How long does it take to form an LLC in Illinois?

When the company legally exists

The date that matters is the filing date. Under 805 ILCS 180/5-5, a limited liability company is organized at the time its articles of organization are filed by the Secretary of State. That date is fixed by the state's act of filing, not by the day the owners sign or send the articles.

Owners who want a later start can name one. The articles may specify a later effective time, as long as it is not more than 60 days after the filing of the articles.

Standard filing

The statute that sets the $150 filing fee, 805 ILCS 180/50-10, does not attach a processing deadline to that fee. How long a standard filing takes therefore depends on the workload of the Secretary of State's Department of Business Services when the articles arrive.

Because that time moves with volume, this page does not quote a number of days. Check the current standard processing time with the Department of Business Services before you plan around a date.

Expedited service

805 ILCS 180/50-50 defines expedited services as services rendered within the same day, or within 24 hours from the time the request is submitted. The expedited fee for articles of organization is $100, charged in addition to the filing fee.

The statute describes expedited requests as submitted in person or, at the Secretary of State's discretion, by electronic means. Filing electronically is not the same as filing expedited. The section states that an electronic request is not treated as an expedited request unless the filer asks for expedited service.

What takes time before filing

Much of the calendar is spent before anything reaches the state. The articles must state the company's name and principal place of business, its registered agent and registered office, and the name and business address of each manager and of any member with a manager's authority.

The company needs a registered agent in Illinois before it files, because 805 ILCS 180/1-35 requires every LLC to maintain one continuously. Owners should also settle their operating agreement, which is not part of the articles the state files.

After the filing

A federal employer identification number comes next. The Internal Revenue Service says to form the entity with the state before applying, and warns that an application made first may be delayed. If the online application is approved, the IRS issues the number immediately.

An annual report is then due each year, within the 60 days immediately preceding the first day of the company's anniversary month, with a $75 fee.

Hart David Carson LLP forms Illinois LLCs for a flat fee of $1,250 for one owner or $2,000 for two or more owners, with the Illinois state filing fee included. The first call is free.

Confirm timing before you rely on it

The statutes cited here were checked in November 2026. Fees and service levels change, so confirm both with the Illinois Secretary of State. This page is general information, not legal advice or a prediction about any filing.

Sources

Each figure and rule above comes from the official source listed here, read in November 2026. Fees and statutes change, so confirm the current figure with the state before you file.

• ilga.gov ilga.gov
• 805 ILCS 180/50-10 ilga.gov
• 805 ILCS 180/50-50 ilga.gov
• 805 ILCS 180/1-35 ilga.gov
• irs.gov irs.gov
• ilga.gov ilga.gov

This guide is general information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship.