Illinois LLC Cost: Filing Fees Explained (2026)

Q: Is there an annual fee for an Illinois LLC?

Yes. Every Illinois LLC must file an annual report (Form LLC-50.1) with a $75 fee each year, due before the first day of the anniversary month. Filing late adds a $100 penalty under the LLC Act.

Q: How much does a series LLC cost in Illinois?

Forming a series LLC in Illinois costs $400 in Articles of Organization fees. The annual report is $75 plus $50 for each series for which a certificate of designation has been filed.

Q: Are there hidden costs to an Illinois LLC?

Beyond the $150 formation and $75 annual report, common costs include a $25 name reservation, a $25 change of registered agent, a $200 reinstatement fee if administratively dissolved, and any registered agent service or local license fees.

Q: Does an Illinois LLC pay a franchise tax?

Illinois does not levy a franchise tax on LLCs. Instead, an LLC taxed as a partnership pays a 1.5% personal property replacement tax on Illinois net income, and members pay 4.95% individual income tax on their shares.

Fact-checked by the LegalGlass editorial team against primary sources · Published Aug 6, 2026 · Last updated Aug 6, 2026

An Illinois LLC costs $150 to form, filing Articles of Organization (Form LLC-5.5) with the Illinois Secretary of State, plus a $75 annual report every year. A series LLC costs $400 to form. Other set fees include $25 to reserve a name, $25 to change your registered agent, and $200 to reinstate an administratively dissolved LLC.

Quick Answer

Formation fee: $150 (Form LLC-5.5, Articles of Organization)
Series LLC: $400 to form
Annual report: $75 per year (Form LLC-50.1), +$50 per series
Name reservation: $25
Reinstatement: $200 plus delinquent reports and penalties
State replacement tax: 1.5% of Illinois net income (LLC taxed as partnership)

The Core Cost: $150 to Form an Illinois LLC

The single required cost to create an Illinois LLC is the $150 filing fee for Articles of Organization (Form LLC-5.5), paid to the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services. This fee is fixed by statute in Section 50-10 of the Illinois Limited Liability Company Act (805 ILCS 180). No filing service sets it; the amount is the same whether you file online or by mail, and whether you use a lawyer, a service, or do it yourself. Everything else you might pay is either a recurring state obligation, an optional convenience, or a tax tied to how much you earn - not a second mandatory formation charge.

Filing this document is the legal act that brings the LLC into existence. For the step-by-step process, see how to form an LLC in Illinois. For what an LLC is and how it protects owners, see what is an LLC. For a state-by-state comparison, see the national how much does an LLC cost hub.

The $150 fee is identical whether you file online or by mail, and whether you form the LLC yourself or pay a service to submit the paperwork. A filing service's advertised price is its own charge layered on top of the state fee - the state does not discount or increase the $150 based on who submits the Articles of Organization. This is worth understanding up front, because much of the confusion around "how much an LLC costs" comes from bundled service packages that blur the line between the mandatory state fee and optional convenience charges.

Standard LLC vs. Series LLC at Formation

Your first cost decision is structure. A standard LLC costs $150 to form; a series LLC costs $400. The series option lets one parent LLC create internal series, each able to hold separate assets and shield its own liabilities, which can be cheaper than forming several separate LLCs at $150 each. But a series structure adds recordkeeping and per-series annual costs, so it pays off mainly when you genuinely run multiple distinct ventures or hold several properties. For a single business, the standard $150 LLC is almost always the right - and cheaper - choice.

Illinois LLC Fee Schedule (2026)

The table below lists the state fees an Illinois LLC is most likely to encounter, each verified against the fee schedule in 805 ILCS 180/50-10 or the relevant tax agency. Amounts are effective for 2026 and set by statute or rule, not by any third party.

