreign LLC application for: sos.wyo.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Wyoming Secretary of State, fee schedule: sos.wyo.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Wyoming Secretary of State, business FAQ: sos.wyo.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Certificate of Withdrawal, foreign LLC: sos.wyo.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Wyoming Statutes, Title 17: wyoleg.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Foreign LLC forms and fees, Business.CT.gov: business.ct.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Foreign Registration Statement form: business.ct.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Connecticut General Statutes, chapter 613a: cga.ct.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Foreign investigations penalties: business.ct.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Who can be an agent: business.ct.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Foreign annual report forms and fees: business.ct.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind New Hampshire Secretary of State, LLC forms and: sos.nh.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Form FLLC-1: sos.nh.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind RSA 304-C:174, activities that do not count: gc.nh.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind RSA 304-C:175, registration: gc.nh.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind RSA 304-C:191, fees: gc.nh.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Washington SOS, register a foreign LLC online: sos.wa.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Washington SOS, fee schedules and priority services: sos.wa.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind RCW 23.95.520, activities that are not doing business: app.leg.wa.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind RCW 23.95.505, consequences of not registering: app.leg.wa.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind RCW 23.95.510, foreign registration statement: app.leg.wa.gov, seen October 2026.
- Behind Washington SOS, registered agents: sos.wa.gov, seen October 2026.
- IL Registered Agent.org's pricing page, seen November 12, 2026
- Mainstay Filing's Illinois service page, seen November 12, 2026
- Illinois Registered Agent.co's pricing page, seen November 12, 2026