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Statewise Business The state fee almanac for LLCs, sourced line by line.

Foreign LLC guide · Illinois

Illinois Foreign LLCs (2026): Registration Fees and the 3 Best Services

The 2026 Illinois entry for foreign LLC registration names Illinois Registered Agent.co ($199), Mainstay Filing ($199) and IL Registered Agent.org ($199), in that order. Registering costs $150 in Illinois, with a $75 yearly report afterwards; three-year state fees stand 28th of 50.

Entry by the Statewise Business almanac desk ·

Illinois figures on file

28thin the 50-state table, foreign LLCsPosition 1 is the least expensive state (tie). Open the full table
Foreign registration fee
$150October 2026, ilsos.gov
Report each cycle
$75Annual report
Certificate from home
60 daysIssued no earlier than this
State fees over three years
$300Three-year model for a foreign LLC

The services we would hire in Illinois

Why this order: service fees across three years first, then coverage, renewal, Illinois fit and fee clarity (methodology).

1. Illinois Registered Agent.co: best for a Illinois registration on a budget

Top entry$199 and fees; $99 a year later

Rank one, Illinois Registered Agent.co: a $199 service fee and a $99 agent renewal in Illinois.

Its three-year service fees are under Mainstay Filing's, and cost carries 32% of the score, the largest weight.

In the price

  • Registration paperwork handled
  • A year of agent service

Strengths

  • $99 yearly from year two
  • $199 plus the state fee
  • First agent year in the price

Weak points

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

2. Mainstay Filing: best for the same price in any state

Every state$199 and fees; $149 a year later

Rank 2, Mainstay Filing: a $199 service fee in any state, first agent year included.

A $100 difference over three years against Illinois Registered Agent.co keeps it out of first place.

The free agent year ends and $149 a year begins, wherever the company registers.

In the price

  • The registration filing, handled for you
  • The registered agent role costs nothing in year one
  • One price, any state

Strengths

  • $199 plus state fee
  • No agent charge in year one
  • One fee anywhere

Weak points

  • Renewal $50 over Illinois Registered Agent.co
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

3. IL Registered Agent.org: best for a smaller agent renewal

Illinois specialist$199 and fees; $99 a year later

Rank 3, IL Registered Agent.org: a $199 service fee and a $99 agent renewal in Illinois.

On price it ties with Illinois Registered Agent.co.

In the price

  • Registration paperwork handled
  • A year of agent service

Strengths

  • $99 yearly from year two
  • First agent year in the price
  • $199 plus the state fee

Weak points

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

The 3 picks compared

#EntryYear-one priceYears two onService fees over three years
1Illinois Registered Agent.co$199$99/yr$397Visit Illinois Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2Mainstay Filing$199$149/yr$497Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3IL Registered Agent.org$199$99/yr$397Visit IL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Every price here was read on November 12, 2026. The $150 state fee comes on top of every service.

Foreign LLC calculator

Registration fee $150, then the $75 report from year two, added to the service's prices.
Illinois Registered Agent.co for 3 years: $300 to the state, $397 to the service, $697 in all.

Illinois among its neighbors in the rank

PositionStateThree-year foreign LLC fees
26thWyoming$270
27thConnecticut$280
28thIllinois$300
28thNew Hampshire$300
30thWashington$320
All fifty rows: Foreign LLC fees by state.

The Illinois filing for out-of-state LLCs

An LLC formed elsewhere sends the Application for Admission to Transact Business (Form LLC-45.5) to the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division with $150. The state also asks for certificate of Good Standing or Existence, at most 60 days.

Afterwards it files the annual report ($75), within the 60 days before your anniversary month.

Checklist before filing

  • Certificate of Good Standing or Existence, no older than 60 days.
  • The exact legal name from the home state, plus the date of formation.
  • Someone to act as registered agent in Illinois.
  • A way to pay the $150 filing fee.

Penalties for not registering in Illinois

The state's courts will not take a suit it files before registering (805 ILCS 180/45-45(a)). Its contracts stay valid (805 ILCS 180/45-45(b)). Fees for the years without registration are owed as well.

How the Illinois order was set

Illinois Registered Agent.co won on added cost over three years, which is worth 32%; Mainstay Filing came next.

At $397 for three years, $100 below Mainstay Filing, Illinois Registered Agent.co leads on cost.

Illinois FAQ

What does a foreign LLC pay to register in Illinois?

$150 for the filing. Services here charge $199 more.

What is the foreign registration form in Illinois?

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

Is a certificate from the home state required?

Yes, certificate of Good Standing or Existence, dated within 60 days of the filing.

What does a foreign LLC owe each year?

It files the annual report for $75.

What happens if the LLC operates there unregistered?

The state's courts will not take a suit it files before registering (805 ILCS 180/45-45(a)). Its contracts stay valid (805 ILCS 180/45-45(b)). Fees for the years without registration are owed as well.

Does a foreign LLC need a registered agent in Illinois?

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

Who should handle the registration?

Illinois Registered Agent.co first, because $199 beyond the state fee to register, then $99 a year. After it: Mainstay Filing and IL Registered Agent.org.

More entries

Citations for this entry

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