We can take care of everything for you. Our price includes one year of registered agent service!
State fees are an additional $150, plus whatever your home state charges for a Certificate of Good Standing ($0-$50).
Want to register your foreign LLC yourself? No problem.
Follow the 4 steps outlined below.
Registering as a Foreign IL LLC will allow you—as an out-of-state business owner—to operate here in Illinois. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Every business that registers with the Illinois Secretary of State is required to have an Illinois Registered Agent. Your registered agent must be a person or an entity that has a physical address (registered office) in Illinois and is available during normal business hours to accept service of process from the state. The name and address of your registered agent will be listed publicly.
For this reason, many people choose to hire a registered agent service, like us. We’ll list our address instead of yours, plus we’ll send you all the notices we receive on your behalf the same day we receive them.
Before applying for Illinois foreign entity registration, you’ll need to get a Certificate of Good Standing from your home state. Depending on where your LLC is currently registered, this might be called a Certificate of Existence, Certificate of Status, or a Letter of Good Standing. A Certificate of Good Standing (or equivalent) shows that your business has stayed up to date with all required fees and reports.
This certificate must be obtained from—and authenticated by—the relevant office in your home state within 60 days of your application for foreign qualification in Illinois. Typically, a Certificate of Good Standing is obtained from the same office with which you filed your formation paperwork, usually the Secretary of State’s office.
NOTE: When you hire us to register your Foreign Illinois LLC, we’ll take care this step for you!
An Application for Admission to Transact Business in Illinois should be filed with the Illinois Secretary of State before your business operates in Illinois. Your application must include:
You’ll also have to attach your Certificate of Good Standing, as well as the state’s $150 filing fee. Illinois does not accept applications for foreign LLCs online, which means you must file paper forms.
Where do I submit an Application for Admission to Transact Business in Illinois?You can send your application via mail, or deliver it in person to one of the two addresses below:
Springfield (by mail or in person):
Illinois Secretary of State
Department of Business Services
Limited Liability Division
501 S. Second St., Rm. 351
Springfield, IL 62756
Chicago (in person only):
Cook County Building
69 W. Washington St., Ste. 1240
Chicago, IL 60602
NOTE: If you want to expedite your filing, you can only do so in person. Luckily, if you hire us, we offer a free Courier Service, so you can get your filings approved faster!
What if my LLC’s name is already being used in Illinois?In the case that your company’s name is already registered in Illinois, you’ll need to operate under an assumed name (also called a DBA name). To find out whether or not your name is already in use, check the state’s business archives with the Illinois Business Entity Search. If your name is already registered, you’ll have to select a different name, and submit an Application to Adopt an Assumed Name along with your foreign LLC application.
How much does it cost to get an assumed name in Illinois?Illinois has a strange system for collecting filing fees from businesses that want to operate under an assumed name. In short: the initial fee depends on the year you file. After that, you’ll pay $150 every five years.
In general, all businesses with assumed names—regardless of the initial year they filed their assumed name application—must renew this application and pay the associated $150 fee every five years, according to a five-year cycle with years ending in either 0 or 5. In other words, any company with an assumed name in Illinois must renew it in 2025, and 2030, and 2035, and so on.
However, if you submit your initial application during any other year, your initial fee will vary accordingly:
You will officially be able to conduct business in Illinois when you receive a stamped copy of your application from the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office. This is your certificate of authority.
We give you the most bang for your buck.
As your registered agent, we’re with you day in and day out.
And when you want more help with your business…
We’re there for you with the click of a button.
Free Operating Agreement Documents & More
Online Account to Monitor, Track, and Receive Important Business Documents
Instant Document Delivery System
Online Access to Additional Business Services
365 Days of Illinois Registered Agent Service
Free Use of Our Address on Formation Documents
Real-Time Annual Report Reminders
Lifetime Client Support
Optional Trade Name Service
