Foreign LLC Guide

Foreign LLC Guide › Illinois

How to register a foreign LLC in Illinois

Registering a foreign LLC in Illinois takes five steps and a $150 state fee, filed with the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division.

The five steps

  1. Order the home-state certificate. Certificate of Good Standing or Existence, no older than 60 days. Request it from the state where the LLC was formed and allow time for it to arrive.
  2. Line up a registered agent. It needs a street address in Illinois. The services below include one for the first year.
  3. Complete Form LLC-45.5, Application for Admission to Transact Business. Download it from the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division.
  4. Pay $150. That is the official fee.
  5. Set up the yearly filing. Annual report (Illinois Secretary of State), $75 (due: within the 60 days before your anniversary month).

Documents checklist

  • Home-state certificate (certificate of good standing or existence, no older than 60 days)
  • Form LLC-45.5, Application for Admission to Transact Business
  • The Illinois agent’s name and street address
  • The LLC’s exact legal name and formation date
  • Payment of $150

Best 3 Foreign Registration Services in Illinois (2026)

Prefer not to do the steps yourself? These are the services for Illinois.

  1. 1. Mainstay Filing $199 + the $150 state fee = $349; registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year.
  2. 2. IL Registered Agent.org $199 + the $150 state fee = $349; registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.
  3. 3. Illinois Registered Agent.co $199 + the $150 state fee = $349; registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

Service prices read from each provider’s Illinois page on October 28, 2026. The state fee is the official figure below and is paid to the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division.

Illinois guide questions

How do I register a foreign LLC in Illinois?

Five steps: get the home-state certificate, name an agent, complete Form LLC-45.5, Application for Admission to Transact Business, pay $150 and set up the yearly filing.

Where do I send the Illinois application?

To the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division. The link above goes to its filing page.

Can a service do the Illinois steps?

Yes: Mainstay Filing charges $199 plus the state fee and includes the agent for year one.

Sources