Every formal business in the state of Illinois is required by law to have an Illinois registered agent. A registered agent receives any official documents from the State of Illinois, as well as any service of process filed on a firm in a lawsuit.
In our IllinoisRegistered Agent guide, we’ll go over what a registered agent is, what they do, and how to choose one.
What Is A Registered Agent In Illinois?
An Illinois registered agent is a person or corporate organisation that serves as your company’s point of contact for:
Receives all service of process for the company in any case, including the Illinois Annual Report and certificate of good standing.
In Illinois, any formal business, such as an LLC or corporation, is required by law to have a registered agent.
In Illinois, may I act as my own registered agent?
Yes, any owner or employee of a company may serve as its registered agent in Illinois if they are above the age of 18 and have an Illinois street address.
You might also designate a member of your LLC or a friend you trust, as long as they match these standards as well.
Why Do Companies Hire an Illinois Registered Agent?
Many firms opt to employ a registered agent service when forming an LLC for the following reasons:
Compliance
A registered agent service keeps a compliance calendar and will notify you when yearly reports or other files are due, as well as assist you in submitting them.
This helps you avoid penalties and maintains your firm in good standing, both of which are necessary to preserve your limited liability protection.
If you do not reply immediately to serving of process, legal complexities, costs, or other concerns may develop. A registered agent will scan your papers, upload them to the internet, and tell you when they are ready.
Privacy
If you operate from home or a private office as your own registered agent, your address will be made public on the Illinois Business Search.
If your privacy is important to you, a registered agent service will use their own address instead of yours.
Discretion
Receiving service of process for a lawsuit at your place of business may be a delicate circumstance to have in front of your staff and customers.
To circumvent this problem, a registered agent will accept service of process and other papers at their office and deliver them to you discreetly online.
Flexibility
If you are your own registered agent, you must be accessible every working day of the year during regular business hours.
Registered agent services have real offices and people to cover certain hours, allowing them to be accessible during those times.
Hiring a registered agent service enables you to be more flexible with your working hours and locations. So go ahead and take a vacation, work from home or the office, or travel the globe knowing they’ll be there to collect your documents.
Online Data Storage
A competent registered agent service will scan your papers as soon as they arrive, maintaining a digital record of all your company documents and any service of process on a user-friendly dashboard.
If you employed an LLC creation service, you would most likely also use them as a registered agent. This implies a copy of your formation paperwork will be accessible online as well.
Having all of this information, which is accessible as PDFs, is really useful when you need to do things for your company, such as create a business bank account, apply for a business credit card, apply for small business loans, and many other things that need a copy of your paperwork.
National Reach
If you want to grow your company into other states, such as by employing an out-of-state employee or establishing a new sales office, you must have a registered agent for your foreign LLC or other corporation.
The majority of registered agent services are available in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Simply pay a little fee for the new state in which you operate, and they will transmit all of your paperwork to the same web dashboard.
What Is the Cost of a Registered Agent?
A registered agent service normally costs between $50 and $300 each year. When you consider how much time it will save you, this is a little amount to pay.
How Do I Choose An Illinois Registered Agent?
When you finish your LLC’s Articles of Organization in Illinois, you must choose your registered agent. The Articles of Organization are the primary document used to incorporate an LLC in Illinois.
Online Registration of a Registered Agent
The Illinois Secretary of State website allows you to create your LLC online ($150 filing fee needed). When you submit your LLC’s Articles of Organization online, you will be asked for the name and contact information of your registered agent.
Choosing a Registered Agent by Mail
Download the Articles of Organization form ($150 filing fee necessary), fill out the appropriate information, and send a physical copy to the Idaho Secretary of State to create your LLC by mail. On page 1, you’ll be required to supply the following information for your registered agent:
How Do I Change My Illinois Registered Agent?
Simply fill out a Statement of Change of Registered Agent and/or Registered Office form and submit it to the Illinois Secretary of State to change your registered agent in Illinois. Various kinds of company entities in Illinois need different paperwork and filing costs. The cost may be paid by cheque, money order, or credit card (online).
Corporation ($25) LLC ($25) Nonprofit ($5) Limited Partnership (LP) ($50 – An LP’s registered agent is known as an agent for service of process in Illinois.)
You may submit your completed form either by mail or in person. Online forms are also available for LLCs, companies, and organisations.
Online filing:
Nonprofit LLC and Corporation
Fill out the following forms by mail or in person:
Corporations and non-profit organisations
Department of Business Services, Secretary of State 501 S. Second Street, Room 350 Springfield, IL 62756
Companies with Limited Liability
501 S. Second Street, Room 351 Springfield, IL 62756 Secretary of State Department of Business Services Limited Liability Division
Limited Liability Partnerships
501 S. Second Street, Room 357 Springfield, IL 62756 Secretary of State Department of Business Services Limited Liability Division