Illinois Secretary of State office — contact & fees
Updated August 2026
Quick Answer
The Illinois Secretary of State's Business Services Division handles entity formation, annual reports, and related filings from two offices — Springfield (the primary office) and Chicago. Both offices offer in-person service and accept the same documents by mail; expedited processing requires an in-person visit to the Springfield or Chicago Business Services office (a small set of additional filing services, but not full expedited processing, is also available at select DMV+/Flagship locations — see below).
Open Official Illinois Business Services Division Portal ↗Office contact
- Springfield address
- 501 S. Second Street, Room 350, Springfield, IL 62726
- Chicago address
- 160 N. LaSalle Street, Chicago, IL 60601
- Toll-free phone
- (800) 252-8980
- Corporations Division (direct)
- (217) 782-6961
- LLC Division (direct)
- (217) 524-8008 ext. 7736
- Office hours
- Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Online entity search
- apps.ilsos.gov/businessentitysearch
- Business Services homepage
- ilsos.gov — Business Services
DMV+/Flagship business services expansion
Beyond the Springfield and Chicago Business Services offices, the Secretary of State now offers select business services — certificates of good standing, certified copies, corporation and LLC filings, and trademarks — at the Aurora, Champaign, Lake Zurich, and Melrose Park DMV+ facilities and the Chicago and Springfield Flagship Centers. Full expedited processing, however, is still limited to the Springfield or Chicago Business Services office and must be requested in person.
Entity formation and filing fees
Fees below are from the Illinois Secretary of State's live publication pages, confirmed August 2026. Expedited service is available in person at Springfield or Chicago only — not by mail. Verify current amounts at ilsos.gov — Publications before filing.
LLC — Articles of Organization
- Standard fee
- $150 (+$100 expedited, in-person only)
LLC — Annual Report
- Standard fee
- $75 (+$50 expedited, in-person only)
LLC — Name Reservation
- Standard fee
- $25 (+$50 expedited, in-person only)
LLC — Certificate of Good Standing
- Standard fee
- $25 (+$20 expedited, in-person only)
For-Profit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Standard fee
- $150 (+$100 expedited, in-person only)
For-Profit Corporation — Annual Report
- Standard fee
- $75 (+$50 expedited, in-person only)
Not-for-Profit Corporation — Articles of Incorporation
- Standard fee
- $50 (+$25 expedited, in-person only)
Not-for-Profit Corporation — Annual Report
- Standard fee
- $10 (+$25 expedited, in-person only)
Not-for-Profit Certificate of Good Standing
- Standard fee
- $5 (+$10 expedited, in-person only)
Illinois applies franchise taxes to some corporations in addition to annual report fees — the fee pages note that listed fees may not include applicable franchise taxes, penalties, or interest. Confirm with the Division whether franchise tax obligations apply to your entity type.
UCC filing, notary, and apostille services
The Secretary of State also handles UCC filings, notary commissions, and document authentication:
- UCC search and filing — free basic search online; a certified image of a filing costs $20.
- Notary public commissions — appointed by the Secretary of State for a 4-year term.
- Apostilles and authentications — $2 per document.
Source: Illinois Secretary of State UCC, notary, and apostille pages (ilsos.gov).
Key Illinois state licensing agencies
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR)
- What it covers
- 200+ professional and occupational licenses — doctors, nurses, real estate, cosmetology, contractors, accountancy, and others
- Website
- idfpr.illinois.gov
Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR)
- What it covers
- State tax ID (Illinois Business Tax number), sales tax, withholding tax
- Website
- mytax.illinois.gov
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
- What it covers
- Business Information Center — permits and regulatory guidance for new businesses; grants and incentives
- Website
- dceo.illinois.gov
Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES)
- What it covers
- Unemployment insurance employer account registration — new employing units must register within 30 days of start-up, via MyTax Illinois or the paper REG-UI-1 form
- Website
- ides.illinois.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to form an LLC in Illinois, and can I speed it up?
Articles of Organization for an LLC cost $150. Expedited processing adds $100, but it's only available in person at the Springfield or Chicago Business Services office, not by mail.
Where can I get business filing services in Illinois besides Springfield and Chicago?
Select services — certificates of good standing, certified copies, corporation and LLC filings, and trademarks — are also available at the Aurora, Champaign, Lake Zurich, and Melrose Park DMV+ facilities and the Chicago and Springfield Flagship Centers. Full expedited processing still requires an in-person visit to Springfield or Chicago.
Do Illinois filing fees include franchise tax?
Not necessarily. Illinois applies franchise taxes to some corporations in addition to annual report fees, and the fee pages note that listed fees may not include applicable franchise taxes, penalties, or interest. Confirm with the Division whether it applies to your entity.