To get an Illinois Certificate of Good Standing, request it through the Secretary of State’s Business Entity Search portal for $25 ($5 for not-for-profit corporations). Online requests are processed within minutes, so if your annual report is filed and your registered agent is current, you can download and print the certificate the same day.
How to Request It Online
The online route is the fastest and works for corporations, LLCs, and nonprofits alike.1Illinois Secretary of State. Business Search / Certificate of Good Standing
- Go to the Business Entity Search at apps.ilsos.gov/businessentitysearch and pull up your company’s File Detail Report.
- From the File Detail Report, select the option to purchase a Certificate of Good Standing and pay the fee.
- Print the certificate from the receipt page or from the link in the confirmation email.
Processing is nearly instant, which is why expedited service usually isn’t worth paying for on an online order.
Requesting by Mail
If you’d rather submit a written request, mail it to the Secretary of State’s Springfield office:
Secretary of State, Department of Business Services
501 S. Second St., Room 350
Springfield, IL 627262Illinois Secretary of State. Business Services
Include your entity’s exact legal name as registered with the state, your eight-character File ID number, and a check payable to the Secretary of State for the fee. Mail requests take several business days, so leave lead time if you’re working against a closing date or filing deadline.
Fees and Turnaround
- Corporations and LLCs: $25 standard, $45 expedited
- Not-for-profit corporations: $5 standard, $15 expedited
The same fees apply online and by mail.1Illinois Secretary of State. Business Search / Certificate of Good Standing Expedited service is mainly useful for mailed requests where you want the turnaround shortened; online orders come back in minutes at the standard rate.
What “Good Standing” Actually Requires
The Secretary of State will only issue the certificate if your entity has met its two ongoing obligations.
First, the annual report. Every Illinois corporation and LLC has to file one with the Secretary of State. The filing window opens 60 days before the first day of your anniversary month, and the report is due by the first day of that month.3Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 805 ILCS 180/50-1 An LLC formed in March, for example, would file between January 1 and March 1. LLC annual reports cost $75;4Illinois Secretary of State. Limited Liability Company Publications and Forms corporation annual reports cost $25.5Illinois Secretary of State. Domestic and Foreign Corporations Publications and Forms
Second, a registered agent. Your entity has to continuously maintain one in Illinois, either an individual who lives in the state or a business entity authorized to operate here.6Justia. Illinois Code 805 ILCS 5 Article 5 – Office and Agent If your agent resigns and you don’t name a replacement, you lose good standing and eventually face administrative dissolution.
One obligation you can ignore: Illinois fully repealed its franchise tax starting in 2024, so it’s no longer part of the good-standing picture.
If the State Won’t Issue One
If you’ve missed annual reports or lost your registered agent, the Secretary of State won’t produce a certificate, and prolonged delinquency leads to administrative dissolution. That terminates your entity’s legal existence and strips its authority to do business.7FindLaw. Illinois Code 805 ILCS 105/112.40 – Procedure for Administrative Dissolution During a dissolution, you can’t enter enforceable contracts, close asset sales, or file lawsuits in Illinois courts.
Reinstatement is available. File every overdue annual report (up to six years’ worth), pay all outstanding fees and penalties, and submit a reinstatement application confirming your entity’s name, registered office, and registered agent. Once accepted, the law treats the entity as though it was never dissolved, and business conducted during the gap is retroactively validated.8Illinois General Assembly. Illinois Code 805 ILCS 105/112.45 Only after reinstatement clears will the Secretary of State issue a Certificate of Good Standing.
How Long the Certificate Is Good For
The certificate reflects your entity’s status on the day it was issued. There’s no expiration date printed on it, but whoever is asking for it usually wants a recent copy. Banks, lenders, and out-of-state agencies commonly require one issued within the last 60 to 90 days. If you’re filing for foreign qualification in another state, check that state’s freshness rule before you order, so you don’t end up buying a second certificate a few weeks later.