The Illinois LLC annual report is Form LLC-50.1, filed with the Secretary of State once a year with a $75 fee to keep your company in good standing. Every domestic and foreign LLC registered in the state has to file it. The report updates the state’s records on your address, registered agent, and management, and the filing itself takes about ten minutes online if you have your details ready.
When the Report Is Due
Your report is due before the first day of your LLC’s anniversary month, meaning the month you originally formed or registered in Illinois. The filing window opens 60 days before that date. An LLC formed on July 20 has a July anniversary month and can file anytime from May 2 through June 30.1Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 805 ILCS 180 – Limited Liability Company Act
Not sure of your anniversary month? Search your company name in the Secretary of State’s Business Entity Search at apps.ilsos.gov/businessentitysearch. The results show your file number, formation date, and current standing.
What You Need to Complete the Form
Form LLC-50.1 is short, but any blank or incorrect field can get the filing rejected. Have this ready before you start:
- Your LLC’s exact legal name as it appears in the state’s records, not a trade name, abbreviation, or DBA. Even a missing comma can trigger a rejection.
- Your file number, assigned when you formed or registered the LLC. Look it up through the Business Entity Search if you don’t have it.
- The principal office address where the LLC keeps its records. A P.O. Box alone is not acceptable.2Illinois Secretary of State. Illinois Limited Liability Company Act Annual Report
- The name and Illinois street address of your registered agent.
- Manager or member information. If the LLC is manager-managed, list each manager’s name and business address. If members manage the company, list the members with management authority.3Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 805 ILCS 180/50-1 – Annual Report
The form includes an affirmation under penalty of perjury. The signer, a manager, or a member if the LLC has no managers, certifies that everything on the report is true and correct as of the signing date.2Illinois Secretary of State. Illinois Limited Liability Company Act Annual Report Cross-check every field against your articles of organization or last year’s report before signing. A mismatch between the name on file and the name you enter is the most common reason filings get kicked back.
Filing Online
Online is the fastest option. Go to apps.ilsos.gov/llcarpt, enter your file number, and the system pulls up your existing information. Review each field, update anything that changed during the year, and pay by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express). The system confirms the filing immediately. No paper copy or follow-up mailing is needed.
Filing by Mail
Download Form LLC-50.1 from the Secretary of State’s website, fill it out, and mail two copies to the Department of Business Services at 213 State Capitol, Springfield, IL 62756. Include a check or money order for $75 payable to the Secretary of State.4Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 805 ILCS 180/50-10 – Fees Write your file number on the memo line so the payment stays matched to your filing if the envelope contents get separated.
The Department stamps and returns one copy as your proof of filing, and a self-addressed stamped envelope speeds that up. Paper filings take longer to process than online submissions, so if your deadline is close, file electronically.
The Filing Fee
The standard fee is $75.4Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 805 ILCS 180/50-10 – Fees If your LLC has one or more series established under Section 37-40 of the Illinois LLC Act with a certificate of designation in effect, add $50 per active series. Online payments also carry a small credit card processing surcharge.
What Happens If You File Late
Late filing costs more than the overdue fee alone. The Secretary of State assesses a penalty on top of the $75 filing fee for any report received after the deadline. The LLC is also placed in delinquent status, which blocks you from getting a certificate of good standing. Lenders, landlords, and business partners commonly ask for that certificate, so delinquency can stall financing and deals well before dissolution comes up.
If the report still isn’t filed, the Secretary of State mails a notice of delinquency to the LLC’s registered office. From the date of that notice, you have 120 days to file the overdue report and pay all outstanding fees.5Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 805 ILCS 180/35-30 – Procedure for Administrative Dissolution If you don’t, the Secretary of State issues a certificate of dissolution and your LLC ceases to exist as a legal entity.
Administrative dissolution creates real problems. The LLC can no longer conduct business, sue, or defend lawsuits in its own name. Members who keep operating under a dissolved LLC risk personal exposure for the company’s debts because the entity shielding them no longer exists.6Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 805 ILCS 180/35-25 – Grounds for Administrative Dissolution
Reinstating a Dissolved LLC
Illinois lets administratively dissolved LLCs apply for reinstatement electronically through the Secretary of State’s website. You have to file all back annual reports (up to a maximum of six years’ worth) and pay every outstanding fee and penalty before reinstatement is approved.7Illinois Secretary of State. LLC Reinstatement If your LLC was dissolved for three years, that means the $75 annual report fee for each missed year plus applicable penalties, all paid by credit card at filing.
You can also update your registered agent, principal office address, and manager information during reinstatement. Standard processing takes up to 10 business days; expedited processing returns a response within 24 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). Once accepted, the Secretary of State treats the LLC as though dissolution never occurred.7Illinois Secretary of State. LLC Reinstatement