Registered agent required
Yes
From ilga.gov, October 2026
Registered agent guide · Illinois
Illinois Registered Agent Rules and Fees (2026): the Official Numbers and the 3 Best Agents
Illinois fact sheet for 2026: when hiring a registered agent, pick Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), IL Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and Illinois Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), in that order. The law in Illinois calls for a registered agent on every LLC. Annual state fees add up to $75, number 34th of 50.
Facts for Illinois
34th
out of 50 for one-year state cost
Ordered from the lowest total up (same total as other states). Every state side by side
Limited Liability Company Annual Report
$75 / yr
Due date, in the state's own words: before the first day of the entity's anniversary month. From ilsos.gov, October 2026
State charges over 1 year
$75
The recurring charges for one year
The services we pick in Illinois
Criteria in order of weight: three-year fees, coverage, renewal terms, fit with Illinois, clear state fee (method).
1. Mainstay Filing: best for companies in several states
Year 1 is $149, year 2 is $149
Mainstay Filing comes first because it costs $149 a year here and in every other state; renewal is $149.
Over three years the provider fees are $150 above IL Registered Agent.org's, and in exchange the state paperwork it handles is wider.
What the price takes in
- A street address for the registered office
- Scans papers served on the company the same business day, at no charge
- Scans the first three government letters each year, no charge
- Serves nonprofits, corporations, LPs and LLPs as well
In its favor
- Reaches all fifty states
- $149 annually
Against it
- $50 extra per year compared with IL Registered Agent.org
- Report filing belongs to the formation package
2. IL Registered Agent.org: best for people who reside in Illinois
Year 1 is $99, year 2 is $99
Number 2, IL Registered Agent.org, for this reason: an in-state-only plan at $99 per year, then $99.
What the price takes in
- A Illinois street address for the registered office
- Papers served on the company are scanned to your login
In its favor
- A yearly price below Mainstay Filing
- $99 per year with no increase
Against it
- Just Illinois
- The Limited Liability Company Annual Report remains the owner's job
3. Illinois Registered Agent.co: best for an agent close to home
Year 1 is $99, year 2 is $99
Number 3, Illinois Registered Agent.co, for this reason: an in-state-only plan at $99 per year, then $99.
It ties with IL Registered Agent.org on price.
What the price takes in
- A Illinois street address for the registered office
- Papers served on the company are scanned to your login
In its favor
- A yearly price below Mainstay Filing
- $99 per year with no increase
Against it
- Just Illinois
- The Limited Liability Company Annual Report remains the owner's job
Compare the 3 picks
| No. | Provider | Price per year | Renewal price | Provider fees over 3 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mainstay Filing | $149 | $149/yr | $447 | Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 2 | IL Registered Agent.org | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit IL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
| 3 | Illinois Registered Agent.co | $99 | $99/yr | $297 | Visit Illinois Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. |
Posted prices as of November 13, 2026. With any agent, Illinois fees are unchanged.
Registered agent calculator
Agent prices plus the state's recurring charges (the Limited Liability Company Annual Report from year 2). Formation fees are not counted.
Illinois and the states around it in the ranking
| Place | State | Yearly state fees |
|---|---|---|
| 31st | Wyoming | $60 |
| 33rd | Washington | $70 |
| 34th | Illinois | $75 |
| 34th | New Jersey | $75 |
| 36th | Connecticut | $80 |
Registered agent rules by state puts every state in order, lowest cost first.
What Illinois law says about the registered agent
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a registered office in Illinois that matches the agent's business office. A P.O. box alone is not accepted.
The state accepts: An Illinois resident, or a business authorized to do business in Illinois. The LLC cannot act as its own agent. (805 ILCS 180/1-35)
What Illinois charges every year
Letters about the Limited Liability Company Annual Report go to the address of your registered agent. The cost is $75 every year, and the date is before the first day of the entity's anniversary month.
What decided the order
Mainstay Filing moved ahead of IL Registered Agent.org on paperwork inside the price, which is weighted 28%.
An agent that works in every state outscored IL Registered Agent.org's lower price.
Frequently asked questions
Are Illinois LLCs obliged to keep a registered agent on file?
Yes. Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address.
Who can serve as the registered agent for Illinois LLCs?
An Illinois resident, or a business authorized to do business in Illinois. The LLC cannot act as its own agent.
What does registered agent service cost in Illinois each year?
The agents on this page charge $99 to $149 per year.
What state fees does an LLC pay every year?
The state collects $75 per year on our yearly measure, which is the Limited Liability Company Annual Report at $75 every year.
Which registered agents does this page rank?
Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), IL Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and Illinois Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), ranked from first pick to last.
Which registered agent would you choose?
Choose Mainstay Filing: a $149 agent fee that applies in all fifty states, so a growing company can stay with one provider. Then IL Registered Agent.org and Illinois Registered Agent.co.
Where these facts come from
- Check our statements on Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services against ilsos.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services against ilsos.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on 805 ILCS 180/5-5 against ilga.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source against ilga.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Check our statements on Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source against ilsos.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Check our statements on Illinois registered agent statute against ilga.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Check our statements on Wyoming Secretary of State, Business Division against wyobiz.wyo.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Wyoming Secretary of State, Business Division against wyobiz.wyo.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division against ccfs.sos.wa.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Washington Secretary of State, Corporations & Charities Division against sos.wa.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Washington yearly filing: Annual report, official source against sos.wa.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- Check our statements on New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services against njportal.com, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on New Jersey Division of Revenue and Enterprise Services against njportal.com, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division against business.ct.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Connecticut Secretary of the State, Business Services Division against business.ct.gov, the official page, which we last read in August 2026.
- Check our statements on Connecticut yearly filing: Annual report: fee, official source against business.ct.gov, the official page, which we last read in October 2026.
- The company website for Mainstay Filing gives Illinois service page (read November 13, 2026)
- The company website for IL Registered Agent.org gives pricing page (read November 13, 2026)
- The company website for Illinois Registered Agent.co gives pricing page (read November 13, 2026)