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Formation Scorecard

Registered agent scorecard · Illinois

3 Best Registered Agents in Illinois (2026)

On the Formation Scorecard 2026 scorecard for registered agents in Illinois the order reads Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), IL Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and Illinois Registered Agent.co ($99 a year). Mainstay Filing posts the top score: $149 a year with no bump at renewal, and papers served on the company are scanned the same business day for free.
Researched and written by the Formation Scorecard editorial team
Rank #1 Best here

1. Mainstay Filing: best for every state

9.6 Editor score out of 10
$149 a year, no change on renewal

Mainstay Filing leads the card: a $149 agent plan that travels to any state, renewing at $149.

Not formed yet? Mainstay's $199-a-year formation package covers the Illinois filing along with the annual report.

Mainstay's three-year total sits $150 above IL Registered Agent.org's, which the extra coverage earns back in our scoring.

What you get

  • An in-state street address on the public record
  • Served papers scanned and uploaded the day they arrive, free
  • The first three government mailings each year scanned at no cost
  • Compliance reminders

Strengths

  • $149 a year with no renewal step-up
  • First three government mailings each year scanned free
  • Served papers scanned on the day they arrive, free
  • Fits LLCs, corporations, LPs, LLPs and nonprofits

Watch for

  • Agent service alone costs $50 a year more than IL Registered Agent.org
  • Reports are filed only under the formation package
Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Mainstay Filing: the full write-up
Rank #2 Best yearly price

2. IL Registered Agent.org: best for the lowest yearly rate on this list

9.2 Editor score out of 10
$99 a year, no change on renewal

IL Registered Agent.org takes second spot: $99 a year, steady at renewal, and the lowest yearly price on this list.

IL Registered Agent.org puts a street address in the state on record for the company and scans served papers into your account.

What you get

  • A state street address serving as the registered office
  • Anything served on the company is scanned and made available online

Strengths

  • Forms LLCs too, with year-one agent service free
  • Yearly price of $99 that holds at renewal
  • Wins on yearly price against Mainstay Filing

Watch for

  • You file the Limited Liability Company Annual Report yourself
  • Limited to Illinois; other states need another agent
Visit IL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. IL Registered Agent.org: the full write-up
Rank #3 Illinois only

3. Illinois Registered Agent.co: best for Illinois-based companies

9.0 Editor score out of 10
$99 a year, no change on renewal

Illinois Registered Agent.co takes third spot: $99 a year, steady at renewal, and the lowest yearly price on this list.

Under Illinois Registered Agent.co, the registered office sits at an in-state street address, and served legal papers are scanned for you online.

IL Registered Agent.org and Illinois Registered Agent.co post identical prices and plan features, so the points between them are close and either is a sound pick.

What you get

  • An in-state street address kept on the public record
  • Anything served on the company is scanned and made available online

Strengths

  • Also forms LLCs, first agent year included
  • A cheaper yearly plan than Mainstay Filing's
  • $99 a year and no renewal bump

Watch for

  • You file the Limited Liability Company Annual Report yourself
  • Limited to Illinois; other states need another agent
Visit Illinois Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy. Illinois Registered Agent.co: the full write-up

The 3 entries on one card

Place Service Card score Yearly cost Renews at Best for Go
1 Mainstay Filing 9.6 $149 $149/yr An agent for every state Visit Mainstay FilingPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
2 IL Registered Agent.org 9.2 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price we rank here Visit IL Registered Agent.orgPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.
3 Illinois Registered Agent.co 9.0 $99 $99/yr The lowest yearly price we rank here Visit Illinois Registered Agent.coPartner link. We may earn money if you buy.

Scores are Formation Scorecard's own marks out of 10, based on the criteria explained on How we rank. Customers do not rate anything here.

Illinois registered agent cost in 2026: first year, renewal and the three-year tally

Service First year Second year Third year Three-year tally Holds its price at renewal
Mainstay Filing $149 $149 $149 $447 Yes
IL Registered Agent.org $99 $99 $99 $297 Yes
Illinois Registered Agent.co $99 $99 $99 $297 Yes

Each price comes from the company's own site, read on November 12, 2026. Illinois charges its own fees the same way whichever agent you name.

How the card was marked

The marking scheme gives 25% to cost across three years and 25% to coverage of the price, with renewal terms, state-by-state fit and pricing clarity sharing 50%. For Illinois, coverage of the price made the difference.

The Mainstay agent plan earns more coverage points: papers served on the company are scanned the same business day for free, one price holds in all fifty states and three government mailings a year are scanned at no charge. IL Registered Agent.org wins on cost, so the two finish close.

Every criterion and weight appears on How we rank.

What Illinois Secretary of State requires of a Illinois registered agent (official)

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: fee, due date and your agent

Illinois LLCs file the Limited Liability Company Annual Report every year. The fee is $75 and the date is before the first day of the entity's anniversary month. Filing late means $100 more. The state sends related notices to your registered agent.

Illinois registered agent: quick questions

Is an Illinois LLC obliged to keep a registered agent?

It is. Illinois wants every LLC to have a registered agent on file, and that agent must hold a street address inside the state.

What is the going yearly rate for a registered agent in Illinois?

Yearly prices span $99 to $149, and each service holds its price when it renews.

Is it allowed to serve as my own registered agent?

Yes, if you satisfy the state's conditions. An Illinois resident, or a business authorized to do business in Illinois. The LLC cannot act as its own agent.

When must the Illinois Limited Liability Company Annual Report be filed?

The deadline is before the first day of the entity's anniversary month. The state's fee is $75. A late filing is penalized with $100.

Which registered agents sit on this card?

Mainstay Filing ($149 a year), IL Registered Agent.org ($99 a year) and Illinois Registered Agent.co ($99 a year), top to bottom.

Which Illinois registered agent scores best on value?

Mainstay Filing, since $149 yearly for an agent that fits a company in one state or in fifty, with the first three government mailings each year scanned free.

See also

Where the figures come from

  1. Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division, as of August 2026
  2. Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Limited Liability Division, as of August 2026
  3. 805 ILCS 180/5-5, as of August 2026
  4. Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  5. Illinois formation fee: Filing fee, official source, as of October 2026
  6. Illinois registered agent statute, as of October 2026
  7. Read on November 12, 2026: Illinois service page for Mainstay Filing
  8. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for IL Registered Agent.org
  9. Read on November 12, 2026: pricing and service pages for Illinois Registered Agent.co