Item	Form	Fee (2026)	Agency
Articles of Organization (form the LLC)	Form LLC-5.5	$150	Secretary of State
Articles of Organization - series LLC	Form LLC-5.5(S)	$400	Secretary of State
Annual report	Form LLC-50.1	$75 (+$50 per series)	Secretary of State
Late annual report penalty	-	$100	Secretary of State
Application to reserve a name	Form LLC-1.15	$25	Secretary of State
Change of registered agent / office	Form LLC-1.36/1.37	$25	Secretary of State
Application for reinstatement	Form LLC-45.65	$200	Secretary of State
Federal EIN	IRS Form SS-4	$0 (free)	IRS
Business tax registration	Form REG-1	$0 (free)	Dept. of Revenue

Expedited processing and certified copies carry additional charges that are not fixed in the LLC Act's fee schedule. Because these can change, confirm the current expedite and copy fees with the Department of Business Services before relying on a figure.

The $75 Annual Report - Recurring Cost

The main recurring cost of an Illinois LLC is the annual report (Form LLC-50.1), which carries a $75 fee. Under Section 50-1 of the LLC Act, the report is due within the 60 days immediately preceding the first day of the LLC's anniversary month - the month the LLC was originally organized. For a series LLC, the annual report fee is $75 plus $50 for each series for which a certificate of designation has been filed.

If you miss the deadline, Section 50-15 adds a $100 penalty, and continued non-filing can lead to administrative dissolution. Restoring a dissolved LLC then requires a $200 reinstatement fee plus all overdue annual reports and penalties - so the cheapest path is always to file on time. For the full annual filing walkthrough, see Illinois annual report and taxes.

Series LLC Cost

Illinois allows a series LLC, a single LLC that can establish internal series with separate assets and liabilities. Forming a series LLC costs $400 in Articles of Organization fees, versus $150 for a standard LLC. Each series for which you file a certificate of designation adds $50 to the annual report. A series structure can reduce the cost of running multiple ventures under one umbrella, but it adds complexity; weigh it against forming separate standard LLCs.

Registered Agent Cost

Illinois requires every LLC to maintain a registered agent and registered office. You may serve as your own agent at no cost if you have a physical Illinois address and are available during business hours. If you hire a commercial registered agent service, expect a recurring annual fee set by the provider - the state does not set this price. Changing your registered agent later costs $25 through the Secretary of State. See the national registered agent overview for the tradeoffs.

Illinois Tax Costs (No Franchise Tax on LLCs)

Illinois does not impose a franchise tax on LLCs. The ongoing state tax cost depends on how your LLC is taxed. An LLC taxed as a partnership pays the personal property replacement tax at 1.5% of Illinois net income and files Form IL-1065; an LLC taxed as a corporation pays 2.5% replacement tax plus the 7% corporate income tax. Owners who receive pass-through income pay Illinois individual income tax at 4.95%.

If your LLC sells taxable goods, you must register with the Illinois Department of Revenue (Form REG-1, free) and collect the 6.25% state Retailers' Occupation (sales) Tax, plus any local sales tax. An EIN from the IRS is free. Compare tax treatment on our S-corp vs LLC page and see business licensing in Illinois for registration costs.

Optional and Third-Party Costs

Beyond the mandatory state fees, LLC owners often pay for optional items priced by third parties, not the state: an operating agreement drafted by an attorney, a commercial registered agent service, a business bank account, accounting software, or local business licenses. None of these are required to form the LLC, and their prices vary by provider and locality, so treat them separately from the fixed state fees above.

Registered Agent and Name Costs

If you act as your own registered agent, this line is free. A commercial agent typically charges a recurring annual fee set by the provider, not the state. Reserving a name before you file is optional and costs $25; most founders skip it and simply file the Articles of Organization once their name clears the Secretary of State database. Amending your Articles later, or filing an assumed name (DBA) to trade under a different name, carries its own Secretary of State fee - confirm the current amount before filing, since these are set administratively.

Local Licenses and Permits

Illinois has no general statewide business license, so there is no single state license fee to budget for. However, many cities and counties charge for a local business license or activity permit, and regulated professions pay state licensing fees. These are set locally or by the licensing agency and vary widely, so they are not part of the fixed Secretary of State cost. See business licensing in Illinois to identify which registrations your specific activity requires.

Total First-Year Cost Estimate

For a standard single-member Illinois LLC that a founder files themselves, the mandatory state cost in year one is the $150 Articles of Organization fee plus the $75 annual report when it comes due - the EIN and Department of Revenue registration are free. A series LLC starts at $400. Optional services add to this depending on your choices, but the state-set floor is $150 to launch. For a national picture of typical LLC costs, see how much does an LLC cost, and when you are ready to close, see how to dissolve an LLC in Illinois.

Put another way, the recurring cost of keeping an Illinois LLC alive is modest and predictable: $75 a year for the annual report, plus whatever your tax situation and any commercial registered agent add. There is no franchise tax and no minimum annual tax simply for existing, which sets Illinois apart from states like California. The costs that hurt are the avoidable ones - the $100 late-report penalty and the $200 reinstatement fee - and both come from missing deadlines rather than from the state's base fees.

How Illinois Compares

At $150 to form and $75 a year to maintain, Illinois sits in the middle of the pack nationally. Some states charge less to file but add an annual tax; others charge more up front but little ongoing. What matters for budgeting is the combined first-year and recurring figure, not any single line. For Illinois, that combined figure is low and stable, which makes cost planning straightforward once you account for your tax election and any optional services.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an LLC cost in Illinois?

It costs $150 to form an Illinois LLC by filing Articles of Organization (Form LLC-5.5) with the Illinois Secretary of State. After that, each LLC files a $75 annual report every year. A series LLC costs $400 to form.

Is there an annual fee for an Illinois LLC?

Yes. Every Illinois LLC files an annual report (Form LLC-50.1) with a $75 fee each year, due before the first day of the anniversary month. Filing late adds a $100 penalty.

How much does a series LLC cost in Illinois?

Forming a series LLC costs $400. The annual report is $75 plus $50 for each series for which a certificate of designation has been filed.

Are there hidden costs to an Illinois LLC?

Common extra costs include a $25 name reservation, a $25 change of registered agent, a $200 reinstatement fee if dissolved, and any commercial registered agent or local license fees.

Does an Illinois LLC pay a franchise tax?

No. Illinois has no LLC franchise tax. An LLC taxed as a partnership pays a 1.5% replacement tax on Illinois net income, and members pay 4.95% individual income tax on their shares.

Sources

Illinois LLC Act - 805 ILCS 180/50-10, Fees ($150 Articles of Organization; $400 series; $75 annual report +$50 per series; $25 name reservation; $25 change of agent; $200 reinstatement).
Illinois LLC Act - 805 ILCS 180/50-1, Annual report (due within 60 days before the anniversary month).
Illinois LLC Act - 805 ILCS 180/50-15, Penalties ($100 late penalty).
Illinois LLC Act - 805 ILCS 180/37-40, Series (certificate of designation).
Illinois Secretary of State - Limited Liability Companies (Department of Business Services).
Illinois Department of Revenue - Income Tax Rates (4.95% individual; 7% corporate; 1.5% and 2.5% replacement tax).
Illinois Department of Revenue - Partnerships (Form IL-1065).
Illinois Department of Revenue - Business Registration (Form REG-1) (no fee).
Illinois Department of Revenue - Retailers' Occupation and Use Tax rates (6.25% state rate).
IRS - Get an Employer Identification Number (free EIN).
IRS - Limited Liability Company (LLC) (federal default classification).
Legal Information Institute - 26 CFR § 301.7701-3, Classification of certain business entities.

LegalGlass provides general information for educational purposes and is not a law firm or a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney or tax professional. Fees and thresholds change; verify current amounts with the Illinois Secretary of State and Illinois Department of Revenue before acting.