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State Filing Data LLC fees by state, read from the source.

Foreign LLC guide · Illinois

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

Short answer for Illinois in 2026: Mainstay Filing ($199), IL Registered Agent.org ($199) and Illinois Registered Agent.co ($199), in that order. On the state's schedule a foreign LLC pays $150 up front and $75 per report, 28th of 50 over three years.
State Filing Data research desk

Illinois at a glance

of 50 for registering a foreign LLC

Rank 1 is the least expensive state, shared rank. Compare states

Registration fee

$150

ilsos.gov, checked October 2026

Yearly report

$75

Annual report

Home-state certificate

60 days

Age limit at filing

Three-year state fees

$300

Registration, then two report years

Illinois picks

The methodology sets the order. Service fees over three years count most, then what the price covers.

First pick

1. Mainstay Filing: best for one price in any state

$199 to register, $149 yearly after

Mainstay Filing leads here. The case for it: it files the Illinois registration for $199 over the state fee and includes year one of agent service.

Three-year service fees run $100 above IL Registered Agent.org, which the 30% coverage weight more than offsets.

The agent renews at $149 a year wherever the company registers.

What you pay for

  • Registration prepared and filed
  • Registered agent, free for the first year
  • Same service fee in every state

For

  • Service fee $199
  • No agent fee in year one
  • Covers all fifty states

Against

  • Renewal $50 over IL Registered Agent.org
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Single state

2. IL Registered Agent.org: best for adding only Illinois

$199 to register, $99 yearly after

In second place, IL Registered Agent.org: the Illinois registration for $199 with a year of agent service and $99 yearly after.

What you pay for

  • Registration filed for you
  • A year of agent service

For

  • $199 over the state fee
  • Agent renews at $99
  • Agent included for year one

Against

  • Home state needs a separate agent
Visit IL Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
Single state

3. Illinois Registered Agent.co: best for Illinois registrations

$199 to register, $99 yearly after

In third place, Illinois Registered Agent.co: the Illinois registration for $199 with a year of agent service and $99 yearly after.

Same published prices as IL Registered Agent.org.

What you pay for

  • Registration filed for you
  • A year of agent service

For

  • Agent included for year one
  • Agent renews at $99
  • $199 over the state fee

Against

  • Home state needs a separate agent
Visit Illinois Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Price comparison

#ServiceYear oneFrom year twoThree-year service fees
1 Mainstay Filing $199$149/yr$497
Visit Mainstay Filing Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 IL Registered Agent.org $199$99/yr$397
Visit IL Registered Agent.org Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Illinois Registered Agent.co $199$99/yr$397
Visit Illinois Registered Agent.co Partner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Read from the companies' price pages on November 12, 2026. Each row excludes the $150 state fee.

Foreign LLC calculator

Totals add Illinois's foreign LLC fees to each service's published prices.

$797 over 3 years with Mainstay Filing (state $300, service $497).

Illinois and its neighbors in the rank

RankStateThree-year foreign LLC fees
26th Wyoming$270
27th Connecticut$280
28th Illinois$300
28th New Hampshire$300
30th Washington$320

Full ranking: Foreign LLC fees by state. 1st is the least expensive.

Illinois foreign registration: fee, form, office

Out-of-state LLCs register with the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division using the Application for Admission to Transact Business (Form LLC-45.5) ($150). Bring certificate of Good Standing or Existence, at most 60 days.

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

What to have ready

  • Certificate of Good Standing or Existence, issued within 60 days.
  • The registered name and formation date from home.
  • An in-state registered agent, which each listed service supplies.
  • Payment of the $150 filing fee.

Risks of operating unregistered

Lawsuits it tries to bring are blocked until the registration is on file (805 ILCS 180/45-45(a)). Its agreements remain in force (805 ILCS 180/45-45(b)). The state also collects fees for the time it operated unregistered.

The reasoning

Of our five criteria, state filings covered (30%) settled first place in Illinois.

A foreign LLC already exists in another state, so a provider that covers both states scored best on coverage.

Illinois questions answered

How much does it cost to register a foreign LLC in Illinois?

$150 to the state. A service adds $199.

Which form registers a foreign LLC in Illinois?

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

Do I need a certificate from my home state?

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

What does a foreign LLC file after registering?

The annual report, $75.

What if the LLC does business there without registering?

Lawsuits it tries to bring are blocked until the registration is on file (805 ILCS 180/45-45(a)). Its agreements remain in force (805 ILCS 180/45-45(b)). The state also collects fees for the time it operated unregistered.

Is a registered agent needed there?

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

Who should file the registration?

Mainstay Filing, IL Registered Agent.org and Illinois Registered Agent.co, in that order.

See also

Data sources

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