Apply for LLC in Illinois

Looking to apply for an LLC in Illinois? In this completely free guide we'll show you exactly how you can apply for your LLC in Illinois to make sure your new company is formed properly.

Starting an LLC in Illinois is Easy

Most states have made it pretty straightforward to actually apply for an LLC, and we'll show you all of the steps you need to cover in this guide.

If this is your first time applying for an LLC in Illinois then we recommend that you read through the whole guide because it will make your application process much less painful if you understand all of the necessary steps.

Why Should You Apply for an LLC in Illinois?

A Limited Liability Company (LLC) is a very common and popular business structure. It's very useful for you because it offers you liability protection in case of a lawsuit (hence the name limited liability).

What that means is that if your company were to get sued, your personal assets like your home, any vehicles, and your personal bank account would be protected.

You can also use your Illinois LLC to purchase assets like real estate, and keep it separated from your personal assets.

If you are serious about your business venture then applying for an LLC in Illinois is a relatively cheap way to protect yourself personally.

Ready to apply for an LLC in Illinois? Let's get to the guide.

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1. Illinois LLC Name

Okay, so the very first step you should always before you apply for an LLC is to check and make sure the business entity name you'd like to use is available for use in your state.

The name of your Illinois LLC needs to be unique and distinguishable from other businesses that have already been registered in the state.

To perform a business name search in Illinois you can use the Search your Illinois LLC name here page.

If there are companies that you think might be too similar in name to your chosen name in the state database, it's good practice to actually call them to confirm.

Designator

Your chosen LLC name needs to have a designator at the end of it. To keep it simple and to comply with Illinois law, we suggest that you pick one of the following:

• LLC or L.L.C. (LLC is the most common as it is easier to type!)
• LC or L.C.
• Limited Liability Company

Important note: your Illinois LLC name CANNOT include a designator that makes it appear to be a different type of business entity. This means you cannot use Inc, Incorporated, LP, LLP, or anything misleading in your name.

2. Illinois Registered Agent

The Illinois Secretary of State requires all LLC Certificate of Formation filings to have a Registered Agent listed on the form.

A Registered Agent in Illinois is a company or person that you choose (and they agree) to receive all notices, mail, and court documents in the event that your LLC is sued or involved in a court case.

You can do this yourself but if you do so, your address will be publicly listed as the Registered Agent for your company. As you can imagine, that's not very private and can lead to issues.

Generally speaking, we recommend that you use a Registered Agent service. This keeps your personal details private and adds that separation between business and personal communications.

If you choose to apply for an LLC in Illinois by using an LLC formation service like ZenBusiness, IncFile, or Northwest Registered Agent, they will provide you with one year of registered agent service for free.

3. Illinois LLC Certificate of Formation

Illinois LLC Fees

• LLC filing fee: $150
• Illinois LLC annual report: $75

Filing Methods

You can apply for an LLC in Illinois either online, or by mail.

File Your LLC Online

LLC Articles of Organization

File Your LLC by Mail

To file by mail you need to fill out the form LLC-5.5 and mail it to the Illinois Secretary of State.

Illinois LLC Operating Agreement

When you apply for an LLC in Illinois, an Operating Agreement is a written contract that is used to explain who owns the LLC and how much of it they own.

This is important because it sets out how the LLC is managed, how profits are split, taxes paid, and so on, to avoid disputes with the LLC Members.

You will need an Operating Agreement when applying for an LLC in Illinois for both Single-Member LLCs and Multi-Member LLCs.

Apply for an EIN for Your Illinois LLC

Once you have applied for your LLC and been approved, you can then apply for an EIN (Employer Identification Number).

Also known as an FEIN or Federal Employer Identification Number, your Illinois LLC's EIN number is used to identify your LLC to the IRS for tax and filing purposes.

When you open an LLC bank account, you'll need your EIN number to get the account approved.

To apply for an EIN in Illinois you can either apply online here, or file form S3-4 with the IRS by post.

Illinois Annual Report

The deadline for filing your Illinois Annual report is: before the first day of the LLC’s anniversary month.

Illinois State Agencies

Illinois Department of Revenue

Phone: 217-782-3336, 217-524-4772

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8am – 4:30pm

URL: https://www2.illinois.gov/rev/Pages/default.aspx

Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services

Phone: 217-782-6961 (extension 7736 for the LLC department), 217-782-6875, 217-524-8008

URL: https://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/

Conclusion: How to Apply for an LLC in Illinois

Hopefully this guide has given you all of the relevant information you need to go out and apply to form an LLC in Illinois. If you notice anything missing from this guide, please do get in touch and let us know so that we can continue to improve and offer you the best free guide to applying for an LLC in Illinois.