Rank1
Top pick on this page
1. Mainstay Filing: best for all fifty states
$149 yearly, unchanged
Editor score9.2out of 10
Mainstay Filing takes the top spot because the price is $149 a year whether you stay in one state or add more, with three government letters a year scanned at no charge.
Starting from scratch? The formation package is $199 a year and adds the Illinois filing and the annual report.
Its three-year total is $150 above IL Registered Agent.org's, and what the price covers justifies that gap for us.
In the price
- A registered office street address in whichever state you need
- Legal papers served on the company scanned and uploaded the same business day at no charge
- Three government letters a year scanned free
- Compliance reminders
Good
- $149 a year, and it holds at renewal
- Free scans of three government letters each year
- Papers served on the company are scanned the same business day at no charge
- Takes LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits
Watch for
- The agent alone is $50 a year more than IL Registered Agent.org
- Annual report filing sits with the formation package, not the agent plan
Rank2
Best local option
2. IL Registered Agent.org: best for the smallest yearly fee on this list
$99 yearly, unchanged
Editor score8.8out of 10
IL Registered Agent.org makes the list at number two because the plan is $99 a year, flat, and papers served on the company reach you as online scans.
IL Registered Agent.org gives the company a street address in the state and scans whatever is served there into your account.
In the price
- A registered office with a street address in the state
- Scans of legal papers served on the company, kept in your account
Good
- LLC formation available with a free first agent year
- Mainstay Filing charges more per year
- $99 yearly with no change at renewal
Watch for
- You handle the Limited Liability Company Annual Report yourself
- Made for Illinois; another state needs a different agent
Rank3
Built for Illinois
3. Illinois Registered Agent.co: best for Illinois specialists
$99 yearly, unchanged
Editor score8.6out of 10
Illinois Registered Agent.co makes the list at number three because the plan is $99 a year, flat, and papers served on the company reach you as online scans.
Illinois Registered Agent.co stands in as the company's registered office, so there is a real in-state street address, and each legal paper served is scanned and sent to you.
IL Registered Agent.org and Illinois Registered Agent.co list the same price and the same features, so either one is a reasonable choice.
In the price
- An in-state address that goes on the public record
- Scans of legal papers served on the company, kept in your account
Good
- Undercuts Mainstay Filing by the year
- Forms LLCs as well, with year one of agent service free
- $99 per year, flat across renewals
Watch for
- You handle the Limited Liability Company Annual Report yourself
- Made for Illinois; another state needs a different agent
The 3 picks side by side
Scores out of 10 are editorial marks from Filing Shortlist, based on the criteria on How we rank. Customers do not rate anything on this site.
Illinois registered agent pricing in 2026: first year, renewals, three-year total
Every price comes from the company's own pages as of November 12, 2026. Illinois's own fees stay the same whichever agent you pick.
How the cut was made
Two criteria count most here, three-year price and what the price covers, at 28% each, while renewal terms, fit for the state and price clarity divide 44%. What tipped Illinois was what the price covers.
Mainstay's plan covers a wider area: it scans papers served on the company the same business day at no charge, the price stays the same in all fifty states, and three government letters a year are scanned free. IL Registered Agent.org is cheaper, and the two end up close.
Every criterion and weight is set out on How we rank.
Illinois registered agent rules from Illinois Secretary of State
Every LLC must name a registered agent with an in-state street address. The address has to be a registered office in Illinois that matches the agent's business office. A P.O. box alone is not accepted. Statute: 805 ILCS 180/1-35.
The Illinois Limited Liability Company Annual Report: price and deadline
Every company formed here files the Limited Liability Company Annual Report every year. The state charges $75 and wants it before the first day of the entity's anniversary month. Being late adds $100. The reminders about it go to your registered agent.
Common questions about Illinois registered agents
Does the company need to name a registered agent in Illinois?
It does. Illinois wants each LLC to name a registered agent with a street address inside the state, and that name stays on the public record.
How much do agents in Illinois charge per year?
Yearly prices span $99 to $149, and each company holds its price at renewal.
Can the owner be the registered agent?
Yes, if you meet the state's conditions. An Illinois resident, or a business authorized to do business in Illinois. The LLC cannot act as its own agent.
By what date is the Illinois Limited Liability Company Annual Report due?
The deadline is before the first day of the entity's anniversary month, and the state charges $75. A late filing adds $100.
Which registered agents made this shortlist?
Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), IL Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and Illinois Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), listed from the top pick down.
Which Illinois registered agent makes the shortlist first?
Mainstay Filing, because one agent plan at $149 a year that keeps its price at renewal and scans papers served on the company the same business day for free.
Where the figures come from
- Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division (checked again August 2026)
- Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division (checked again August 2026)
- 805 ILCS 180/5-5 (checked again August 2026)
- Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source (checked again October 2026)
- Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source (checked again October 2026)
- Illinois registered agent statute (checked again October 2026)
- Pulled from Mainstay Filing: Illinois service page, November 12, 2026
- Pulled from IL Registered Agent.org: pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026
- Pulled from Illinois Registered Agent.co: pricing and service pages, November 12, 2026