How to Start an LLC in Illinois

Step 1: Name Your Illinois LLC

When you set out to form an Illinois LLC, naming it is the first official step. You might have a great name in mind already, but before you build a brand around it, make sure it follows the state’s LLC naming requirements.

The rules for LLC names in Illinois say the name must:

• Be unique among businesses registered in the state.
• Include “Limited Liability Company,” “LLC,” or “L.L.C.”

If your preferred business name belonged to an Illinois LLC that has since been dissolved, you must wait three years post-dissolution to use the name.

How to check if a business name is available in Illinois

To find out if an Illinois business name is up for grabs, use the state’s name availability form. Provide up to three name options, along with your email, and the state will reply with information about the names’ use status. Responses typically happen within one business day.

Use your business name to establish your brand

Once you’ve selected an available name for your Illinois LLC, consider how you’ll use that name to build your brand. It’s a good idea to check the name’s availability as a domain name and across social media platforms. Using the same name (or logical variations of it) across mediums not only creates a cohesive brand image, it also makes it easier for customers to return to you time and again.

When you hire Registered Agents Inc to form your LLC in Illinois, we provide a free year of domain name registration. We’ll also set you up with three free months of a business website, professional email, and a business phone number. To further secure your brand, you can even add attorney-led federal trademark registration.

Step 2: Choose an Illinois Registered Agent

All LLCs in Illinois need to have a registered agent in the state. Your registered agent accepts legal mail, as well as correspondence from the Secretary of State, on behalf of your LLC.

In Illinois, a registered agent can be:

• An Illinois resident.
• A business registered in Illinois.

Additionally, the registered agent needs to have a registered office, which must:

• Be physically located in Illinois.
• Have a street address that matches the agent’s business office address.

Hire us to form your Illinois LLC and we’ll act as your registered agent, too.

Can you be your own registered agent in Illinois?

Yes. You can be your Illinois LLC’s registered agent as long as you’re a resident of the state, have a physical Illinois address where you can accept service of process during business hours. You must also be comfortable with your information being publicly accessible.

Step 3: File Illinois Articles of Organization

Filing Articles of Organization is what makes your LLC official with the state of Illinois. You can file online or file by mail. You’ll provide the same information for either method, but it appears in a different format. Below you’ll find questions as they appear for paper filings.

Note that if you file online, your session may time out due to inactivity. If it does, you’ll have to start over. Make sure to have all your information ready upfront to avoid duplicate work.

1. Company name
   Make sure to include an accepted qualifier like “LLC.”
2. Physical business address
   This is the location where company records are kept. It cannot be a PO Box or a forwarding address.
3. Effective date
   Most companies are formed as soon as their Articles of Organization are processed. But if you want a different registration date, indicate that here. It must be within 60 days of filing.
4. Registered agent & registered office
   Include your registered agent’s name and the street address of the registered office where they’ll accept your legal and state mail.
5. Purpose
   Many businesses stick with the standard business purpose provided in the Articles. This says, in part, that your business’s purpose is “the transaction of any or all lawful business.”
6. Duration
   Most companies don’t choose an end-date upfront. But if you’d like to, add it here.
7. Additional provisions
   Optional. If there’s anything else you’d like to include about your company, you may. Most businesses skip this.
8. Manager info
   Provide names and street addresses for all LLC managers, as well as members who act as managers.
9. Organizer
   This is whoever files your Articles, like us if we form your LLC. Date, signature, name, and street address are required.

How much does it cost to set up an LLC in Illinois?

It costs $150 to file the Articles of Organization that form your Illinois LLC.

How long does it take for an LLC to be approved in Illinois?

It takes up to 10 business days for Illinois to process your Articles of Organization. You can also select 24-hour service, which costs $250.

Step 4: Set Up Business Operations

Once your LLC is registered in Illinois, you’ll want to take a few more steps early on to ensure everything is in running order. These include:

• Establish an operating agreement.
  Illinois does not require that LLCs adopt operating agreements. However, you’ll want to get one in place anyway. Your operating agreement is where you set forth all the rules for your LLC, like what happens if a member leaves, or how much initial funding each member will provide. Without an operating agreement, you’ll default to the rules set forth in Illinois statute.
• Get an EIN.
  Like a social security number for your business, an EIN is an identifier that’s required in certain scenarios. Applied for through the IRS, you’ll likely need one to hire employees and set up a business bank account. If you end up not needing an EIN, just know that you’ll need to use your social security number in its place.
• Create a business bank account.
  A business bank account helps you keep your Illinois LLC finances organized, as well as maintain the business’s limited liability. You’ll want to get one in place early on. Typically, members fund the account with an amount equal to their ownership percentage.

Step 5: File BOI Report

The Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report is a new federal filing as of 2024. Most LLCs are required to submit this report, which is free to file. It asks for information about your business and its owners, aiming to create more transparency. The information provided in the reports is not made public, but is held by FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network).

LLCs formed in 2024 have 90 days post-registration to file. In 2025, that filing window shrinks to 30 days. If your Illinois LLC needs to file the BOI Report and neglects to, penalties can reach up to $591 per late day. Don’t want to worry about that? When you hire Registered Agents Inc to form your LLC, add BOI filing to keep your peace of mind.