Foreign Qualification by State

Foreign Qualification by State › Illinois

Foreign qualification in Illinois: the requirements

To qualify a foreign LLC in Illinois, file Form LLC-45.5, Application for Admission to Transact Business and pay the $150 fee, with a registered agent in the state.

Illinois checklist

  • The application: Form LLC-45.5, Application for Admission to Transact Business, filed with the Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division.
  • The fee: $150. It is the same however you file.
  • From your home state: Certificate of Good Standing or Existence, no older than 60 days.
  • A local agent: A registered agent with a street address in Illinois. Each service below supplies one for the first year.
  • Afterward: Annual report (Illinois Secretary of State), $75 (due: within the 60 days before your anniversary month).

Best 3 Foreign Registration Services in Illinois (2026)

The three ways we would handle the Illinois filing.

1. Mainstay Filing

$199 + $150 state fee = $349

Registered agent free for the first year, then $149 a year.

2. IL Registered Agent.org

$199 + $150 state fee = $349

Registered agent included for the first year, then $99 a year.

3. Illinois Registered Agent.co

$199 + $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.

How Illinois compares

Illinois is 26th of 50 by fee (median $142.50). It is one of 36 states that want a home-state certificate: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Illinois questions

What does Illinois require for foreign qualification?

Form LLC-45.5, Application for Admission to Transact Business, the $150 fee and a registered agent in Illinois, plus a certificate from the LLC’s home state.

Is Illinois stricter than other states?

It is 26th cheapest by fee, and one of the 36 states that want home-state paperwork.

Which service is best for Illinois?

Mainstay Filing, at $199 plus the state fee.

Sources